Letter: You should go to the International Dinner

The International Student Association invites all students, staff and faculty to the 39th-annual International Dinner gala on March 21 in the Student Union Auditorium at 7 p.m.

The great thing about college is that everybody is different. Each individual creates a diversity that exposes you to cultures you may not have even known existed. Such is the mission of the

ISA — encouraging an exchange of culture by providing ways for friendship, understanding and social interests of the members. ISA is an organization that works to preserve international culture, and celebrates the unity in diverse nations with the ideas of accepting differences, having strong roots with countries, cherishing the beauty and ethics around the world, learning to love and making good memories for all the students and faculty at the University of Toledo. This is an educative gala event of different countries, cultures, traditions and food.

Although it celebrates its 39th year on March 21, enthusiasm hasn’t wavered. This event, every year, is one of the most awaited international events for not just international students, International Students Association (ISA) and the Center of International Students and Programs (CISP) office but also for other local students, staff and faculty. Students from around the world will bring out their culture, food, clothes, dance, music and much more. This event will have dinner, traditional performances and a fashion show, from countries like India, China, the Philippines, United Arab Emerites, Nepal, South Africa, America, Iran and others. A total of eight umbrella organizations take part in getting the best and 500 people are expected. This year the theme is, “Flashback: 50’s through 80’s” where people will come dressed up in their international (own national) eras from 50’s through 80’s. Hopefully, we will get to travel back in time and know how nations have changed through the past eras.

There will be a guest speech by Dr. Nagi Naganathan. He is an international personality owning his own culture and heritage. Such a person would value the importance of nationality, culture, importance of holding on to native origins. He will truly understand the importance of having such event at the University of Toledo. He will also be talking about life as an international student, motivating and inspiring them. Plus, he will share some of his experience of being from a different culture.

There will be many traditional performances by international students like playing instruments, dancing to salsa, belly dancing, folkloric, flamenco and Chinese folk performances. There will be three main dish course meals, appetizers and desserts from different countries. By the end of the event will be a fashion show presenting traditional clothing.

This event is open to all students, staff and faculty across all campuses irrespective of them being international or national. The entire idea is to show the international side to the local, thus, we have it open to public. So people both from UT and public individuals may attend. However, this event is a paid event, with student price $10, non-student for $15 and under 13 for $5. Prior table reservations are accepted which will cost $75 for students and $100 for non-students. The tickets are available at Ask Rocky in SU. Tickets might be available at the doors of the event but that’s not guaranteed as the tickets are going out in full swing. We might actually run out of tickets as we have a limit to only 500 attendees for the event. This ticket is cheap, so people shouldn’t think twice. A lot is offered!

Please feel free to call or email us with any questions you have about the event at 216-801-6859 or [email protected]

— Shagufta Sami, a second-year graduate student in computer science