History
The Regina Multicultural Council (RMC) has been in existence since 1965, when it was first established as the Regina Folk Arts Council in order to develop folk arts and projects for the Province’s Diamond Jubilee in 1965, and Canada’s Centennial in 1967. In 1973, the Regina Folk Arts and Cultural Council was re-named the Regina Multicultural Council. As a non-profit organization, RMC acts as an umbrella organization for forty-eight different groups that represent approximately 50,000 people.
The Regina Multicultural Council’s mandate is to educate the public about different cultures and foster positive relations between communities through increasing public knowledge and appreciation of different ethnic groups’ art, culture, language and traditions.
To meets it aims, the RMC organizes and participates in a number of activities, the best known of which is Mosaic. Mosaic, celebrate its 42nd year in 2009. Using as its theme “A Festival of Cultures” Mosaic has been held annually since 1967 when it began as a one-day festival held at the Exhibition Auditorium on May 13th, 1967. Since that time, Mosaic has grown into a three-day event held the first weekend in June at pavilions located throughout Regina. Each pavilion features traditional foods, display of arts and crafts and entertainment by musicians and dancers.
RMC has organized a Public Speaking Competition since 1989. The competition is open to students in grades four through twelve who focus on and speak to a topical issue in multiculturalism. The competition takes place in March in recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Racism. RMC recognizes and presents awards in these three categories to the top three participants. This event focuses on improving the skills of our youth when speaking in public.
RMC has organized a Public Speaking Competition since 1989. The competition is open to students in grades four through twelve who focus on and speak to a topical issue in multiculturalism. The competition takes place in March in recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Racism. RMC recognizes and presents awards in these three categories to the top three participants. This event focuses on improving the skills of our youth when speaking in public.
For the past five years, RMC has sponsored a Continuing Educational Scholarship program that is open to youth from all member organizations. This program is targeted at Grade 12 students entering into post secondary education. The awards criteria focuses on the involvement in their organization, the multicultural community and the community at large. The scholarships are applied directly to the students post-secondary school accounts.
To further promote our aims and objectives, RMC has entered floats in the annual Buffalo Days and Santa Claus Day Parades, celebrated Multicultural Day in June at Wascana Park, participated in the Saskatchewan International Tattoo and Centennial Celebrations, just to name a few. Participating in events like these enables RMC to engage and involve the various member groups of RMC who, dressed in ethnic costume, actively and proudly represent their own ethnic group and cultural background.
