On the 1st of November 2014 there was an event in Bluewater promoting Taiwanese culture held by Taiwan Festival, a Taiwanese travel and leisure company which aims to promote Taiwanese culture in the UK and Ireland. The event consisted of traditional Taiwanese dances, original music composed in Taiwan and a raffle to win a trip for two to Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwan Festival was also providing free Oolong tea and brewing bowls, which is a traditional tea native to South-east Asia, China and Taiwan.
A spectator was interviewed by me about the event;
Me: “What kind of experience did you expect to get from this event, and the event meet your expectations?”
Bystander: “What I expected? Well I expected a small audience and a small promotional event. This held true, however what I didn’t expect was the appreciation people gave towards the planners and performers in this event.”
Me: “What has this event done to change your view on outside cultures?”
Bystander: “This event has opened my eyes towards cultures other than our own. It has helped me to realise that there is a vast and diverse world out there, and this is the start of me self-learning about other cultures.”
This interview has led me to believe that people around Kent enjoy learning about and experiencing other diverse cultures, which opens the door to more acceptance towards others and the education of people about outside lifestyle.
Bakht Jalil, Gravesend Grammar School
