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Global Festival showcases cultures of more than 30 countries

November 24, 2014
<p>Graduate student Paphajree Vajrapana, left, and supply chain management junior Natchanon Sereeyothin talks about Thailand culture with East Lansing residents Cecilia Yao, age 11, left, and Yao Tong, right, on Nov. 23, 2014, during the Global Fest at the MSU Union.  The Global Festival lets international students from around the world showcase their cultures and home traditions. Raymond Williams/The State News</p>

Graduate student Paphajree Vajrapana, left, and supply chain management junior Natchanon Sereeyothin talks about Thailand culture with East Lansing residents Cecilia Yao, age 11, left, and Yao Tong, right, on Nov. 23, 2014, during the Global Fest at the MSU Union. The Global Festival lets international students from around the world showcase their cultures and home traditions. Raymond Williams/The State News

Photo by Raymond Williams | The State News

There aren’t many ways to travel the world in one day.

But on Sunday, the Office for International Students and Scholars hosted the largest cultural event on campus, the annual Global Festival at the Union.  More than 30 countries were represented on all three floors of the building and each country’s exhibit displayed ethnic dances, art, music and clothing.

MSU’s Modern Greek Club performed four Greek dances and gave the audience a chance to learn a dance onstage during their finale.

Among the cultural art was Thai fruit carving, which was featured at the Thailand exhibit. The intricately carved fruits are primarily meant for decoration.

MSU students, as well as members of the Greater Lansing community and neighboring cities attended the event.

Joy Walter, community outreach coordinator for OISS,  said the festival created an opportunity for MSU students and other attendees to learn about other cultures from across the world.

“Understanding other cultures is very important for students now and in their futures,” Walter said.

Economics senior Melina Gabriella, who represented Indonesia, said she has a similar point of view.

“We are living in the globalization era, which means that learning about other cultures is very important in the real world,” Gabriella said.

Though there are many courses at MSU students can take to learn about different cultures, Gabriella suggested that the experience is not the same.

“I’ve learned more at this festival than I would by actually reading a book,” Gabriella said.

Gabriella said she was unsure if MSU would recognize her small community of about 35 Indonesian students.

“I never really expected for MSU to have such appreciation for our community,” Gabriella said.

Second year kinesiology graduate student Marion Bakhoya represented the African Students Union and said she hoped she could impact the people she met at the event. 

“I wanted to contribute to the internationalization in the community — Africans are such a big part of the community, and its internationalization process,” Bakhoya said. “This festival allows me the opportunity to talk to the small children and sort of plant a seed.”

Walter said she believes diversity is a big part of MSU’s culture.

“I think it is important for us to celebrate diversity here, and possibly build long-lasting friendships,” Walter said.

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