August Cole and Cultural Events

Pan American: A number of performances, ethnic food pavilions and other cultural events are planned throughout the month of July and well into August, according to The Waterloo Record. Cole, a Paralympian who won gold for Canada in 1980, believes encouraging members of ethnic communities to embrace the Games will not only make visiting athletes feel at home, but also provides an opportunity for Canadians, particularly youth, to identify role models and reconnect with their heritage. The cultural diversity of Toronto and its surrounding areas is expected to be on full display next month as thousands of competitors from the Pan American countries take part in what being billed as the largest multi-sport event ever held in Canada. "I think the one great difference to the rest of the world is that we have a little bit of everywhere here that we love to celebrate in a proud and inclusive manner," says Giselle Cole, who will be flying the Canadian flag as well as the flag of Trinidad and Tobago, where she immigrated from years ago, during the Games. "We're going to be able to celebrate Canada while at the same time welcoming and supporting our athletes from the Pan Americas." Those organizing the Games have been collaborating with people like Cole to engage different diasporas in the events that will run alongside the sporting competitions. Maria Figueredo feels the same way. The project seeks to celebrate the sports and culture of each country and culminates in an installation at the Toronto University. "I wanted to bring something from my field to the Pan Am Games and to get my students connected," she says. That why the York University professor whose family came to Canada from Uruguay launched a project called Poet Tree, which encourages people to submit original verses along with work from their favourite poet from a Pan American country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.