Young participants in a ‘painting diversity’ project at IMSS on Saturday   250News photo

Prince George, BC – While many of their parents were upstairs participating in an Interfaith Festival, a group of Prince George young people were artfully expressing their ideas on diversity at the Immigrant & Multicultural Services Society over the weekend.

IMSS Youth Project Coordinator, Minetta Norrie, said the kids painted banners as part of a team-building exercise exploring what diversity means to them. 

"We talked about different foods, different activities, and where people come from – a few of the things that make up diversity," said Norrie. 

"And then we used some fun examples, like toilets around the world."  While some kids thought squat toilets might be unusual and ‘gross’, they realized that sit-down toilets could be viewed with the same uncertainty in other parts of the world. 

"It makes it interesting for the kids and helps to talk about, ‘what does this mean?’" said Norrie.  "And that it’s okay that people are different."