Global festival celebrates 'diversity of cultures'

Stephanie Gray volunteers with the One World Centre

There is a lot to learn from a "diversity of cultures" on the Isle of Man, organisers of a festival celebrating the increasingly varied population have said.

The One World Centre's (OWC) global village is an annual event where several different nationalities are represented through food, clothes, and music.

The charity hosts a series of events around the island each year, and one of their biggest is the global village, coinciding with the island's national day.

Stephanie Gray, from the OWC, said the village was "so important" because it introduced people to "different cultures".

On Monday, as many celebrated Tynwald Day, the OWC shone a light on the island's multiculturalism.

While Tynwald Day, which dates back more than 1,000 years, was an occasion steeped in tradition, it also gave people "an opportunity to experience other cultures", she said.

It also provided a space to "share and bring the best of each others' cultures to that living experience" for everyone on the island.

Live world music is performed in the arboretum throughout the day

There were several international food stalls in the area, alongside crafts, clothes, and live world music is performed throughout the day.

The various food offerings included Thai and Indian to and Ukrainian, as well as local Manx offerings.

The global village takes its place below Tynwald Hill each year in the arboretum.

The global village brings an international perspective to a traditionally Manx day

Ms Gray said this year the focus was on the United Nations' "sustainable development goal 14", which was "all about protecting the marine environment".

The OWC was urging island residents to think of their favourite beach, either locally or somewhere further afield, and how it made them feel.

There were a number of significant harms threatening coastlines, Ms Gray explained, including "sea level rise, climate change, pollution, or chemicals".

She encouraged people to think about "what can we actually do to make a difference"