Festival a shining beacon of hope in a sea of darkness

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/02/2025 (302 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Westman Multicultural Festival began yesterday and runs until tomorrow. It features 11 pavilions — El Salvador, Colombia, HAMI, India, Jamaica, Nigeria, Mauritius, Palestine, Philippines, Scotland and Ukraine — each showcasing a portion of the rich and dynamic cultural diversity and harmony that exists within our city.

As we enjoy the festival this weekend, including the music, the food, the dancing, the languages and the formation of new friendships, it is worth taking a moment to reflect on how unique our city is within Canada and the world.

Since its birth in 1882, Brandon has always welcomed people from every corner of the planet, many of them seeking to build a safer, more prosperous life for themselves and their families. Some were fleeing war, hunger and oppression, while others sought a better opportunity to achieve their dreams.

They had the courage and vision to build our city, Brandon brick by Brandon brick, and we continue to reap the benefits of their efforts. They were determined to leave a thriving community for future generations and they achieved that goal.

For the entire 143-year history of our city, The Brandon Sun has been there to witness and chronicle its tremendous growth and evolution. While we have documented many successes, we have also seen and reported on many regrettable aspects of our history.

For example, this newspaper documented the wrongful detainment of Ukrainians during the First World War, and has been witness to decades of mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. Today, Ukrainians continue to be important contributors to the success of our city, and are hosting a pavilion at this weekend’s festival.

Beyond that, the city is an active participant in reconciliation efforts, Indigenous persons are making important contributions in our government and business sectors, and we will soon be the new home of the Manitoba First Nations Police Service headquarters.

Brandon has come a long way and we have much to be proud of, but there is much more to do. At a time when we are seeing a rising tide of racism, intolerance and division sweeping across the globe, we must continue to be a shining exception to the darkness and despair.

At a time when a growing number of the world’s governments are turning their backs on those who are suffering the terrible consequences of war, violence and instability, we must remain a safe place of refuge.

At a time when many nations no longer welcome the tired, the poor and the huddled masses yearning to be free, we must continue to be a beacon of liberty. We must see the value and potential of all people, along with the contributions they can make — and are currently making — in our city.

At a time when too many individuals, including some in our own community, appear determined to force newcomers to assimilate and abandon their culture, we must resist the pressure to have our nation and city become a melting pot that erases cultural identity. To the contrary, we must continue to be allies who recognize and defend the right of all people to their unique cultural heritage, languages and traditions.

This weekend’s festival is a time for fun and camaraderie, but it is also much more than that. It is an opportunity for us all to reflect and take pride in the unique and evolving cultural diversity of our city.

We are proving every day that people from all over the world, with different languages, religions, traditions and cultures, can live together in peace and work together toward the goal of building a thriving, prosperous and joyful community.

There is a lot good happening in our city. If more communities followed our example, the world would be a better, happier and safer place for all.