Byuva :: About Us!
The Bengali culture goes back hundreds of years. We as a people have a lot to be proud of, from poetry and music to performing arts and history. However, culture can only exist through community. Therefore the first step to living and being our culture is to be part of our community.
Byuva was created to bring together the Bengali youth in and around the Vancouver area. By creating a place for the youth to meet and talk we plan to establish bonds with each other along with a sense of community and identity. Byuva has three pillars: Volunteerism, Mentorship and Community.
We encourage community involvement through volunteering for the Lower Mainland Bengali Cultural Society (LMBCS). The LMBCS plans up to six events a year and there is always something to do for the events. Aside from volunteering we plan on having fun together, be it going for movies, performing at events or even just talking and getting to know one another. Building bonds will help build a sense of community.
Another facet of our community is religion. We do not believe in forcing the youth to adopt the religion, however we do strongly believe in education and giving the youth as much information as possible. That is why at the most recent pujas, organized by the LMBCS, we have provided pamphlets and question and answer sessions so that the youth can take something away from the experience.
This year we will be rolling out a mentorship program. More on this later.
Byuva is just the beginning of a new phase for our Bengali community. By strengthening the ties between the youth we plan to bring a young vivacity to our community. Once we have a strong sense of identity we will be ready to shape our culture and prepare it for the next generation. Through mentorship, volunteerism and community we believe we can make a difference.