Proudly wearing the mantle of the most multicultural city in the world means Torontonians are continuously in the process of learning about and living with the richness of cultural diversity. As a world class metropolis, we need to understand how ethnic holidays and observances are not only unique in their own right but also an essential part of the Canadian landscape.
With Canada being home to the largest Tamil population outside of Sri Lanka and with the South Asian population being named the fastest growing in Toronto, we can expect April to be a month of celebrations. Many South Asian Canadians will be celebrating their new year this month.
Canadian Tamils’ ethnic origins are mostly from Sri Lanka and other countries such as India, Malaysia, South Africa, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and Fiji. Canada is now home to more than 250,000 Tamils of which 20,000 live in the GTA. For Hindu and Singhalese Tamils of South India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore & other parts of the world, the New Year falls on the first day of the month of Chithirai, which corresponds to mid April. This year, New Years falls on April 13th.
St. Paul’s L’Amoreaux Centre invites you to experience the festivities of Tamil and Singhalese New Year by enjoying cultural food, traditional costumes and entertainment on Saturday, April 26, 2008, 7:00pm-9:00pm. The event will be held in St. Paul’s Recreation Room located at 3333 Finch Ave East at the corner of Finch and Warden. For more information and tickets, call Shana Murphy, Recreation Coordinator at 416-493-3333 ext 256. Puthandu Vazthukal!—Happy New Year!
