The Multicultural Parents' Day Committee meets once a month during the year with more frequent meetings as the calendar gets closer to the annual event. The committee is made up of parent volunteers and staffed an average of 7-8 hours per week. During the first two years, the committee rotated the chair and minute-taker positions monthly. In the third year, a slate of officers was elected for a one-year term to fulfill the above duties. Several subcommittees meet as necessary.

The Multicultural Parents' Day Committee is a subcommittee of Danbury Children First's Multicultural Committee whose mission is "to develop a community guided by respect and harmony for the benefit of all children. We recognize that there is strength in diversity. Therefore, we promote understanding by empowering and developing leadership of diverse parents."

The goal of the program is to bring together Danbury's diverse ethnic populations in a non-threatening social setting to encourage discussion about children's issues. By sharing native foods, dance, clothing, and ideas, the hope was that parents would be able to form relationships that overcome the barriers that once separated them. Efforts were made to build enthusiasm among the children in the schools through the Multicultural Parents' Day talent show and art and essay contests.

A major reason the Multicultural Committee was formed was to help parents overcome their reluctance to get involved at school and in the community, where they are unaware or unsure of different systems.

A core group of volunteers came together as a result of a Parents' Day forum sponsored by Danbury Children First. Staff did further recruiting through speaking engagements at churches, PTO meetings, and community functions. The event was a success due to the hard work of the parents involved, the outpouring of donations from many small businesses in the Danbury area, and contributions of several government agencies of free transportation, security, and facilities. Information and invitations were sent home to all elementary school-age children through the school courier system. Danbury Children First also provided funding through the Graustein Memorial Fund. Paid advertising in the Multicultural Parents' Day program offset some costs. Sales of a cookbook, developed and sold by DCFI parent members and staff in the third year, brought in additional funds.

Sustainability will depend on the continued participation of the community and sponsorship by DCFI's Multicultural Committee and prospects look good. Two local newspapers now co-sponsor the event. It is hoped that other groups in Danbury with similar missions can work together on this event and others.

Danbury is an extremely diverse community with about 48 languages spoken in the school system. Historically, there have been limited venues for communication or understanding among ethnically diverse peoples.

The idea is to increase communication among people of ethnically diverse backgrounds and increase awareness of the cultural richness that exists. The attendees repeatedly described Danbury as a friendlier place because of the event. Everyone felt that they had a deeper understanding and appreciation of the many diverse groups living in Danbury. Relationships among the event planners and participants were built.

Collaborative Director, DCFI, (203) 797-8088

As a participant in Danbury's Parent Leadership Training Program, Pinakin Patel became involved in the city's multicultural character. The PLTI group brought together parents from a variety of cultures in this city that hosts 50 languages. Says Mr. Patel, "It brought parents together from different backgrounds, but all had the same need and desire to do better for their kids."

As a PLTI alumnus, Mr. Patel helped organize a program for Multicultural Parents' Day, showing how Christmas is celebrated in Mexico. "We met with parents from five different countries. There was so much learning and fun. The most important thing was that these families came together." He is currently involved in developing a multicultural center in Danbury. "I have been working with other cultural groups, city agencies and a local congressman to make this a reality. We are trying to create a momentum that leads to multicultural activities."

Whatever the results of these efforts, he has already seen the effect in his own home: "My 13-year old daughter is part of the Girl Scouts and is going for the Civil Award. For this, she has to do some project in the community. We discussed her options and I was pleasantly surprised when she chose the multicultural community center. She thought this was a project she wanted to get involved in, too."