Annual festival celebrates international Raider pride

You can travel around the world without leaving the Student Union at the Wright State International Festival on March 24 in the Apollo Room.

Students, faculty and staff can travel around the world without leaving the Student Union at the Wright State International Festival.

A flag parade, cultural cuisine and international live music are just a few attractions present at the festival, which takes place Saturday, March 24, from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Student Union Apollo Room.

The festival kicks off with a flag parade, representing over 40 countries, at 4 p.m. in the Apollo Room. Admission to the festival is free.

Each year, the festival surrounds a different theme. In the past, themes have ranged from innovations around the world to cities around the world. This year, the theme is global traditions.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to welcome our students as visitors to our country, learn about their cultures and recognize the many contributions they provide our community,” said Bill Holmes, associate vice president of international affairs.

The festival gives international students a chance to showcase cultural traditions from their homelands.

Throughout the event, food from several vendors will be available, such as La Colombiana Restaurante, Ajanta Indian Restaurant, Chartwells Middle Eastern Cuisine and Khmericano Coffee. International beers from Thailand, India, Ireland, Mexico, Singapore, Amsterdam and Jamaica will also be served.

The theme of the festival will be exemplified by the decorations of each table. International students will decorate their tables according to their culture and global traditions, showcasing traditions from all around the world.

“We have approximately 875 students from 62 countries,” said Michelle, Streeter-Ferrari, director of the University Center for International Education. “They help to internationalize our classrooms and communities by bringing their rich cultural traditions with them. This is why we are celebrating global traditions at this year’s festival. It is in recognition of our students and the richness of customs they bring to Wright State.”

For young children, the festival hosts a children’s zone where they can learn about other countries through age-appropriate activities such as a craft station and an international reading corner, where they can listen to children’s books in different languages, such as Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Hindi, Swahili and more.

For more information, visit the University Center for International Education website or contact Catherine Hernandez at catherine.hernandez@wright.edu.