Diverse ethnic communities representing nations such as Vietnam, India, the Phillippines, Japan, China, France, Israel, Greece, Mexico and more will be celebrating their cultures this weekend at the first and annual Whitehorse Heritage Festival.

Eleven cultures and countries will be represented at the events. They will include a craft show, a traditional Asian tea show, an international fashion show, food stalls, and live entertainment including belly dancing and Scottish dancers.

Though some events are set for Friday, the official opening ceremonies will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Deb Jutra, president of the Whitehorse Heritage Festival Society, says the response from local communities was "overwhelming."

The society, which was just formed last year, hosted a potluck and information session to encourage local communities to contribute to and participate in the proposed festival.

"It's an opportunity for us all to celebrate ourselves and say 'thanks' and to appreciate the unique contribution each culture makes to our community," Jutra said in the promotional insert for the festival.

Although the Yukon is currently home to people "from many different cultures from all over the world," said Jutra, it wasn't always like that.

When Jutra first came north in 1982, people in the Yukon were either first nations or "Canadian", she says.

Community leaders like Grand Chief Andy Carvill of the Council of Yukon First Nations, Kwanlin Dun First Nation Chief Mike Smith, Yukon MP Larry Bagnell, and Tourism and Culture Minister Elaine Taylor have endorsed the festival and wished participants luck.

"I invite everyone to come together in the spirit of friendship, co-operation and community as we celebrate our unique northern heritage," Taylor said.

One international symbol will not be present at the festival, however, because of a request made by Hung Tong, the commissioner for external affairs in the Vietnamese Canadian Community in Greater Vancouver.

In a letter published in the Star last Friday, Tong urged Jutra to abolish the "Vietnamese communist" flag from the festival and to display the "freedom flag," also known as the overseas Vietnamese community heritage and freedom flag instead.

This flag displays a yellow background with three red stripes, wrote Tong.

"In addition to abolish(ing) the communist flag at the Festival, we hope that your Whitehorse Heritage Festival Society will extend the decision to relinquish all forms of political propaganda of this regime at the festival," Tong wrote to Jutra.

"Allowing this regime to spread its propaganda at the festival would be detrimental to all overseas Vietnamese communities, especially bringing back many painful memories and sufferings of its members under the Vietnamese Communist regime."

Many local businesses have helped sponsor the festival, including the Yukon Arts Centre, Lotteries Yukon, and the High Country Inn.