By Anne Levin

Since Princeton first instituted Welcoming Week nine years ago, efforts have been ongoing to involve the public in this annual celebration of the town’s cultural diversity. The planners of this year’s events, which begin Friday, September 13 and run through Sunday, September 22, are hoping to inspire as many residents as possible to not just attend, but take part.

Cultural Exchange Night, which kicks off the week of events on Friday at Hinds Plaza from 4 to 6 p.m., is designed to do just that. The events are being planned by the Human Services Department and the Princeton Committee on Affordable Housing, Racial, Economic, Social Equity, and Social Services (C.A.R.E.S.).

“Everyone has an opportunity to take part by sharing a little something about their own country,” said Princeton Councilwoman Leticia Fraga, who is the liaison to the town’s Human Services Department. “That can be a poster board, or a table with arts and crafts, or music, or dancing. In the past, we’d often see people walking around saying, ‘I wish I would have known about this, because I would have been part of this.’ So, we’re trying to get the word out that everyone is welcome to participate.”

Launched in 2012 by Welcoming America, Welcoming Week is an international campaign that celebrates the work in communities to become welcoming places for all, including immigrants. With this year’s events, Princeton joins some 80,000 people around the world who are promoting inclusiveness, unity, and diversity.

As of Tuesday, September 3, the organization’s calendar listed 425 observances across the globe. Among them: a pool party in Canterbury, New Zealand; a newcomer welcome dinner in Portage la Prairie, Canada; an interfaith tour at the St. Louis Art Museum in St. Louis, Mo.; and a welcoming walk in Tenerife, Spain. There is a family storytime at the Niagara Falls Public Library; an immigrant-owned business showcase in Champaign, Ill.; and a walking tour focused on “The Middle Eastern History of Krakow” in Krakow, Poland.

In addition to Cultural Exchange Night, Princeton’s schedule of events includes a Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Concert, Dancing Under the Stars, Festival Cultural Latino: A Community Mercado, Loteria, Morven Moves 2024 (an evening of dance), a workshop titled Create a Flag Book of Travel Memories, Young Patriots Day, and German Storytime. The annual naturalization ceremony for new citizens is September 17.

While Cultural Exchange Night will not include samplings of food, due to health reasons, sponsors are hoping that will change. “Eventually, we’d like to get to that point,” said Fraga. “That is something we’ve been trying to work on.”

Fraga’s favorite feature of Welcoming Week is a simple one. “I have this big map with a headline, ‘Where did your family come from?’ so people can identify by pointing to the map,” she said. “Even for people who were born in the U.S., it can be a teaching moment. I see parents lifting their children to point to where their families came from.”

Anyone interested in participating in Welcoming Week is encouraged to visit princetonnj.gov/1572/Welcoming-Week-2024 or call (609) 688-2055. A full schedule of events can also be accessed at that website.

“More than ever, it is really important for us to let our residents that came here from other countries know that everybody is welcome here,” said Fraga. “This is an opportunity for us as a municipality to bring everyone together and celebrate our diversity. We really want residents and organizations to share their culture with us.”