Griffith University’s annual Culture Food and Fun Day will see student clubs and societies showcasing their international identities as part of a broader celebration of the University’s rich multicultural character and commitment.
Organised by Campus Life, this year’s event will be held at Nathan on Thursday, September 26. About 2000 people are expected to stream on to the campus.
Campus Life’s Design and Marketing Manager, Mr Mick Hawkins, said the increasing input of the University’s student clubs had encouraged a sense of ownership of the event and this only added to the atmosphere of fun and inclusion.
“The Culture Food and Fun Day started four years ago and each year the clubs and societies have become more active and more interactive,” Mr Hawkins said.
“There are plenty of international food stalls, lots of music and dance performances and other displays and demonstrations that are all ethnically derived and offer great insight into the cultural diversity we have at Griffith.”
Mr Hawkins said Campus Life ran a number of events throughout the year aimed at encouraging students to interact, enhancing their university experience and aiding student retention.
Campus Life Event Coordinator, Ms Natalee Black, said the Culture Food and Fun Day played a particularly important role in facilitating connections between domestic and international students.
“It must be so daunting for a young person to come from so far away, adapt to a completely different cultural environment and then try to study,” she said.
“That’s what’s so great about this special day. While there isn’t a formally established interaction process, it just works out that way. It’s an event that encourages exploration.
“It brings students and staff together and is a spectacle from start to finish, whether you’re watching performances by Indian, Indonesian or Chinese students, sampling the huge range of international cuisine that is available or just marvelling at the colours of the national costumes.”
For a list of Griffith University’s student clubs, go to http://www.griffith.edu.au/clubs/clubs-a-to-z