If you've never been to El Salvador, India, Mauritius, Mexico, the Philippines or Ukraine, then you'll be excited to know that this week you'll be able to experience a couple of hours in those countries by visiting this week's Westman Multicultural Festival in Brandon.

"For me what I think is key to all of this is that when you walk into the pavilion, you almost get that feeling that you're in that country, that you're visiting that country," shares Festival vents committee member, Gautam Srivastavah, "and to be able to do that without actually visiting the country and being able to do that here in Westman is a really cool experience for the members of our community."

"And I know that the people in Westman really appreciate the pavilions for that aspect, to actually feel the culture without having to leave Westman," he adds.

The multicultural festival helps all of us better understand each other as we get a glimpse into these other cultures' world; their foods, their music, their dances and costuming.  Every pavilion has a festival celebration from that country!

"As Brandon and the entire Westman in general become more multi-cultural we're finding that our neighbors are from diverse backgrounds. People who we work with are from diverse backgrounds. The parents that we interact with who have kids in the same schools as us have diverse backgrounds," explains Srivastavah.

Srivastavah is a member of the India pavilion organizing committee and very much enjoys sharing his heritage and customs with others.

"What the pavilion does for me is that it opens up talking points, where I can opening ask someone where they're from. They tell me where they're from and then now through the pavilion I'm able to have a little bit of background from that country, and it opens up conversation.

"I think once we open up those conversations in Brandon, we're just going to be better as a community for those open channels of communication."

 Please listen to more with Gautam Srivastavah below!

AND do visit Go To the Pavilion by clicking HERE!