Bermudians of all backgrounds and races need to come together to celebrate the Bermuda Day Parade, Hamilton Rotary was told yesterday.

Government Cultural Affairs Officer Dr. Gary Burgess said the goal of the Parade when it began after the 1977 Riots was to bring Bermudians together.

But he said this had not happened yet.

?We are still separate,? he said.

Dr. Burgess, who lived off the Island for 44 years and has been back for just over five years, said he was surprised that the Parade was not more integrated.

?The parade is not what I thought it would be,? he said. ?It has changed and has a different face than before.

?The original Easter Parade (which ended in the late 1960s) was basically a white institution and the Bermuda Day parade is mostly a black institution.?

His message was to celebrate everyone even though some may not like to do it.

?It is our Island and we need to share it.?

Dr. Burgess said the theme of this year?s parade was ?Bermuda Roots?.

?Every year a theme is given to Bermuda heritage month and the parade, this year?s is: Bermuda Roots ? who we are yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This theme will help bring us together.?

Dr. Burgess told Rotarians that magazine would be publishing a slew of articles for Heritage Month including stories on Christopher Carter, cuisine, Native American connections to Bermuda, music, profiles of three Portuguese families, weathering hurricanes, and the evolution of the Bermudian accent.

Dr. Burgess told the audience that instead of doing an art exhibition featuring Bermudian artists for Heritage Month, this year will see a different event almost every day.

?We are taking the money for the art exhibition and spreading it out over these events,? he said.

The future events for heritage month include a music competition within the schools, a book fair at CedarBridge Academy, a dance festival at Ruth Seaton James Auditorium and lectures on Bermuda roots.