Michigan State contains students from all over the world. This fall, the school has enrolled 6,260 international students from 140 countries, and MSU's Office for International Students and Scholars has a tradition to gather them all together.
The MSU Global Festival is one of OISS's biggest events. Its goal is to share cultures from different places over the world and break stereotypes surrounding certain countries.
The festival happens from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 11 in the MSU Union. International students will represent their countries with exhibits and put on both a talent show and a fashion show at the end. The festival is free to all community members.
Amber Cordell is the educational programs manager at the OISS. She has been coordinating the festival's fashion show and the talent show — held in the Union ballroom — for 11 years.
“I really love seeing so many different, diverse student groups, and they're incredibly talented,” Cordell said. “It's one of my favorite events of the year.”
About 2,700 people — comprised of students, scholars, faculty members and people from all around Michigan — attended the Global Festival last year, according to Vicky Lee, student engagement coordinator at the OISS.
The talent show also showcases live performances highlighting traditional music, dances and martial arts from around the world, according to a press release.
“Every year the ballroom is packed with people who maybe they thought they would just come in and see one performance, but then they sit there for hours because it's so good,” Cordell said. “Some of them are doing very traditional kinds of performances and I think that's great when young people like to keep their traditions and cultures that alive."
Performers aren’t limited to MSU students. For example, high school students and children can perform and engage the audience, too.
Cordell said she hopes the event will impact children on how they view people who are from other parts of the world.
“As they grow up, if they hear people talking badly about people who are different or they're watching the news and they would maybe otherwise have a stereotype about people, hopefully they'll remember when they came to Global Festival, and it will help them embrace diversity and stay more open minded," Cordell said.
There is a gift shop at the event, where a collection of donated items from around the world will be available. Funds raised will go to support the Community Volunteers for International Programs.
Cordell bought a lot of her Christmas gifts there for her family, especially for her niece and nephew, so they can have toys from all over the world.
“It's really inexpensive but beautiful things,” Cordell said.
The fashion show will start at 4:30 p.m. Students will wear their traditional costumes to show their cultures.
“You can see how different the world is in an exciting and beautiful way,” Cordell said.
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