Week celebrating respect and diversity to take place at Leicester College

Leicester College is proud of its diversity, and once a year a celebration called RESPECT Week enables its students to look at the meaning of “respect” and to celebrate everyone’s different backgrounds, cultures, religions and abilities. The week aims to strengthen Leicester College’s commitment to community cohesion and encourage learners and staff to respect diversity, and this year will be held from 15 to19 March.

There will be a wide programme of activities including a publicity campaign, two diversity fairs, and tutorials from external agencies working with equalities groups. All tutor groups will be encouraged to take up the RESPECT Week challenge, which includes learning a phrase in as many languages as possible, speaking to ten people you have never met from different curriculum areas, and showing an act of kindness to a stranger.

The highlight event of the week will be an Inclusion conference on Thursday 18 March at Action for Deafness, Freemen’s Common where disabled and non-disabled learners will have a chance to work together to explore the meaning of inclusion and disability equality.  Performing Arts learner Luke Hollingsworth, who recently appeared in the semi finals of the BB3 programme “Move like Michael Jackson” and a group of street dancers, will open the event, and the keynote speaker will be Jayant Mistry the internationally renowned wheelchair tennis player.

The week has been organised as a partnership with external agencies such as the police, City Council, Faith representative, St Philips’ Centre and Diversity Hub.