Culture Connects: First Ever Multicultural Day in Neepawa

NACTV had the opportunity to sit down with Thea Duka from the Neepawa Settlement, who also serves as Chair of the Multicultural Planning Committee, to talk about Neepawa’s highly anticipated Multicultural Day.

“For this event, I was delegated to be the Chair of the Multicultural Planning Committee,” Duka explained. “That means I liaise with various cultural groups around the community and surrounding area, and help organize the overall logistics of the event.”

The idea for Multicultural Day originated from internal discussions within the Neepawa Settlement team. They aimed to create an opportunity for newcomers to connect and to integrate more fully into the broader community.
“We wanted to find a way to engage newcomers and make them feel part of the community,” Duka said. “What better way to do that than by celebrating the cultures they bring with them?”

She emphasized that the event is not only about newcomers but about the entire community coming together. The goals include celebrating cultural diversity, building cultural awareness among long-time residents, and promoting social inclusion. “We want everyone, including those who’ve moved here from other provinces as well, to feel they belong and that this is a place where they’re included,” she added.

Another central aim is to showcase Neepawa as a town where every culture is valued, every voice is respected, and every tradition is represented. To achieve this, Duka and her team reached out widely to local organizations, businesses, and cultural groups.
“We contacted our community partners to see who might want to get involved, and the response was overwhelming,” she shared.

Key partners for the festival include various community groups, local businesses, and, importantly, the Town of Neepawa. “Through these partnerships, I was able to navigate the ins and outs of building a festival,” Duka said. “We also reached out to cultural groups both within and outside the area. The level of support has been amazing, particularly from local businesses. It really shows how welcoming Neepawa is as a community.”

She acknowledged that many newcomers can be shy about participating in public events, which is understandable. To make sure there were options for everyone, the committee offered several ways to get involved. “For those who weren’t comfortable with performing, we suggested setting up a cultural booth with artifacts, traditional clothing, food, games, or anything they wanted to share from their heritage,” she explained. This flexible approach has allowed people to contribute in ways that feel authentic and safe for them.

While some cultural communities in Neepawa are small, Duka made a special effort to ensure they were not overlooked. “I reached out to the Ukrainian community here, but since there aren’t many, one person told me they sometimes feel isolated. So, I contacted other towns with established Ukrainian festivals, like Dauphin, to ask if they would be willing to perform here.”

Looking ahead, Duka hopes this Multicultural Festival will become an annual tradition for Neepawa. She compared it to the town’s former Lily Festival, which once brought a sense of excitement and pride to the community. “Now, this can be something that we celebrate together as our town becomes more diverse,” she said. “I want it to be an event that strengthens the sense of belonging for newcomers. It will broaden cultural literacy for both locals and newcomers, encourage ongoing partnerships, and build programming that creates an atmosphere where everyone feels they belong.”