One city, dozens of cultures at festival - Toowoomba Chronicle

Shaim Sattar , Rahima Kazimei and Ramazan Kazimei .Toowoomba Languages and Cultural festival. Sunday, Aug 10, 2014 . Photo Nev Madsen / The Chronicle Nev Madsen

THE costumes, the music, and especially the food of Toowoomba's diverse community was celebrated at the Toowoomba Languages and Cultural Festival.

The Queens Park event featured communities from across Toowoomba's cultural groups sharing a taste of their home countries.

Among the buzzing stalls was a group of Afghan women selling hand-embroidered tapestries, and Multicultural Development Association CEO Kerrin Benson said some of the women had been in Toowoomba mere months.

"This is big and overwhelming for them, for most of these women it's the first time they've ever sold anything, so it's pretty exciting for them that people are interested in their skills," she said.

"We've had about 200 Afghan women and their children come to Toowoomba. These women are all widows and have been very, very vulnerable in either Pakistan or Iran, trying to survive with their children.

"I think it's fantastic for Toowoomba to stand up and say this is who we are. We're a multicultural community and a welcoming community."