WorldConnect

CultureConnect’s WorldConnect helps students learn about diverse cultures by engaging them in unique, hands-on, activity- and food-based multi-cultural experiences, allowing them to interact with their local and global communities with intelligence, compassion and cultural competence. Wherever possible, we partner with members of our local community and invite them to share their cultures, stories, traditions, and experiences.  Our goal is to build awareness of the cultural diversity in our area and facilitate meaningful conversations.

Our approach focuses on collaborating with the Rhinebeck and Red Hook school districts, as well as other not-for-profit organizations, to bring enriching experiences into our community. We organize speaker engagements, interactive workshops, and local and regional trips, using food, art, and other media to deepen our understanding of the world around us. Recent highlights include Diwali displays installed at Rhinebeck schools and the Starr Library, as well as ofrendas in Red Hook and Rhinebeck to celebrate Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). We also hosted a highly successful Multicultural Food Festival and organized events that explored the food, culture, and Bollywood dancing of India and Nepal; the culinary traditions and martial arts of Brazil; the music, soccer, and cuisine of Madagascar; ballet from France; and Dutch traditions through an architectural tour and a Sinterklaas workshop.

We also sponsor speakers in the schools, such as our recent diversity program in the middle school, led by educator Phoenix Kawamoto. This innovative program utilizes the art of storytelling as a tool to enhance understanding, as well as cultivate compassion and respect amongst students and faculty.