The Global Gala

Celebrating Cultural Diversity

Me and my team worked with the Essex Cultural Diversity Project to produce this project and other celebrations of diversity.

The Global Gala was a gathering of the many different cultures in Essex and was part of One World One Essex.

The local park was transformed into a medley of colours, sounds, smells and tastes as people from across the county came together to bring you music, dance, crafts and food.

The day included performances of a special story, linking together the stories and myths of each culture.

The evening ended with a rousing concert of Cuban and Jamaican mix music by Ska Cubano.

For centuries people have migrated to England. Millions of people who live here have come from another land or culture. You could descend from Roman invaders or their families and slaves or Anglo-Saxons or Normans or perhaps the Dutch? Your family could have come here from another part of Britain or Ireland, or you may have come in more recent times from one of the countries that were part of the British Empire. Whatever your family’s journey, you are here.

“This is a wonderful thing to be happening. Our culture is everywhere you look and I hope this raises awareness of the myriad of events taking place everyday, so that more people can enjoy them.” 

Jeremy Lucas, Cabinet Member for Arts & Culture

One World One Essex brought together a mix of different stories from seven communities living in the county, their journeys, lives and experiences. These were featured in a touring exhibition with an accompanying booklet.  Their diverse voices were also recorded, narrated by storyteller and narrative specialist Seema Anand and permanently archived to become an important part of the oral history of the area.

Pots are central to all world cultures, whether it’s for cooking, storage or ceremony. For One World One Essex, each family story was accompanied by an image and description of a pot relating to that culture, and on the audio recordings each oral history is followed by a folk tale inspired by pots from the family’s cultural background.

Such events break down barriers and promote cultural harmony. Through arts, cultural and heritage projects we can raise awareness of race equality and cultural diversity, benefiting all communities.