The annual Warrington Mela, the town’s multicultural festival, celebrated its 9th year in style with a fantastic family day of fun, food and entertainment.
Warrington MELA is the town’s largest international festival, showcasing cultural diversity and helping to ‘break down barriers’ through music, dance and food.
Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘gathering’ or ‘to meet’ or a ‘fair’.
Glorious sunshine welcomed the traditional procession from the Town Hall , through the town centre, to Queens Gardens, where the celebrants, which included the Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Wendy Johnson and MP Faisal Rashid as well as representatives of the many and diverse cultures and faiths Warrington is home to, lit up the streets.
It made for a wonderful spectacle both visually with the stunning costumes on display and audibly thanks to the Rhythm of Warrington Drum band accompanying the walkers.
Opening the proceedings from the stage organiser Mo Hussein, the Mayor, Cllr Wendy Johnson , Cllr. Tony Higgins and ‘Uncle’ Hazan Khazi welcomed everyone to the family event and praised the town and its people for their tolerance and diversity.
With unity and togetherness the order of the day it made a sharp contrast to some of the hatred and division seen to be on the rise in recent times.
Performing on stage was a huge variety of singers and dancers from all over the world who wowed the thousands in the crowd.
Food stalls provided wonderful street food which filled the park with wonderful aromas.
Many charities and services set up stalls gaining much needed funds and awareness.
The event was once again brilliantly organised and delivered by the Warrington Ethnic Communities Association.
WECA aims to support culturally diverse communities (black, minority and ethic) to promote community cohesion in Warrington. It was formed in January 2004 to act as an umbrella body for ‘grassroots’, community and voluntary ‘minority’ groups in Warrington.
