Latest news with #multicultural
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
King, Queen: Kaamatan, Gawai mirror Malaysia's cultural wealth and spirit of gratitude
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — The Kaamatan Festival and Gawai Day reflect Malaysia's rich tapestry of traditions and the harmony of its multicultural society in the eyes of the world, says His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia. In a post on the official Facebook account of Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar today, His Majesty stated that the diversity of Malaysian culture is manifested through the celebration of these festivals. 'The celebrations are not only a sign of gratitude at the end of the harvest season but also a reminder for all citizens to always be thankful for the blessings and fortunes bestowed upon them, according to their respective beliefs and practices,' read the post. His Majesty and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, the Queen of Malaysia, also extended greetings to Malaysians celebrating the Kaamatan Festival and Gawai Day. Kaamatan Festival and Gawai Day are offerings of thanks following the end of the harvest season. Sabahans celebrate the Kaamatan Festival today, while Sarawakians will observe Gawai Day tomorrow. — Bernama
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
Carrousel of Nations to celebrate 50th year in Windsor-Essex
Carrousel of Nations, the Windsor-Essex region's popular multicultural festival, is set to happen in June — 50 years since it started. CBC's Dalson Chen spoke with village volunteers Laura Ramirez, Graeme Wrachna, and Nyanwier Jal, as well as Fred Francis of the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Baby names are getting more DIVERSE: Experts reveal the top names in the UK over the last 20 years - as parents pull inspiration from around the world
When it comes to choosing a baby name, there are endless options. Some parents might opt for a traditional 'Jack', while others may go for more multicultural names such as 'Arlo' or 'Luca'. Now, research has revealed how baby names in Britain have become more culturally and linguistically diverse over the last 20 years. Analysis of the top baby names from 2004, 2014 and 2024 found today's most popular baby names come from a much wider range of countries and languages than they used to. The favourite baby names at the turn of the millennium were predominantly of English, Hebrew and Latin origin. Now, two decades later, Italian, Arabic, Norse, and even Scottish-Spanish names also top the list. Experts say parents now have a much broader frame of reference, and that there's a 'real shift' away from traditional choices. So, do you have one of these more multicultural names? Love Island star Luca Bish has a name with Italian origins. In 2024, it was the seventh most popular name for newborn baby boys Analysis, carried out by English language classes platform Preply, showed the majority of the most popular names in 2004 were of English, Hebrew or Latin origin. These included Jack, Joshua, Daniel, Emily and Jessica. Other popular names from that era were of Greek, Germanic and Celtic origin. But fast-forward to 2024 and a range of other cultural names are also in the top 20 list. These include Isla, which is Scottish/Spanish, Luca, which is Italian, Freya, which is Norse, and Muhammad, which is Arabic. 'As a nation, we're much more exposed to and connected with other cultures than we've ever been,' a spokeswoman for Preply said. 'The media we consume, the communities we engage with online, and global migration, have all played a key role in this shift. 'Parents now have a much broader frame of reference. The top baby names in the UK in 2004, 2014, and 2024 Top boy names 2004 Jack - English Joshua - Hebrew Thomas - Aramaic James - Hebrew Daniel - Hebrew Samuel - Hebrew Oliver - Latin/French William - Germanic Benjamin - Hebrew Joseph - Hebrew 2014 Oliver - Latin/French Jack - English Harry - English Jacob - Hebrew Charlie - English Thomas - Aramaic George - Greek Oscar - Irish/Old Norse James - Hebrew William - Germanic 2024 Muhammad - Arabic Noah - Hebrew Oliver - Latin George - Greek Leo - Latin Arthur - Celtic Luca - Italian Theodore - Greek Oscar - Irish Henry - Germanic Top girl names 2004 Emily - Latin Ellie - English/Greek Jessica - Hebrew Sophie - Greek Chloe - Greek Olivia - Latin Lucy - Latin Charlotte - French Katie - English/Greek Megan - Welsh 2014 Amelia - Latin/Germanic Olivia - Latin Isla - Scottish/Spanish Emily - Latin Poppy - English Ava - Latin/Germanic Isabella - Hebrew/Spanish/Italian Jessica - Hebrew Lily - English Sophie - Greek 2024 Olivia - Latin Amelia - Latin/Germanic Isla - Scottish/Spanish Lily - English Freya - Norse Ava - Latin/Germanic Ivy - English Florence - Latin Willow - English Isabella - Italian/Spanish 'Now that we're familiar with more cross-cultural names, they feel modern, accessible, and stylish. 'Most of these names aren't necessarily new, they're just new to us!' They said names of Scandinavian and French origin, such as Evelyn and Mia, have begun making an appearance in the UK's top names lists, which they didn't in 2014 or 2004. 'This reflects a growing cultural diversity and openness to global influences in baby naming trends,' they added. 'We're also seeing a growing number of names with mythological or historical roots, like Phoebe and Ivy, being embraced by parents today. 'Overall, there's a real shift away from traditional choices in favour of names that feel unique and memorable.' The findings show that, as a nation, we're becoming more multicultural and linguistically diverse. 'Today, names of Arabic, Norse, Spanish, and Italian origin appear frequently in the top 20, names that didn't appear at all just 20 years ago,' the expert said. 'A key contributor is our desire for uniqueness. 'Rather than sticking with conventional name choices, we're selecting ones that feel more globally relevant.' 'Additionally, it demonstrates that we're being influenced by pop culture. 'The likes of celebrities, football stars, and even social media influencers are swaying our baby naming choices, often without us even realising.
