At the 1st International Festival held at the start of the month, members and their guests were treated to an evening of global perspective, community diversity, and cultural entertainment. Hundreds of Realtors® attended the event at RRAR campus to learn about countries, cultures, and ethnicities from around the world.
Realtor® members representing 18 different countries set up tables that gave attendees a taste of what each country has to offer. In some cases, it was a literal taste of food from the region. Guests had a chance to sample cuisine from Jamaica, Venezuela, Vietnam, and much more.
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RRAR's Global Committee hosted the event in coordination with the DEI Committee and Raleigh Sister Cities Network. Global Committee Chair Hannah Chan thought that the event's goal of cultivating diversity and building friendship truly hit the mark.
"We celebrate our Realtors from different ethnic backgrounds. The new energy and knowledge that they bring will help our Association grow and help ALL members feel welcome," Chan remarked.
Other members who took part in the festivities thought that the Festival was a huge success. Thu Neang was able to showcase a traditional Cambodian peacock dance. "It is especially important to share my culture within our profession and the community, said Neang
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In addition to the Cambodian dance, guests also got to enjoy traditional dancing from Venezuela. Neang added, "Not only did I have an outlet to share my culture, but I learned a lot from others as well".
An event like the International Festival has been long asked for by the Global Advisory Group. This was also one of the first RRAR events that was opened up to the community beyond Realtor® members. RRAR DEI Director and Global Committee Liaison Michele Xiong thought it was a wonderful sight to see so many people mingling and learning from each other in terms of cultural awareness and appreciation.
"I believe events like the International Festival are important because it reminds our members that the community they serve is rich with diversity. And that is something they should proudly embrace," Xiong said after the event.
Click here to view the entire photo gallery from the International Festival on the RRAR Facebook page.
Countries represented by Realtor® members at 2023 International Festival:
Benin
Cambodia
China
Dominican Republic
England
France
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
India
Jamaica
Jola/Diola
Kenya
Philippines
Tatar
Ukraine
Venezuela
Vietnam
