Photo by Mira Crane ‘27.
By Mira Crane ’27
Contributing Writer
Many student organizations came together to celebrate Global Fest and those who attended seemed eager to participate in the activities offered and partake in the refreshments.
The event started at 4 p.m., and people slowly trickled in. At the entrance to the Blanchard Hall Great Room, there were drinks and tote bags emblazoned with the words “Global Fest.” A poster projected up front advertised the event, and different clubs were set up at tables all around the Great Room, with people milling about from booth to booth.
The Cantonese Club taught a version of mahjong at their booth. The Japanese Tea Club had a stand with two types of tea: green and all-purpose. The Arabic Cultural Club table wrote out names in Arabic with henna and served baklava. The Bangladeshi student organization, BONDHU, had kheer — or rice pudding — traditional for the Bengali New Year, and animal coloring sets, as wild animals are often featured on New Year masks.
The Asian Students Association had a trivia game, while the Nepali Student Organization had tea candy, flyers and biscuits. The Liga Filipina table was set up to make Christmas stars, called parols, with paper, bands and sticks. ODotteMita, a JPop dance team, had origami and played a club-dance video. AWAZ, the South Asian Students Association, had henna. La Unidad had paper banners called papel picado and flyers explaining their cultural significance.
The club leaders were friendly and happy to share about their booths. Maya Ornston ’27 is the co-chair of the Japanese Tea Club. “As a brand new org[anization] the Global [F]est was the first ever event we participated in,” Ornston said. “It gave us the chance to promote the organization and we found a surprising amount of support for our organization which was wonderful. I also enjoyed the chance to talk to people I had never talked to before.”
Clubs were also advertising future events such as Pohela Boishakh, a celebration of the Bengali New Year, sponsored by BONDHU and NEPSO, and some displayed QR codes to their Embark page.
“Global Fest gives us an opportunity to share our culture with the rest of campus and spread understanding of different cultures,” Ornston said. “Global fest [also] gives us the opportunity to talk to many people and build communities of people who share similar passions.”
The student groups started to pack up around 7 p.m., but there was a second part of Global Fest in the Dining Commons. Dining hall food in honor of Global Fest included: spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce, wonton soup, jambalaya, fry bread, tostadas, arepas, tatales, boba and Brazilian lemonade. It was one of the most crowded dining hall meals of the year, and before the dining hall opened, there was a long line of students waiting outside.
Overall, Global Fest this year was a chance for student organizations to advertise themselves and for students to participate in different cultural activities while enjoying some food and tea.