Between August 1, 2015 and Alberta's Civic Holiday on August 3, the William Hawrelak Park in Edmonton transformed into a rich display of arts, culture and ethnic heritage. During that time the Edmonton Heritage Festival, also known as the Servus Heritage Festival due to its title sponsor, took place.
Between August 1, 2015 and Alberta's Civic Holiday on August 3, the William Hawrelak Park in Edmonton transformed into a rich display of arts, culture and ethnic heritage. During that time the Edmonton Heritage Festival, also known as the Servus Heritage Festival due to its title sponsor, took place.
Back in 1974 the Government of Alberta declared the first Monday of each August to be an annual holiday as a recognition of the different cultural roots of Albertans, and as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate this diversity in a commitment to equality, democracy and mutual respect. The holiday introduced through Minister of Culture Horst A. Schmid has been named Heritage Day, and may have inspired the Heritage Festival which developed from a multicultural concert in 1974-75 to its current form from 1976 on.
Visitors taste ethnic foods from Bangladesh at the Heritage Festival in Edmonton
The festival is a collective effort initiated by the Heritage Festival Association, at which Alberta's cultural heritage and diversity is honoured with a display of more than 85 different cultures in over 60 pavilions, organized by local ethnic communities and groups, who offer traditional cuisine, entertainment, interpretive materials, and crafts to visitors.
The Bangladesh Pavilion at the Heritage Festival in Edmonton
Bangladesh takes part in this festival since 1996, and in 2015 the Bangladesh Heritage and Ethnic Society of Alberta (BHESA) organized the Bangladesh Pavilion, as it does traditionally every second year. The Bangladesh Pavilion this year was a centre to showcase Bangladeshi arts and crafts, products, and its rich food culture. Visitors were able to browse per example through all kinds of jewellery, traditional clothes, and were able to sample delicious specialties like Chicken or Beef Polao, Fish Pakora, Samosa, and many more.
Preparations of food inside the Bangladesh Pavilion
As a highlight of the pavilion visit festival goers were able to take home a piece of Bangladesh heritage, which has been compiled in form of a magazine about Bangladesh culture and the local community. BHESA calls its community magazine Edmonton Bichitra, an information source addressed to the local Bengali community at large. The special edition available on the Heritage Festival has been named Bangladesh Heritage Special Edition due to its contents, which include specific information about Bangladesh, its history, its people, and its culture. Information about the local community and its activities, as well as a section with messages from the Canadian Government complete the scope of coverage. The government greetings included messages from Rt. Hon David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, Hon. Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta, Hon. David Eggen, Minister of Culture & Tourism of Alberta, and from Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton.
You are invited to have a look inside the magazine, as it is also available in form of a digital copy at BHESA's website.
Inauguration ceremony of the Edmonton Bichitra, Bangladesh Heritage Special Edition Magazine
The magazine was formally inaugurated by language veteran Mohammad Siddique Hussain on the first day of the festival. Delwar Jahid, President of the Bangladesh Heritage and Ethnic Society of Alberta (BHESA) presided that meeting, which included special guests Dr. Hafizur Rahman, Ahmed Ali, Dr. Mosfiqur Rahman and Rezaul Karim. Further attendees were Tajul Ali, Bikash Talukder, M. Zakaria, Noor-e-Alam, Masod Bhuiyan, Tomal Islam, Zulfiquer Ahmed, Dollin Islam, M. Anamur Rahman Miea, Nurul Huda and Syfur Hasan.
The area where the magazine was presented also featured a video presentation about Bangladesh, its economy and its people, which had been prepared by Syfur Hasan. The presentation was a magnet for by-passers of the pavilion.
Inside the Bangladesh Pavilion
