In today’s increasingly connected world, education extends far beyond reading, writing and arithmetic. Schools play an important role in helping young people understand different cultures, appreciate diverse perspectives and develop the confidence to thrive in modern Britain.
For several years, Queen’s Park Community Organisation (QPCO) has championed Culture and Diversity Days in local schools, strengthening links between education and the wider community while celebrating the people and cultures that make Bedford such a vibrant place to live.
This year, QPCO partnered with St Thomas More Catholic Secondary School to deliver its annual Culture and Diversity Day.
Building on the success of a St Patrick’s Day project earlier this year, the event brought together local organisations, volunteers and community leaders to share their heritage, experiences and traditions with students.
Workshops
Throughout the day, students took part in a range of interactive workshops.
These included Irish music and history with Rich from The Black and Gold, Nigerian traditional dress, talking drums and dance with Shewa Adeniji from the Flourish International Skool of Talking Drummers.
Joining them were Zimbabwean art with Catherine Ward, and a session exploring the experiences of Palestinian children delivered by Bedford Friends of Al-Walaja.
QPCO also helped connect the school with the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire.
Among the guest speakers was Joe Mankowitz, who shared his personal experiences of living under apartheid in South Africa and working alongside Nelson Mandela, offering students a powerful insight into equality, justice and the importance of standing up against discrimination.
Martin Bonner, Headteacher at St Thomas More Catholic Secondary School, said: “Our Culture and Diversity Day is one of the highlights of our school year because it celebrates one of our greatest strengths: the incredible diversity of our school community.
“With 63 different languages spoken in the homes of our children, we are privileged to be a place where so many cultures, traditions and experiences come together.
“Rather than seeing our differences as something that divides us, we see them as something that enriches us all.
This special day gives students, staff and our wider community the opportunity to share their heritage with pride, learn from one another and recognise that, while our backgrounds may be different, the values of kindness, family, respect and belonging are universal.
“Every year, we come away from this celebration feeling even more connected as one school family.”
“Celebrate myself”
Young volunteer Charles spent the day asking students why events like this matter. Their answers captured the spirit of the day:
“To accept people, no matter what.”
“I get to celebrate myself.”
“It helps us to understand others.”
“To embrace and learn about the diverse cultures in our community, especially with the divisive politics of our time.”
High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, Ismail Anilmis DL, reflected on the significance of the event.
“It was a real privilege to join St Thomas More Catholic School for their Culture and Diversity Day.
“As someone whose own journey has taken me from Turkey to becoming High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, I know first-hand the value of embracing different cultures and experiences.
“Meeting such engaged and respectful young people, representing a school community where 63 different languages are spoken at home, was truly inspiring.
“Their thoughtful questions, curiosity and enthusiasm gave me great confidence in the future of our communities.
Diversity is one of Bedfordshire’s greatest strengths, and events like this help build understanding, respect and a sense of belonging,” he said.
Rob Wall from Bedford Friends of Al-Walaja echoed those sentiments.
“It’s important to take every opportunity to focus on the things we share because there are people who seek to divide us. A school Culture and Diversity Day is a wonderful opportunity to do exactly that,” he said.
Reflecting on the day, he added, “I found the day uplifting and was impressed by everyone’s attitude, from the headteacher down.
“My favourite moment was seeing the Palestinian flag raised and warmly cheered by so many students.”
Far beyond the classroom
Rich from The Black and Gold said days like this reach far beyond the classroom.
“The value of these events is immeasurable. They encourage students to be proud of their heritage while celebrating differences and promoting acceptance, tolerance and cooperation.
“Seeing the playground filled with national colours, flags and young people celebrating together created a melting pot of cultures our society should aspire to be more like. That’s what hope for a better future looks like.”
Shewa Adeniji, Principal of the Flourish International Skool of Talking Drummers, said: “We treasure the opportunity to be part of St Thomas More’s Culture and Diversity Day.
It was wonderful to see students enthusiastically embracing African culture through traditional dress, talking drums and dance. They quickly learned basic rhythms, explored new traditions and celebrated unity in diversity.
Events like this foster education, cultural understanding, respect and inclusion while creating memories that young people will carry with them long after the school day has ended.”
The value of opening classrooms
Culture and Diversity Day demonstrated the value of opening classrooms to the wider community.
By bringing together local organisations, artists, volunteers and community leaders, students were given the opportunity to hear personal stories, ask questions and experience cultures that may have been unfamiliar to them.
In doing so, they also gained a deeper appreciation of their classmates and the rich diversity that exists within their own school.
As Bedford continues to grow as one of the country’s most diverse towns, partnerships between schools and community organisations play an important role in bringing people together.
St Thomas More’s Culture and Diversity Day showed how celebrating different cultures can strengthen understanding, encourage respect and create a greater sense of belonging.
Those lessons will stay with students long after the decorations have come down, helping to build stronger communities for the future.
Our monthly community column is provided by
the Queen’s Park Community Organisation,
celebrating the people, cultures and grassroots groups
that help make Bedford such a vibrant and welcoming community.
