Ortonville- Music, clothes, food and games from around the world were found at Harvey Swanson Elementary on Feb. 24.
The school hosted Festival Internationale, an entire day dedicated to teaching students about other countries, including Italy, Sweden, Mexico, Iraq, France, Africa, Japan, China, Poland, Switzerland, Ireland, Israel, Cuba, India and Russia (where kids also learned about Judaism).
This year marked the third time the school has had this particular festival. Last year’s festival centered around kindness.
The parent committee at Harvey-Swanson is in charge of finding natives of other countries to come in and explain the culture of their native lands.
‘We give our kids a taste of the world,? said principal Helen Clemetsen. ‘I just want the kids to learn our world is filled with great people and we have so many similarities. There are also unique differences we need to celebrate.?
Emma Hubbard, a first-grader, enjoyed looking at pictures of France.
‘It was cool, ‘cuz I’ve never seen France,? she said. ‘I learned to say, ‘Au revoir,? which means ‘goodbye.??
Nassir Bitti taught children about his native country, Iraq and said he loved being given the opportunity.
‘Every human should understand the world, so they don’t have hate in their mind,? he said. ‘Someday, when someone mentions Iraq, perhaps they will remember the food they had here today and remember me.?