Communities come together in Buncrana to celebrate Africa Day

The event was the second of its kind in Buncrana

placeholder image — The event was the second of its kind in Buncrana

The Exchange in Buncrana was the venue for the event, which showcased traditional music, dress and local food from the African community

The Exchange in Buncrana came alive with music and the rich culture of Africa recently, as the local community gathered to celebrate Africa Day, an event which showcases African culture and intercultural unity.

The event, the second of its kind in Buncrana, showcased traditional music, dress and local food from the African community with participants from Inishowen, Derry and Letterkenny.

The celebration formed part of a series of Africa Day events supported by Donegal County Council's Local Authority Integration Team (LAIT), which works to foster inclusion and multicultural understanding throughout the region.

Organisers Andrew and Ruth Garvey Williams described Africa day as an opportunity for the communities to come together, share experiences, and build stronger and more inclusive connections.

Ruth Garvey Williams, one of the organisers of Africa Day, with some of those who took part

They urged the migrants to see County Donegal as their home and not lose track of why they are in the country, calling on them to live in unity, tolerate each other and learn about each other's culture.

Sarah Webster, Berenice Maher and Stan McWilliams encouraged them to join personal development courses in the community to boost their status in the country.

Highlights of the event included dancing, a range of African food, and a fashion parade showcasing different dress styles from African communities including Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Angola, Mauritius, Morocco and Ghana.