(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette)
Jamel Kaur Singh has spent around 25 years educating others about cultural well-being.
Speaking to SBS Punjabi, the cultural advocate says she created 'The World is Our Playground' book series to create awareness of what culture means among young students.
“Two books of Nanak and Tara's Vietnam and France adventures have already been published in the series, while their Philippines and Greece adventures are set to be released next,” she says.
Nanak and Tara are Melbourne siblings from the Sikh faith who, in the first book, go on a trip to Vietnam to discover the country's language, food, people, culture and traditions.
The books, which feature full-page coloured illustrations, aim to“knock down cultural cringe where people are left ashamed and denying their cultural heritage,” she says.
Written by Ms Singh, illustrated by Ronald Santos and edited by Johanna Marie Ferrer, the travel book series is designed for five to seven-year-olds and their teachers.
“In the second book, the duo travel to France to eat croissants and escargot, meet local kids Emma and Gabriel, tour the Louvre Museum and Disneyland, and attend the Bastille Day parade.
“Their journey continues to explore the differences and similarities between people,” she explains.
Ms Singh has herself travelled internationally to many countries since childhood with her dad Dya Singh, an internationally acclaimed world music artist and author.
She credits her parents, who are peace advocates and interfaith leaders, with instilling values of cultural sensitivity and respect in her and her sisters, Harsel and Parvyn, from a young age.
“The values that were bestowed upon us are the values that I've tried to instil in the book.
“I know a lot of the youth that were in Australia 40 years ago when we first came, they were removed from these values. It was all about English literature and English culture, even from a perspective of food and what they consumed,” she says.
“This 10-part book series has an objective to create cultural understanding and enhance teacher resources available for the purpose of creating sociability, reducing racially motivated bullying both in and out of schools, and breaking down cultural barriers and stereotypes,” she says. (SBS)