For the third consecutive year, the Ecuadorian Community at UBC gather to deliver a student-run cultural night: Pachamama 3.0, Beyond Borders. On the night of April 23rd, a group of 15 people, between organizers and volunteers hosted a wonderful night full of music, dance, and traditional Ecuadorian food to celebrate multiculturalism in the community of UTown@UBC.
Thanks to the UTown@UBC Community Grant, in support of the Vancouver Foundation, we were able to host this event in which neighbors, including students, UBC faculty and staff, and their families learned about how Ecuadorian migrants make a home away from home in Vancouver. Additionally, a total of 100 attendees participated in interactive games such as trivia, dancing chair, and other activities such as photo booth and social dancing. As an incentive for participation and to make the night an unforgettable experience, all attendees and game winners received handcrafted gifts from a local artisan.
Pachamama has successfully helped to create connections among its attendees. During the event, participants shared that this event is unique connecting Ecuadorians living in the area that would not know each other otherwise, as well as connecting broader community members to a new culture and people. Pachamama also became a space for participants to showcase work that is important for them such as short videos, other involvement opportunities, and their talents.
To future project leaders, we recommend considering cultural and social integration as a part of your own projects. For another year, our project has made us realized the importance of these aspects to support the wellbeing of the residents of our community and their families.
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