Peace in the park

Pakistan has been in the news for its tussle with India over the administration of Kashmir and for a bombing by the Taliban.

Americans rarely hear of the positive attributes of the nation — its beauty, its tall mountains, its culture and its art. But people here had a chance to learn about all that Saturday at Depot Park in the Greater Gainesville International Festival.

“We wanted to come out and represent our country,” Faheema Syed said. “We’re selling food, homemade items — it's all for charity donations.”

Syed and others from Pakistan were running a booth with tables laden with decorated hand fans, greeting cards, jewelry and plenty of food.

The event was a first for Gainesville and was held to coincide with Saturday’s United Nations International Day of Peace. International music, dance and other activities began at noon and culminated at 5 p.m. with the reading of a UN proclamation on peace and a ceremony.

Members of the Alachua County Faith Leaders Alliance each read a part of a community covenant they wrote. It includes a commitment to make the community safe, to examine how we may intentionally or unintentionally participate in systems that perpetuate hate and discrimination, and a pledge to speak out against oppression and injustice.

Welcoming Gainesville and Alachua County, a nonprofit appointed by the city and county, sponsored the event, said the group's president, Steve Kalishman. Also sponsoring was the UN Association of Gainesville.

“We want to create an environment where our newcomers could feel welcome,” Kalishman said. “That could be refugees, immigrants, international students.”

For a city of its size, Gainesville is fairly cosmopolitan. The University of Florida has lots of international students and faculty members.

Enjoying the activities Saturday were Asians, Latin Americans and Europeans. Many said they are in Gainesville because of UF and have found the city to be welcoming.

Saeed Khan, who has lived in Gainesville for a long time and is president of the UN Association of Gainesville, said the city is welcoming to him.

“I’m from India. I lived in Saudi Arabia. I lived in Australia. I feel most home here,” Khan said. “The diversity is so big. There are people here from some countries that I’ve never heard of.”