Showcasing global arts and culture, this year’s annual WorldFest promises to be a passport to foreign flavors, flair and fun.
Beginning today, festivities organized by the Cultural Affairs Commission will offer an array of art, music, dance, foods and film screenings celebrating diversity across the globe and within the student community.
While the multicultural celebration has evolved over time, WorldFest staff say the event has been a part of UCLA tradition for at least 30 years.
Inspired by her own passion for global culture and awareness, WorldFest director Jasmin Yu’s two-year involvement with WorldFest has been a heartfelt endeavor.
“This week is a great opportunity for students to have exposure to this bigger world picture and to really broaden their horizons,” she said.
Today’s International Food Fest will kick off the diversity fest in Bruin Plaza. Affordable savory specialties from campus culture clubs will be on hand for a tasty lunchtime alternative to Ackerman Union. Soulful reggae sounds from local band The Lions will also be featured.
“It’s going to be a great chance for students to try a real variety of ethnic foods that they may have never tried or seen before. The band The Lions will also be playing at our upcoming JazzReggae Festival, so it will be a great preview of more music to come,” Yu said.
For students living on the Hill, WorldFest will also make its way into dining halls and onto residents’ plates.
Dining halls will feature rotating international themes with selected national dishes and desserts from that night’s celebrated region. Tonight’s menu is Latin American influenced, with Asian-, South Asian- and African-themed cuisines to follow throughout the week.
Opportunities for further global exposure will be on hand at this evening’s WorldFest Culture Show. Campus student groups will showcase talented acts with styles ranging from the traditional to the contemporary reflections of heritage. The vast cultural variety will feature everything from Latin salsa to Lebanese dancing, Chinese music ensembles to modern a cappella groups.
“We’re going to be able to bring a little culture for students to see what they don’t necessarily experience on a daily basis,” WorldFest staff member Elizabeth Franco said.
WorldFest’s Live Art Event will allow students to participate in a performance of their own. Using art as a tool to translate diversity, students are invited to channel their artistic side alongside a team of graffiti artists in Bruin Plaza. The group graffiti mural will later be on display in Kerckhoff Art Gallery.
“Actively participating in creating art is a huge step toward the world theme for the whole week. We’re highlighting diversity, but also creating a bridge under which we all fall. (Art is) something that connects us all,” WorldFest assistant director Gwen Thorn said.
Kerckhoff Gallery will also feature a global-themed exhibition of student artwork in conjunction with WorldFest.
With themes of diversity, one of the ultimate goals of WorldFest is to cultivate cultural understanding within the campus community.
Wednesday’s Global Issues Fair aims to highlight social justice issues with educational information and volunteer opportunities for student action.
South African-themed “International Coffee Break” will aim to educate students about fair-trade coffee while also featuring a wide variety of world coffee flavors to sample.
WorldFest will culminate with Mighty Mic Concert for the Congo and international film screenings, featuring favorites such as the popular Korean romantic comedy, “My Sassy Girl.”
“I hope that this tradition continues and that students take advantage of this chance to learn something new and try something different this week,” Yu said.
By aiming to cultivate mutual understanding and respect for other cultures, the vision of WorldFest extends beyond a mere multicultural celebration.
“Our goal is to highlight diversity and celebrate our differences, while also creating a community spirit here at UCLA. We’re all unified in our quest for higher education,” Thorn said.