Everybody in the hall was quiet. The sound of Quranic verses filled the air. A muslim clad in his traditional clothing stood in the middle of the stage reciting the verses in his best voice. The reading was none other than a remark for the beginning of the 14th annual International Festival.
Representing over 30 countries—with five to seven new participating groups—the 14th annual International Festival was held last Saturday as part of the programs during Family Weekend. It is one of the get-to-know programs by the office of International Student Services in collaboration with the Union.
“The major purpose for us having this program is for the American students and their families to know their international friends better. And what a better time for us to have it than now, during the family weekend, when the students and the families are here,” said Jane Havis, assistant dean of students of the office of International Student Services.
“We’re trying to get more participation from more countries. For that purpose, we have the Hewett Foundation Grant which helps the students to have reimbursement on the money they have spent for the program,” added Havis.
During the program, students and families were entertained by cultural performances from the Indian Students Association, Philippine American League, Alianza Latina, and the Chinese American Students Association.
At each booth that was representing the countries, parents and students had a chance to taste a bit of traditional food and get a glimpse of traditional clothing which the students wore in addition to the information about the countries on display that day.
“I think this is the best time for the RPI community to know the cultural diversity that we have here in RPI,” said Alessandro Assis, graduate student in computer science.
As for the international students, it was the day to show off their culture to their American friends.
“It is a great pride of my Malaysian friends and me to introduce to the people here that we are a country rich in culture and heritage. We are proud to show our traditional food, games, and clothing to our American friends,” said Shah Reza ’03, president of the Malaysian Students Association.