SBS Australia
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
SBS celebrates 50 years of reflecting a diverse and contemporary Australia
Marking 50 years of broadcasting on 9 June 2025, SBS reflects contemporary Australia like no other media network. With its bold and inclusive storytelling reaching more Australians than ever before, our hybrid funded national public broadcaster is celebrating its SBS50 birthday week with a special line-up of programming that pays homage to its unique past and looks forward to its distinctive future. 'The thing that I love about SBS is it doesn't tell me what to think. It just opens my eyes and my heart to see the world differently.' – Rachel Griffiths 'Fifty years ago, we were given the chance to see the world from a different point of view. And fifty years today, the world has had a chance to see us.' – Ernie Dingo 'It's a true reflection of the Australian story and the Australian experience.' – Melissa Leong Program highlights: Special SBS50-themed episodes of Insight , Living Black , Mastermind , The Cook Up with Adam Liaw , and The Weekly Football Wrap . , , and Reruns of cult classic South Park and new episodes of If You Are The One . and new episodes of . An SBS World Movies collection featuring original commentary from The Movie Show with iconic duo Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton. featuring original commentary from with iconic duo Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton. Community features with SBS Audio's 60+ language services, including video interviews with original 2EA/3EA radio presenters and exploring the changing multicultural faces of Australia. Watch SBS50 birthday video messages here from Rachel Griffiths, Hugh Jackman, Ernie Dingo, Melissa Leong, Benjamin Law, Courtney Act, Marc Fennell, Karla Grant, Adam Liaw, John Paul Janke, Joel Creasey, Jenny Brockie, Nornie Bero, Voyager, Lily Serna, Lydia Williams, John Aloisi, Maeve O'Meara, Peter Kuruvita, Kathy Lette, Claudia Karvan and Shane Delia. In a country home to the oldest continuous culture and where almost one-third of people were born overseas, SBS has long been holding up a mirror, enabling all Australians to see themselves and their stories through a distinctive media offering that can't be found elsewhere. 'The Australia you see on SBS is the Australia we all see when we walk out our front door every day,' said James Taylor, Managing Director of SBS. 'SBS's role is to protect a plurality of perspectives, foster deeper understanding, and promote a sense of belonging for all Australians – regardless of their background and where their story began. As Australia's most trusted news brand, trust is the foundation that drives our innovation-led news and multilingual content and that's never been more important than in today's global landscape of misinformation and distrust. 'We don't tell people what to think, or feel, but provide opportunities for everyone to experience the world around them. For 50 years, SBS has been unafraid to entertain, educate and provoke audiences with bold, human stories that amplify diverse voices and connect us all. I am proud that we never stand still, continuously evolving to meet the needs of a diverse, contemporary Australia. Today we are reaching the highest audience numbers in our history with the largest volume of original Australian content.' Where we have been Founded in 1975 as two small multilingual radio stations, 2EA and 3EA, to help promote the Australian Government's public health care scheme to non-English speaking communities and legislated in 1978, SBS's multi-platform services are today free and available for all Australians in over 60 languages. And since premiering the nation's first major prime-time Indigenous current affairs TV program, First In Line , in 1989, SBS has continued to pioneer First Nations representation, including welcoming National Indigenous Television (NITV) to its network as a free-to-air channel in 2012. Affectionately referred to as 'Sex Before Soccer' in the 1980s – a reference to its raunchy foreign films and European football called by iconic sports presenter and former refugee, the late Les Murray AM – SBS over the decades has also been synonymous with bringing South Park , Scandi Noir and the Eurovision Song Contest to Australians. Just as important has been SBS's sustained investment in locally-produced content and Australian talent, which is focused on supporting diversity both on and off screen to reflect a contemporary Australia often not otherwise fully seen or represented. The results are real, restless and daring stories that audiences love across news, current affairs, drama, documentary, food, sport and more. SBS has always punched well above its weight, from the ground-breaking factual series First Australians and Go Back to Where You Came From , to more recently Gina Chick winning the premiere season of Alone Australia , hard-hitting drama Safe Home , and Courtney Act and Tony Armstrong hosting this year's Eurovision watched by over 2.2 million Australians. Where we are going Today, SBS is an award-winning multiplatform, multilingual network that has been named Australia's most trusted news provider[1] and national podcaster of the year three years running[2]. It is also the first broadcaster to allow viewers to opt-out of advertising related to alcohol, gambling and quick-service restaurants, as well as being on track to reach Net Zero by 2045. 