Leicester & Me


celebrating a fusion of cultures (26 June 2005, Belgrave Hall)

The LMLG provided a taste of Leicester’s twin town in Nicaragua in this large-scale event celebrating a fusion of cultures. The day featured different zones dedicated to music, dance, arts, costume and food from Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.



In the ‘Food Zone’ the LMLG offered freshly made fairtrade Nicaraguan coffee, as well as tropical fairtrade fruits and other goodies. We used this opportunity to show the links with the MAKE POVERTY HISTORY campaign and illustrate how fairtrade is one effective aspect of trade justice.

A display of artefacts from Masaya attracted a steady stream of visitors who were encouraged to handle and find out about the arts, crafts and culture of Nicaragua. In the crafts zone, Austin Orwin, a local sculptor who has worked with the LMLG on a number of occasions, led an afternoon of workshops making clay masks inspired by Aztec and Mayan art. All 30 children who participated left proudly with their own original creation.

This event was part of the Leicester & Me project, funded by Heritage Lottery and the European Regional Development Fund.