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Cultural round table: Dance and dialogue

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Staff reporter - [email protected]
Cultural round table: Dance and dialogue
Tsechung Gyatso from Tibet. Photo: Paul Gillingwater

The Cultural Round Table (Kulturen bitten zu Tisch) event organized by the World Public Forum attracted thousands of visitors, showcasing food, music and dance from 25 different countries.

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The World Public Forum, a Vienna-based NGO devoted to promoting dialogue between civilizations as the basis of solving the world's political, economic and environmental problems, successfully organized this year's Cultural Round Table for the seventh year running.

The event, held in the Sigmund Freud Park by Vienna's Votivkirche, showcases cooking, dance, music and the colourful traditional costumes of 25 different countries, many of whom were also represented by their ambassadors at the central dialogue table.

Naturally, mostly Austrians were present, but they seemed enthusiastic about meeting people from different cultures.  Werner W. from Austria said "Vienna is a very international city, so it's very natural."

Luisa from the Dominican Republic was in Vienna for one night only, and was delighted to see other people from the Caribbean. She seemed especially keen on the diversity of food, saying "I see a lot of cultural themes.  I want to eat everything!"

Another Caribbean, Shurel from Antigua was pleased to not only offer Caribbean Black Cake for sale, but also was there as an artist and dance performer.  She explained how the event was a presentation of not only different cultures, from 25 countries, but also a showcase for their food and music.

Other NGOs were also present.  Claudia Bandion-Ortner, deputy Secretary General of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialog, explained how "We want to bring the people from different cultures together."  

"We can learn from each other," she added.

The occasion celebrates the UNESCO World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.  Any profits from the event go to fund worthy social programs.

IN PICTURES: CULTURAL ROUND TABLE 2014

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