Lutheran Social Services and the Friends Program have figured out how to celebrate World Refugee Day in style. All it took was a runway.
A headline feature of the June 20 festivities will be a fashion show guided by Maria DeLisi-Minichiello of Project: Fashion Camp that will featuring refugee models in traditional clothing from their home countries, ranging from wedding gowns to school wear to everyday outfits.
The afternoon will feature live music and dancing, art exhibitions, food and other family activities starting at 3 p.m. But the 6 p.m. fashion show promises to be a colorful demonstration of the power of blending cultures.
“It’s very inspiring, in the fact that their stories are so heartfelt. You don’t really realize how good we have it until you hear of other people’s experiences and trying to escape their own government and come here,” DeLisi-Minichiello said. “The clothing itself is really beautiful, and it’s really amazing how from one country to another how much it differs. The models are so excited. They’re ready to represent their country and also represent their new country.”
There will be as many as 30 models involved in the show, ranging widely in age, representing the major refugee populations in Concord. Think of it as Next Top Model without all the catty in-fighting. And with a friendly international and community flair. And with food.
“We wanted to do something special for World Refugee Day,” Kerstin Ahlgren of Lutheran Social Services said. “I think the fashion show will definitely be a highlight. A lot of the people who are participating are really excited. We didn’t want to make them wear traditional outfits if they didn’t want to, but a lot of them have just arrived here and that’s what they feel comfortable in and beautiful in, and I think they are really happy to put that on and be able to share it.”
Africa, India and several Middle Eastern countries will be represented by the models, who will be in good hands with DeLisi-Minichiello. She has worked at Olympus Fashion Week in Manhattan – hope she said hi to Heidi Klum for us! – and has been running Project: Fashion Camp for three years at the Kimball Jenkins Estate, a week-long program that teaches children everything from portfolio design to making their own garments and culminates with a fashion show where they model their own work.
She will be doing hair and makeup for next week’s fashion show and has coordinated most of the details of that portion of the event. Many of the models will wear several different outfits, which range from formal wear to traditional daily clothing. Many of them are extremely excited for the opportunity to share their style with a new and different audience, Ahlgren said, and the show promises to be a vivid representation of many international cultures.
“I’m honored to even be asked to do this,” DeLisi-Minichiello said. “I just hope people really understand by attending what it’s like. I think a lot of people take for granted their daily activities, and I think people being more aware of this event and this day, people will really appreciate what they have and stop to think what it’s all about.”
The celebration will feature a wide variety of entertainment, including traditional cultural music and dancing. A few drumming groups, including one from Burundi, will be present, and there will be speakers and singing performances, the latter of which will include a woman from the Sudan who Ahlgren said is extremely talented.
Concord has recognized World Refugee Day in different ways over the years, most recently having celebrated a Multicultural Day at this time of year. The Multicultural Day will be held in the fall this year, though, and Lutheran Social Services and the Friend’s Program didn’t want to let the holiday pass without holding an official celebration. Groups joining those two organizations and Project: Fashion Camp for the day’s events include the Bhutanese Community of New Hampshire, the Laconia Refugee Connections Committee and New American Africans.
“It’s World Refugee Day, but we debated calling it New Americans Day, because when people come here we consider them new Americans,” Ahlgren said. “But we kept World Refugee Day because it’s not just about the people who are here. We do want to honor the contributions of our groups in Concord, but we also want to bring attention to the refugees that are still overseas suffering and not getting the help these refugees are getting.”
Concord, in particular, has embraced a strong refugee community, and holding the event – the fashion show in particular – on the State House lawn, in the shadow of the capitol dome, only adds to the impact the afternoon should have.
“America is a melting pot. They are people, they’re humans – we all have the same insides,” DeLisi-Minichiello said. “I think acceptance is really what can make this entire world a better place. They’re humans; they’re not different from anyone.”
Said Ahlgren: “I think Concord has been extremely welcoming and a great community. It’s nice for people in the community who aren’t new Americans to also come out and express their support for these new Americans, to show their comfort and their gratitude for the Concord community.”