'SBS is for all Australians, by all Australians, and we've never been afraid to take risks and boldly go where others won't. Whether that's through content that reflects and helps shape our collective national identity, digital innovation that delivers world-class audience experiences, or socially and environmentally responsible practices that show care for community,' said Taylor. 'We've always known who we are and what we stand for at SBS. Our success is grounded in the deep trusted relationships we have built with Australian communities over half a century and this is what makes us unique. If you want to understand the real Australia, then let SBS be your guide because in myriad ways, we are leading the way forward for a more inclusive and cohesive nation.' SBS50 content line-up L-R: Karla Grant, Adam Liaw, Kumi Taguchi and Marc Fennell will host special SBS50 episodes of Living Black, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, Insight and Mastermind respectively. SBS is marking its milestone 50th birthday with a distinctive slate of cross-network, multilingual content and activities, including outside broadcasts in regional locations and a partnership with VIVID Sydney. On SBS On Demand, a dedicated SBS50 Hub ( is celebrating all things SBS from across the decades including powerful SBS and NITV Originals and iconic arthouse films. SBS World Movies will feature an SBS50 curated collection of game-changing and quotable films, with original commentary from The Movie Show and SBS Cult Movies .In particular don't miss Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton who captivated audiences for almost 20 years from 1986 with their hearty debate, love for cinema and memorable reviews. A must watch! SBS's rich legacy of broadcasting football to a nation of 'non-soccer lovers' since the 80s is celebrated with a special episode of The Weekly Football Wrap that looks at the pioneers that championed the game and how far Australia has come in embracing the World Game (Monday 2 June at 10.20-11.20pm, VICELAND and SBS On Demand). Australia's longest running Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander current affairs program, Living Black with Karla Grant, will explore how SBS with NITV at its heart has redefined the way Australia tells First Nations stories. (Monday 9 June at 8.30-9.30pm on NITV and 10.35-11.35pm on SBS). Marc Fennell unpacks SBS's milestone moments one question at a time with a special SBS50 themed week of Mastermind , each night dedicated to a defining SBS genre (sport, world movies, drama/documentary, and food) with special guests Silvia Colloca, Craig Foster, Ray Martin and Pia Miranda. (Monday 2 June to Friday 6 June at 6.00-6.30pm, SBS and SBS On Demand). The perfect recipe of food, chat and laughs in an SBS50 themed week of The Cook Up with Adam Liaw will feature some of SBS's biggest names in food, entertainment and sport to make the big five-0 a week to remember with five nightly episodes. (Monday 2 June to Friday 6 June at 7.00-7.30pm, SBS Food and SBS On Demand). Insight , hosted by Kumi Taguchi, asks is turning 50 a big deal for those Australians marking this milestone birthday in 2025. From mid-life crises to menopause, finding undiscovered family members and starting afresh, should 50 be feared, or embraced as a new beginning? (Tuesday 10 June at 8.30-9.30pm, SBS and SBS On Demand). Oh my God – we killed Kenny! The US cult classic South Park , which was first shown in Australia on SBS in 1998, is back for Aussie audiences, with seasons 1-15 now streaming on SBS On Demand until 30 June. And for those looking for a love story that pre-dates Tinder, the iconic Chinese dating reality show If You Are The One ,returns with new episodes of season 15 (Fridays at 6pm, VICELAND and SBS On Demand) and season 16 premiering on 8 August. SBS Audio's 60+ language services are producing community features exploring the changing faces of Australia. This ranges from video interviews with original 2EA and 3EA radio presenters to a 'Changing Street Corners' series focused on some of Australia's oldest and newest migrant communities, sharing their diverse perspectives and valuable contributions. Celebrating 50 years of connecting with communities, SBS Audio will also be conducting outside broadcasts with over 15 language programs including Filipino, Greek, Malayalam, Mandarin and Punjabi across Australia including Darwin, NT (Thursday 22 May), Toowoomba, Qld (Wednesday 18 June) and Gold Coast, Qld (Friday 27 June). For a pdf copy of this release, click here. [1] Reuters Digital News Report 2024 [2] Australian Podcast Awards 2022, 2023, 2024
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michele Wong McSween's 'Gordon & Li Li' children's book series helps families learn Mandarin
