International Festival draws thousands Western Michigan University's 2008 International Festival attracted nearly 3,000 people to the Bernhard Center March 25 to sample culinary delights and cultural displays representing more than 15 countries.
Hailed as WMU's annual global open house, the festival provides an opportunity for international students enrolled at WMU, with the help of domestic students, to showcase their homeland food and culture for the University community and the community-at-large. Fifteen international student organizations supported by 200 volunteers hosted the event, which included ethnic music, dancing and a fashion show featuring traditional clothing from many countries.  The festival is the largest of many activities planned each year that bring international and domestic students together for fun and culturally enriching activities, said Kimberly Ritter, coordinator of international student activities, who worked closely on the festival with Jordan Hochstetler, International Festival programming chair and the sponsoring organizations.
photo above: Some of the native clothing modeled during the fashion show ”Students often say to me that their most memorable experience at Western Michigan University is their participation in the International Festival,” Ritter said. “In preparation for this event, international student organizations come together with numerous student volunteers for a planning period of five months. The result is a process of sharing, learning, and growing together through hard work, dedication, and appreciation. International Festival was recently named by the student body as one of WMU’s "100 Points of Pride"—a true testament to the impact it has on all students at Western Michigan University.” First place for Outstanding Table Display was awarded to the Saudi Students' Association, which participated in the festival for the first time. “We worked hard to do this—we wanted to show our culture to the Kalamazoo and University communities,” said Hashim Al-Sharif, a sophomore at Western and a member the Saudi Student Association.  Wilson “Bill” Woods, associate dean of the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, served as one of the six judges who evaluated the display tables just before the festival opened doors to the public. He said WMU has been hosting an international festival since the early 1960s. photo above: First place for Outstanding Table Display was awarded to the Saudi Students' Association
“With the possible exception of intercollegiate athletics, no event brings town and gown together like the International Festival,” said Woods, a 20-plus year veteran of international education at WMU. “This unique form of celebration helps draw the international community, WMU students, and area families closer together as foods are sampled, cultural displays admired, and conversations exchanged. The turnout and positive reactions to the International Festival testified to the hard work and enthusiasm of WMU's international students. We were particularly pleased to see many children in attendance.”  The festival is organized by the International Programs Council and the Campus Activities Board. Sponsors include the Diether H. Haenicke Institute for Global Education's International Students and Services Affairs office, Student Activities and Leadership Programs, Division of Student Affairs, University Cultural Events committee, Graduate Student Advisory Committee, and the Western Student Association.
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