On 25th March, the WCIH primary pupils gathered on the school sports field to celebrate the Hindu Holi festival. Wearing brightly decorated shirts, they enjoyed running through walls of bubbles and fountains of pink foam. The event was filled with vibrant colours, cheerful energy and music, with teachers and pupils participating in the festivities.
The Holi festival is one of the most popular and significant annual Hindu celebrations, it is also known as the Festival of Colours, Love, and Spring. It traditionally represents the love of two Hindu deities, the end of winter and the start of spring, and the triumph of good over evil.
It is also seen as a day for new starts, to rid oneself of past errors, end conflicts, forgive, make new friends, and celebrate the joy of togetherness.
This year, as part of the celebrations, spaced around the sports field running track two bubble machines were filling the air with bubbles of all sizes. On other parts of the track were two foam machines creating walls of pink foam. The children, and some teachers, were shouting with joy as they ran through the foam, getting covered from head to toe.
Aaron Gilloway
Assistant Head of Primary – Academic
Wellington College International Hangzhou is a school that values cultural diversity and recognizes the importance of celebrating different traditions and festivals. One such festival that Wellington College Hangzhou recently celebrated was the Holi festival.
Holi is a Hindu spring festival, also known as the festival of colours or love, celebrated predominantly in India and Nepal. Wellington College International Hangzhou Primary and Hiba Nursery embraced this festival by organizing colourful activities and events to celebrate the cultural diversity of our communities.
The Holi festival is not only about throwing colours but also about fostering relationships and celebrating diversity, which links to our values of respect and kindness. During this festival, people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures come together to celebrate and forget their differences. It is a festival of unity and inclusiveness, which is why Wellington College International Hangzhou felt it was important to celebrate it with their pupils.
Three hundred seventy-eight pupils from EY1 in Hiba Academy Hangzhou to Year 6 in Wellington College International Hangzhou Primary participated in various activities to mark the festival, with senior Indian pupils leading an assembly to share information on the festival and how they celebrated Holi. Pupils were encouraged to bring in a white t-shirt, which they decorated throughout the day, and this led to the culmination of the celebration - a fun and vibrant colour run around our school track. Pupils learned about Indian culture and traditions whilst engaging in fun activities.
Celebrating cultural diversity is essential in our globalized world, enabling individuals to learn about other cultures, religions, and values. It promotes tolerance, acceptance, and mutual respect, helping break down barriers and building bridges between communities. Furthermore, it allows individuals to explore their own identity and learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others.
Wellington College International Hangzhou's celebration of the Holi festival serves as an example of the school's commitment to cultural diversity and inclusiveness. By celebrating this festival, the school showed its pupils the value of respect and the importance of accepting and embracing differences.
