Churches Encouraged To Celebrate Diversity By Supporting Cultural Style Week
Churches across the UK are being invited to celebrate the diversity of their congregations and local communities through taking part in the first ever Cultural Style Week
This unique initiative is encouraging people to reflect their cultural roots through their fashion, hair and beauty styles during the week of 21-27 May. People are also being asked to share pictures of themselves in cultural dress on their social media with the tag #culturalstyleweek.
Hair and beauty tech entrepreneur and prayer minister Candy-Ellie Graham is the visionary behind Cultural Style Week. Candy would love to see churches participate in this initiative. She said, “Churches are one of the few places where diversity is encouraged and viewed as a positive thing. Christians serve a God who created diversity and churches spread a message that is for everyone.”
I believe church goers would welcome an opportunity to participate in Cultural Style Week and wear clothing that reflects their cultural roots to their church worship service on Sunday. It would give them a chance to visibly show others the cultural influences that have shaped and inspired them.”
Cultural Style Week will be launched in London, one of the most diverse cities in the world on 21 May. The launch co-incides with the United Nations World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, a day which recognises the important contributions that different cultures make to global development and harmony.
Candy revealed the inspiration behind Cultural Style Week. She explained, “The idea for Cultural Style Week arose out of a cultural hair and beauty expo I had planned. I wanted it to be more than just a physical event and become more a movement that everyone could rally behind and take part in wherever they were in the world.”
“We live in a world where we aren’t always able to turn up as our authentic selves in the dress and beauty styles unique to our cultural backgrounds. Cultural Style Week gives people an opportunity to do that. Dressing in cultural attire and styles will also give people an opportunity to celebrate diversity, as well provide an outlet for people to culturally express themselves.
People from a wide range of cultural backgrounds have already pledged their support for cultural style week and currently includes individuals of Afghan, Russian, Ukraine, Scottish, Tamil, Pakistani, Japanese, and Nigerian heritage.
“I grew up in East London around Turkish people, Asian people, people from around the world,” said Candy, “but there was no one event where we could wear our cultural clothing at the same time. This movement gives people the opportunity to do so.”
Candy wants to see more people from across the cultural spectrum take part in Culture Style Week. “It’s very rare for people to get opportunities to attend events or initiatives in a way that reflects their cultural style. Cultural Style Week gives them an opportunity to do that. I hope people take advantage of this opportunity and celebrate their culture – and this includes church goers.”
Written by: Marcia Dixon
