BEMIDJI-International cultures and traditions will be on display at the 50th annual Festival of Nations to be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 12, at Bemidji State University.
"It's like a world tour in three hours," said Sarvika Shetty, a BSU senior from India. Shetty is president of the International Student Organization, which sponsors the event. "Bemidji's not a place where people get a lot of exposure to things like that. You can meet people from different countries and have a chat if you're interested."
BSU has about 120 international students, and some of them will be sharing food, music, dance, art and writing with attendees. In addition, the Bemidji Choir and an Asian dance group from the Twin Cities will perform.
The Festival of Nations is free and open to the public, and will be held in the Beaux Arts Ballroom at BSU.
"Whoever is interested in event can attend," said Dr. Ye Hong, coordinator of the Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the university. "They can interact with students, especially international students. The significance also lies in providing a platform for the students themselves to introduce the culture and more knowledge to whoever attends."
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Hong, who has been in her position since January, is anxious to experience her first Festival of Nations, which she says brings the campus and community together.
"We're providing a platform for students, faculty and the community to know more about different cultures," she said, "to know more about people of diverse backgrounds."
Shetty, who will graduate in May, came to BSU in 2016 because of its strong wildlife biology program. Her interest in wildlife began as a child in Mumbai, a city of 18.4 million people and a world apart from Bemidji.
"I was looking for schools that were good for wildlife biology," Shetty said, "and since I was only 17 my parents were more comfortable sending me to a smaller city. The wildlife program is really good, and there's so much opportunity to do outdoor stuff with wildlife."
She also enjoys friends she has made at BSU, not only American students but those from places like Nepal, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, El Salvador and Kenya.
"I feel like the smaller the city the more American it is," Shetty said. "The more experience of the country you get. I love the teachers here, too."
She plans to take some time off after graduation before pursuing a graduate degree in her field. She hopes to eventually land a job in the wildlife field that would be "hands on, or something in research. If I can do both that would be great. And something that involves travel."
Meanwhile, as the lead organizer for the Festival of Nations, Shetty will be behind the scenes making sure the event goes off without a hitch.
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The print edition of this story incorrectly stated that the event was free.
