International Culture Night took audience on a world tour – without leaving campus

April 04, 2024

/news/_images/2024/culture-night-900-600.jpg — Eleven groups, representing the cultures of countries that included China, India, Japan and Spain, performed for a large crowd during International Culture Night on March 16.

Nearly 200 guests got an opportunity to sample music, dance and cuisine from widely ranging parts of the globe at this year’s International Culture Night, a banquet and variety show held March 16 at Kyle Hall.

The event was coordinated by the McGlothlin Center for Global Education and Engagement (MCGEE), with President Bret Danilowicz and Provost Bethany Usher among the 175 spectators.

“We’re thrilled to see so many people from different backgrounds here tonight,” Ismael Betancourt, assistant provost for Global Education and Engagement, told the audience at the top of the festival. It was the first International Culture Night to be held since before the pandemic.

“I hope we all feel a sense of belonging and unity, which is the essence of our event,” added Betancourt, who is also Radford’s chief global officer.

Before the show began, guests enjoyed a buffet of dishes from China, India, Japan, Spain and the Middle East.

The live program that followed featured 11 acts – Brazilian standards on guitar; a demonstration of the contemplative practice of taiji from Japan; dancers and musicians presenting an array of routines and songs from China; an exhibition of Korean K-pop; the Radford Percussion Ensemble’s rendition of “Watercolor Sun” by Mexican-American composer Ivan Trevino, and a sampling of North American music, including bluegrass.

It also presented a traditional Nepalese dance number performed by freshman international student Garima Pokharel, who co-hosted the event alongside Betancourt.

“It’s important for people to see such diversity, and important for people to feel other cultures and embrace them,” Betancourt said. “I think it fosters understanding and respect.”

Pokharel, who is studying computer science, closed out the evening by bidding the audience a multilingual farewell – in English, Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, Nepali and Hindi.

“Thank you once again to everyone, and we look forward to seeing you again next year,” Pokharel said to the crowd, adding: “Adios! Au revoir! Zai jian! Pheri Bhetaula! Alavida!”

MCGEE offers services and support to incoming international students as well as those interested in studying abroad, engaging in international initiatives. It also handles passport services and coordinates English as a second or foreign language instruction.

Radford currently has about 65 international students, but Betancourt hopes to ultimately raise that number.

“It takes a while, but hopefully it will grow,” he said. “My goal is to actually have about 250 international students at the university.”

He also hopes to broaden the spectrum of countries represented at future International Culture Nights.

“We would like to see even more diversity next year – possibly from Africa or France – but people who attended this year loved it; they had a lot of fun,” he said.

For their various efforts, Betancourt also thanked the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, the Department of Dance, the Department of Music and the Citizen Leader program, as well as Radford’s international students, student volunteers and Fraternity and Sorority Life.