Gumby with international flags.
This past week Cal Lutheran took part in a school wide week-long annual tradition called International Education Week. According to the Cal Lutheran website, International Education Week includes “a range of activities, lectures and other exciting events” that celebrates cultures and different countries from around the world.
Of the many events that take place that week, World Fair is most definitely my favorite.
It is a celebration with food, music, and informational and interactive booths where attendees can learn about new cultures from around the world. This year, I had the honor of helping plan the event and participate in it myself with my own booth. Here are some of my observations and insights about this informative and fascinating tradition and why I believe it is important.
This year’s World Fair featured booths from Tanzania, the Saudi Arabian Students, and the Muslim Student Association, among others. Attendees could enjoy a cup of Arabic coffee and some traditional Middle Eastern pastries. There was also a large buffet at the end of the student union with Thai, Caribbean and Middle Eastern dishes. The booth I ran was about the Francophone world. The intention was to show that the French-speaking world exists beyond just France. There are many other countries in Europe, Africa, Oceania and even Asia where the language is spoken. My presentation outlined the similarities and differences between the cultures of France, Switzerland, and Morocco as Francophone nations with diverse cultures and traditions.
A photo of my Francophone booth
It was a great experience participating in this annual event. I believe that both the World Fair and International Education week are such valuable traditions for the Cal Lutheran community. Learning about different cultures and places from around the world opens our minds and informs us about traditions and ways of life that are far different from our own. While traveling is arguably the best way to experience this, it is not always a possibility for college students with limited budgets. World Fair makes it possible for students to get a small taste of different global cultures and traditions without breaking the bank. This event also enhances student’s educations by providing them with new perspectives on the world. I believe that this event is such a valuable tradition for the university and I would encourage anyone to participate or attend the event in the future.
All Photos by the author unless specified otherwise.