The Annapolis Valley Regional Library is excited to announce a series of events designed to celebrate the cultural diversity of our area. “Big Ideas” will begin Sunday, May 28, and be held once a month through September.
At each session, families will be invited to share a picture book and story discussion, work on an art project, and enjoy a light meal at the “community feast”. This community learning circle is free for all participants, and is made possible by a grant from the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture & Heritage. Big Ideas celebrates our identity & diversity by facilitating experiences incorporating arts & crafts, music, and food from different cultural groups in this region, including Acadian, Mi’kmaq, African Nova Scotian, and European descent. The series will include reading & discussion of culturally diverse books. 
Big Ideas hopes to build a cultural legacy by developing a sense of pride and optimism about Nova Scotia’s future through story sharing, multi-generational conversation, sharing of food, and relationship building. A large scale art piece will be created as a culminating activity to represent the learning and sharing that occurred during the program.
The art piece, created by participants under direction of two professional artists, will travel to various Annapolis Valley Regional Library locations to educate communities about the project and inspire similar programs highlighting cultural appreciation, community connectedness, community pride, and investment in our future generations. Partners in this project include Annapolis County schools via Healthy School Communities network, Annapolis County SchoolsPlus, Annapolis Valley Regional Library, Annapolis Valley Regional School Board’s Race Relations, Cross Cultural Understanding & Human Rights Division, and Digby Area Learning Association. 
Events are scheduled to run from 3 PM to 5 PM on Sundays, and are held in Cornwallis at the Digby Area Learning Association Community Room at 86 Atlantic Ave in Cornwallis. Dates are: May 28, June 11, July 23, August 27, and September 17. Registration is requested, and families can register online at www.valleylibrary.ca