Multiculturalism was in the air as the World Student Association hosted the International Dinner on Nov. 19 in the Union ballroom.
WSA executive board member Hasan Abugrain said the International Dinner is “an event that takes place every year here at BGSU” and said the event showcases different cultures from around the world.
The event tries to get as many different countries represented so those who attend the event can be introduced to as many cultures as possible.
Many different departments and organizations took part in the dinner, and Abugrain said “We feel like people are interested and they want such an event to happen on our campus.”
Many people showed up to the event, despite the snow that started falling about an hour before the dinner began. WSA President Sara Othersen said there were 350 people at the dinner, making it a sold out event once again.
The event started with flags from different countries being brought in to the ballroom. The flags were prominently displayed throughout the entire event and were only removed when the dinner ended. The two emcees for the evening, Amira Hassnaoui and Pempho Chinkondenji, entertained the crowd throughout the night in between the performances. Hassnaoui told the story of when she first arrived in America from Tunisia and felt “so small” because of all the tall buildings.
Dr. Marcia Salazar-Valentine, executive director of international programs and partnerships, took the stage to say the dinner was the end of International Education Week 2016 that included events like the peace march on Thursday and themed dinners in the dining halls. Provost Rodney Rogers spoke on behalf of University President Mary Ellen Mazey, saying the International Dinner has been happening at the University for 40 to 45 years.
Once the speeches concluded, the performances started. The performances represented different mediums and different countries from around the world including Japan, China, Vietnam, Puerto Rico and India.
Many of the performances included playing traditional music from different cultures. But there were also traditional dances from other countries, such as a Nepali folk dance that is usually performed with great enthusiasm from its participants. Isabel Velez performed a merengue dance that’s popular in Puerto Rico. George Ramirez performed a spoken word poem about what it means to be Latino and the different types of Latino representation in the media.
The event culminated in a fashion show of different cultural clothing, with some of the represented countries including Brazil, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Malawi.
Halfway through the performances, there was an intermision, and guests were able to have dinner, which included a salad, chicken, fish or vegetables with quinoa for vegetarians and cheesecake or chocolate mousse for dessert.
For fifth year student Heather Dawson, who attended the dinner for the first time, the night was an introduction to different cultures. One of the performers, Nitin Parbatbhai Odedara, who did a traditional Indian stick dance, was Dawson’s favorite, as she said she’d never seen anything like it.
Executive board member Elijah Salahuddin said the dinner brought out the best parts of the executive board and thought the event was a success and succeeded in “spread(ing) international culture through the community.”
