Belleville, ON, March 22, 2024 – This week, Loyalist College students and staff ushered in the spring season with music, dancing, and bursts of colour at the college’s annual Holi celebration. Holi, also known as the Festival of Colours, is a Hindu holiday heralding the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil, enjoyed around the world as a time of unity, joy and new beginnings.
As the celebrations began, the Belleville campus came alive with laughter and music by DJ Sammac from Desi Beatz. Students danced and enjoyed refreshments provided by the Loyalist Enactus team and local business The Desi Basket. The event highlight was the colour-throwing experience, when dyed powders of every hue were tossed into the air, showering participants with colour.
Student Government President Raven Chartrand, Loyalist Life Ambassador Jayanth Jaripothula and Loyalist College President and CEO Mark Kirkpatrick delivered remarks to welcome students before joining in the colour-throwing festivities.
“As the end of Winter semester approaches, and students are busy with exams, final projects and placements, Holi is a perfect opportunity to come together to celebrate, unwind and connect,” observes President Kirkpatrick. “As an institution committed to shaping culturally aware global citizens, Loyalist will continue to make space for our students to learn from and appreciate the variety of cultures represented in our community.”
For many international students, Loyalist’s Holi celebration is a powerful reminder of home and a cherished opportunity to share traditions with the Loyalist community.
“As an international student, I feel at home when the Holi season comes,” says Oshin Annie Sam, Global Business Management student and Loyalist Life Ambassador. “It makes me cry a bit! At each campus Holi celebration I have attended, I’ve met new people from different backgrounds and begun a story of a friendship.”
About Loyalist College
Loyalist College is built upon the lands governed by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. We affirm and thank the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg and Huron-Wendat nations for their continued caretaking of the land. At Loyalist, we empower our students with wraparound support services and hands-on training to succeed on any path they choose. Our academic programs are responsive and innovative, designed to solve pressing social and economic challenges and meet the evolving needs of our regional industry and community partners. Our graduates enter the workforce equipped with the knowledge they need to be better global citizens, and with future-focused skills to lead change in their fields. With a presence in Belleville, Bancroft, Port Hope, Tyendinaga and Toronto, we believe our institutional responsibility extends beyond the classroom to seeing the big picture for the communities we serve. Our expertise in applied research and deep connections to local industry support economic development, to the benefit of businesses, entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators. Our commitment to decolonization, and the pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable world, means we hold ourselves accountable to the diverse perspectives, cultures and experiences that shape our communities.
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Contact:
Hannah Brown
Director of Marketing and Communications
613-921-0784
hbrown@loyalistcollege.com