17 January, 2015

Martin Luther King day in USA

Today’s session of the Gabfest Club (Window on America center Dnipropetreovsk, Ukraine) was dealing with complex topics from both Ukrainian and American cultures.
This Saturday we were glad to see again our longtime friend Mr. Josh. The club members used this opportunity to introduce the American guest to the winter celebrations and traditions in Ukraine. The group explained to him in detail the traditions of the Orthodox Christmas and the coming feast – the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. The guest was recommended to visit the St. John’s church and to see the traditional rite of the faithful – the immersion into the cold waters of the river. Mr. Josh was fascinated with the symbolism and traditions of this religious holiday.
The second part of the session was dedicated to the celebration of the Martin Luther King day in USA. The group was offered to read and translate an article which explained the basics about Dr. King’s philosophy. MLK was often labeled as “American Ghandi as he freely credited Indian leader’s strategies of personal commitment, nonviolence, and passive resistance for the effectiveness of his own campaigns in areas such as integration and voting rights. The group was offered to watch a documentary video of Dr. King delivering his speech “I have a dream”. He impressed the audience as a powerful and compelling orator.
The group was also introduced to the song that is very symbolic for all people fighting for their rights – “We shall overcome”. The version of the song performed by Diana Ross was very enjoyable. In the discussion that followed the club members told the American guest about famous Afro-Ukrainians.
The session was enjoyed by all the participants as it gave an insight into complex topics.
Participants number – 22 persons.
Have a look at more pictures, please

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