[Source] When Michele Wong McSween couldn't find Mandarin learning books for her children, she created her own — launching a beloved bilingual series in the process. A fourth-generation Chinese American and former fashion designer, McSween began 'Gordon & Li Li' as part of a personal effort to reconnect with her cultural roots after enrolling her family in Mandarin classes. The newest installment, 'Gordon & Li Li: All About Me,' teaches vocabulary for body parts through movement and song. It ends with a bilingual version of 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.' 'When I think about the next book to add to 'Gordon & Li Li's' world, I always think of two things: parents and kids,' McSween tells The Rebel Yellow. 'What will help parents connect with their children? And what will kids be naturally curious about? 'All About Me' felt like the perfect fit.' From bedtime books to a bestselling series Trending on NextShark: McSween says the inspiration for the books came after realizing how few Mandarin resources were available for non-speaking families like hers. 'Back in 2006, there were virtually no appealing or accessible bilingual resources for learning Chinese — especially for young children,' she says. 'Most of what I found were old-fashioned, intimidating books tucked away in Chinatown stores, which didn't reflect or support multicultural families like mine.' She noted that by comparison, Spanish-language books were widely available and approachable. 'I kept asking myself: why doesn't this exist for Mandarin, a language spoken by over a billion people?' she says. 'If I wanted these resources for my kids, I was going to have to create them myself.' She self-published the first 'Gordon & Li Li' books starting in 2008. Scholastic acquired the titles in 2017 and re-released them the following year, expanding the franchise to include activity books and a mobile app. Trending on NextShark: Building language and connection McSween says 'All About Me' was designed to mirror how her sons engaged with books as toddlers. 'When my boys were little, they loved any book that let them move — pointing to their belly, wiggling their toes, shaking their arms — classic boy energy!' she says. 'Books about the body became a fun, interactive way for us to bond and learn together.' She says the book's final song makes the learning feel playful and accessible. 'It's a sweet, silly, and educational moment families can share, which is exactly what 'Gordon & Li Li' is all about.' Trending on NextShark: A multigenerational impact McSween regularly hears from parents and grandparents who say the series has helped them reconnect with their culture. 'Many say they wish something like this had existed when they were growing up,' she says. 'Grandparents appreciate how approachable the books are, especially when they're trying to learn Mandarin because their grandkids are Chinese.' She says some of the most meaningful feedback comes directly from children. 'Some proudly recite 'Gordon & Li Li's' introductions by heart, while others bring well-loved, well-worn copies of the books — usually passed down from older siblings or cousins — to have me sign,' she says. 'That kind of connection is deep, authentic and incredibly heartwarming.' Trending on NextShark: Relearning her own identity 'You know the term 'born again Christian'? I like to say I'm a 'born again Chinese,'' McSween says. 'I went from knowing very little about my heritage to feeling fully immersed in it — all because of 'Gordon & Li Li.'' In addition to teaching her own children, the work has opened doors into community and collaboration. 'Through this work, I've been able to meet and collaborate with inspiring AAPI organizations, small businesses, and creatives — people who are all working to uplift our stories and share our traditions and experiences,' she says. 'The biggest gift 'Gordon & Li Li' has given me is the chance to share my love for our culture in a joyful, meaningful way. They're the gift that keeps on giving and it's something I'm extremely proud of!' Trending on NextShark: Advice for parents McSween says the most effective way to introduce language and culture at home is through consistent exposure. 'Read bilingual books, cook family recipes together, make simple crafts, watch bilingual children's shows, or try out language learning apps. Every bit helps and it all adds up to making an impact,' she says. She adds that even small steps matter. 'Using everyday words and phrases around the house is an easy and natural way for kids to pick up a new language,' she says. 'Even just saying 'hello,' 'thank you,' or counting out how many books they want to read at bedtime can help.' Still, she acknowledges that the process isn't always smooth. 'Some days your kids will love it, and other days they might roll their eyes or want to do what their friends are doing instead. That's normal!' she says. 'The key is to make it joyful. When learning feels like play, it sticks.' Most important, she says, is to begin — even if parents don't feel fully fluent. 'You don't have to be fluent or 'perfect' to start, take it from a person who just started learning Mandarin after my kids were born. You're learning and bonding with your kids and that's something to be proud of.' This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
