The Freedom Seder, an event for student self-expression, is being held Friday.

The Undergraduate Women’s Council, PRIDE, Hillel, SEARCH (Student Educators Advocating Responsible Choices in Health) and the Center for Multicultural Excellence (formerly known as the Office of Multicultural Affairs) are sponsoring the event at the Driscoll Ballroom.

The Freedom Seder is a dinner in which students can creatively express themselves through music, poetry and theater performances to “increase appreciation of cultural diversity, raise social awareness and enhance the sense of community at DU.”

The event will last from 6 to 8 p.m., with Ernie Paniccioli, a hip hop photographer, speaking at 6:30 p.m. He is sponsered by the Black Student Alliance.

Terry Williams, Special Community Programs Division, Office of the Provost, is heading the logistical planning for the Freedom Seder.

Deborah Barton, executive director of the Center for Multicultural Excellence, said 15 student organizations are participating in the Freedom Seder.

“I think the excitement about it, plus word of mouth, helped generate a lot of attention,” Barton said. “But we still want as many groups as possible to add energy to this.”

Barton and Sarah Strnad, from Hillel, said the idea for the Freedom Seder first came up in October and planning for the event began shortly after.

However, they wanted to dispel the idea that the Freedom Seder is connected to Passover.

“We didn’t want this event to be religiously constrained,” said Barton. “But the Passover Seder was a celebration of freedom. So, that’s what we wanted this event to focus on: the theme of freedom and to celebrate the cultures within our community.”

Barton expects about 130 people from the campus to attend the dinner. Vegetarian and Kosher meals will be served.

Barton said that if the event goes “really well, we would love to see it happen again next year.”

The groups contributing funds to the Freedom Seder are Hillel, the AUSA Diversity Committee and the Center for Multicultural Excellence.

The organizations that helped with the planning of the Freedom Seder were Hillel, Bridges to the Future, DU PRIDE, UWC, SEARCH, the Center for Multicultural Excellence and the University of Denver Wellness program.

The Clarion plans to send staff members to the Freedom Seder. The staff will be presenting the theme, truth, justice and freedom of speech.

The staff members will be reading quotes from famous journalists and activists that pertain to the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights.

DU PRIDE will present the theme of courage. Latino Student Alliance will present the theme of unity, while Hillel Student Leadership Team will present the theme of shalom.

For more information and to direct questions, contact Deborah Barton at 303.871.7660.