Photo by: Hunter Stevens
The Driscoll Center was transformed into a celebration Saturday afternoon as the annual Festival of Nations showcased cultures from around the world with music, exhibits and savory food.
Presented by the International Student Organization, the festival, now in its 25th year, was open to the public and lasted from noon until 5 p.m. with a variety of different performances held throughout the day in Driscoll Ballroom.
Spectators could purchase indigenous art and jewelry from places like Iraq and Guatemala as well as taste food and drinks popular in different cultures. Information on service projects like Project Education Sudan and the Nuba Water Project attracted volunteers.
“This event is good for getting your name out there. This is a public awareness event for us,” said Tom Shovan from Project Education Sudan.
Booths were sponsored by groups like the Vietnamese Student Assocation, the Native Student Alliance, the India Students Network and the Latino Student Alliance, among others.
“We get to display our country’s culture. It’s so much fun!” said Supriya Kulkarni, a member of the India Students Network who performed a demonstration of Bollywood dancing.
The ISO was founded 25 ago and uses databases, word of mouth and e-mails to attract students and other organizations to participate in the festival.
“This is a celebration of pluralism,” said Ara Ogle, who is involved with the ISO. “While DU may not be the most diverse school, we are celebrating what we have.”
The performances included Egyptian belly dancing, a tai chi demonstration and a performance of a Chinese Dragon dance that is performed during the Chinese New Year.
“It was impressive to see the local community come out and support this,” said sophomore Bay Nordstrom. “It’s a good way for students to see diversity on campus. The cultural experience was very cool, from the dancing to the food and different booths. I loved the belly dancing!”
The festive atmosphere created a positive environment for the community to come together and celebrate DU’s cultural diversity, said senior Jimmy King.
“It breaks down cultural barriers that countries have with each other,” said King. “This is my fourth time coming and I always look forward to it.”
