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HomeCampus LifeBelmont Celebrates Annual World Culture Week, Festival

Belmont Celebrates Annual World Culture Week, Festival

Student performing a cultural danceThis week, Belmont is celebrating its World Culture Week, leading up to its 6th annual World Culture Festival. The festivities are spearheaded by HOPE council, a student-led organization seeking to create a more diverse and inclusive Belmont community. The council serves as a hub of multicultural and identity groups at Belmont including the Black Student Association, the Hispanic Student Association, Bridge Builders, the Gender Equality movement, the South Asian Middle Eastern Association, Bruin Vets, the Japanese Culture Club and the Chinese Cultural Club. According to Reena Patel, president of HOPE Council, “Our goal is to ensure that Belmont, as a whole, can experience the beauty of diversity and inclusion on an intersectional level.”

World Culture Fest began as a collaborative effort by a few students who wanted to bring the celebration of cultures to campus in an effort to share their heritage with their peers. After the creation of HOPE Council, they expanded the effort into a week of programming.

Upcoming Events include:

  • Wednesday, March 21, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. International food trucks will be parked by the South Lawn!
  • Wednesday, March 21, 6-8 p.m. Join South Asian Middle Eastern Society at their Bhangra night to learn about the popular music and dance that combines Punjabi folk traditions with Western pop music.
  • Thursday, March 22, 6-9 p.m. The International Fashion Show will showcase styles and trends from around the world.
  • Friday, March 23, 4-7 p.m. World Culture Fest offers the opportunity to “tour” the world through food, music, fashion and entertainment.

All events, aside from the food trucks, are located in Beaman A&B.

“The Belmont community has the chance to engage in critical discussions around diversity and inclusion,” Patel said. “… If we, as a community, truly want to engage and transform the world, we should immerse ourselves in the cultures, lives [and] experiences of others to do so….[By] hearing their stories, we have the chance to educate ourselves outside of the classroom and be part of a community effort to be more diverse and inclusive – not only here at Belmont, but in the world.”

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