International Banquet celebrates Acadia’s diverse student body

Students on stage at last year's banquet

This Saturday, Acadia is hosting its traditional international banquet, held in Fountain Commons, at 6:30 p.m. This banquet’s theme is “Hollywood Oscars.”

Each year, the International Banquet welcomes Acadia students from all over the world in celebration of the university’s international community.

Performances from students are the highlight of the banquet, as they showcase a variety of cultural traditions from different countries, says International Education Program Officer, Elvis Zhou.

“It kind of works like a talent show,” Zhou says. “We send out a notice to all students on campus inviting them to prepare a performance and it’s a fun way to learn about different cultures.”

Although the banquet is organized for students, by students, the event is open to faculty, staff and community members.

“A common misconception is that the international banquet is intended for international students exclusively, but really we want to emphasize this is open to everyone.”

Zhou says it’s very encouraging to see how well-attended the event is every year. Expecting around 180 guests this year, organizers arranged the stage to look like a runway for people to have better visibility of the performances.

The banquet is always a successful traditional event at Acadia, but Zhou says it’s important to keep in mind that one of the evening’s main purposes is to continue to encourage an inclusive environment on campus.

“One of the most important goals for us is to bring our Canadian and International students together,” he says. “Events like these are the perfect opportunity to do so.”

Zhou adds that the banquet is more than a celebration, it is also a way to raise awareness about how diverse Acadia’s student body is. “Even though Acadia is a small school, we have a diverse community here,” he says. “Being a small community and having students from over 80 countries is definitely a success, and it’s something we’re excited to celebrate.”

Learn more about the Acadia’s international students here! 

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