We celebrated UN Day in the past quarter by dressing up in traditional costumes from each country or region of the world to reflect one’s identity and culture. This was a day for appreciating and learning about the many cultures, traditions, and cuisines of the world’s countries. Every culture, every ethnicity, and every individual sees the world in a unique manner. Similarly, each culture, nationality, and individual has unique knowledge, perspectives, and points of view. When all of these varied points of view are brought together, wonders can occur. And this was the central focus of the OSC UN Day.

Culture is vital because it develops a sense of belonging, improves quality of life, and allows us to connect with one another. Individually, it improves our health, wellness, and self-esteem; collectively, it increases our social capital and economic wealth. We may learn about each other by immersing ourselves in cultures different than our own—where people came from, what their traditions are, and what they deal with as a community. It also encourages us to question our preconceptions about our own everyday lives and routines, which promotes amazing personal growth. Keeping this in mind, I, Thisathma, Chathil, and Senaya gave a short presentation to the elementary students in which we introduced them to Sri Lankan music and then danced to a popular Sri Lankan song. At the end of the presentation, we taught the youngsters one Sinhala word, as well as its meaning and pronunciation