‘International Hands of Friendship’ fosters cross-cultural understanding.

Bugbee School’s ‘International Hands of Friendship.’ Submitted photo

Submitted

Lloyd H. Bugbee Elementary School in West Hartford will offer an exciting new perspective on International Night on Feb. 26, 2015.  For the first time, the event will be focused on the concept of friendship, and will aim to foster a culture of peace. With today’s global issues, it is imperative to collectively promote the goal of world peace. International Hands of Friendship will feature close to 40 countries, and allow Bugbee students to learn first-hand about inclusion and cross-cultural understanding.

As the world is becoming more divided, it has never been more important for students to have a clear understanding and acceptance of the customs of other cultures.  The event will provide the opportunity for students to draw parallels between their own culture and those of their fellow Bugbee families, and build not only knowledge, but also a true respect for others.

Each country’s booth will teach the children how to say “friend” in their native language, while offering fascinating facts about their culture. The students and their families will enjoy the experience of building a peaceful and better world through education, and the creation of mutual understanding.  The event will celebrate the spirit of friendship and solidarity.

Bugbee’s International Night will be the most robust effort to date-with families coming together to share their unique traditions, and to gain a broader perspective on the world.  There will also be new countries included, such as Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Mexico, Finland, Portugal Austria and Taiwan.  The cultural offerings include art, dress, music, an international talent show and sports activities, as well as an International Café featuring homemade food from around the world.  There will be educational activities such as a large-scale scavenger hunt that will help students to benefit from an interactive learning experience that goes beyond the classroom.

“Beyond serving as a wonderful opportunity to gather our big Bugbee family together in the middle of the winter, our International Night is one of the ways we work to expose our students to different experiences and worlds. We want our kids to see that the world is bigger than just our school, bigger than just West Hartford. We want them to be kind, tolerant, accepting, and excited learners – and seeing how diverse our community really is, helps us collectively reach our goal!” said Noam Sturm, Bugbee School Principal.

Fourth grade teacher and one of the event organizers, Dahlia Cherny, said, “The Bugbee community is comprised of many international cultures. We are proud to have our own individual heritages, yet together we bond in friendship and admiration for each other. This year our theme encompasses Bugbee’s quest for international friendships, starting right here within our own school.”

International Hands of Friendship is open to Bugbee families and will begin at 6:00 pm at the school, located at 1943 Asylum Ave. in West Hartford.  For more information, please contact Rose Balesano at 860-929-5500.