Successful Hosting of ‘17th International Cultural Festival’ by the College of Humanities

On Thursday, November 9, after a four-year hiatus, the “17th International Cultural Festival” was held in the front yard of the J Building. This vibrant event, initiated in 2019, had been halted due to COVID-19, now returning to the school after four years. The event is organized by the College of Humanities’ A, B, and C Sections (highlighting European Languages and Cultures, Chinese Culture, and the Division of English, respectively), celebrating the languages and culinary heritages of countries like Germany, France, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Despite the chilly weather, the festival triumphed with an impressive turnout of enthusiastic students.

▲ 17th International Cultural Festival by the College of Humanities

Aligned with the festival’s core purpose, each section provided hands-on experiences of the language and food culture of their respective regions, showcasing their own merchandise that garnered overwhelming responses. A Section’s student council, “Spark,” cooked German Wurst and French Crêpes on site, introducing German and French cuisines to visitors. By guiding the visitors to order their food in German or French, they provided opportunities to experience both food and language. In addition, they also distributed stickers featuring snapshots from Munich, Germany, and Lyon, France, taken by students from the 2023 European Cultural Experience and Summer Study-Abroad Program. These stickers, adorned with the logo of European Languages and Cultures, aimed to promote the study-abroad initiative and kindle interest in European Cultures.

▲ Food served at different booths

B Section’s student council introduced Chinese culinary delights, crafting and offering Mara dumplings, Jjajang dumplings, and Binghong tea. Additionally, they organized a quiz focusing on Chinese language and culture, rewarding participants with entry tickets for a prize lottery.

▲ (From left to right) C Section’s booth, eager student participation

Meanwhile, C Section’s Emergency Preparedness Committee took center stage to share simple American snacks to introduce American food culture through hot-dogs, sandwiches, and nacho chips, allowing students to personalize their sandwiches and place their orders in English. Additionally, the committee prepared simple quizzes related to the UK and the US and distributed Anglo-American cultural merchandise (eco-bags and bottles) to winners. 

With food and various interactive cultural events to be enjoyed, the festival successfully fostered enthusiastic engagement among students. Choi Yoo-jin (European Languages and Cultures, ‘22), a member of A Section’s committee, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to join the event, which was held after a four-year hiatus, stating, “Our committee cooked German and French delicacies to give students a hands-on experience and an opportunity to use a different language as they ordered. I was grateful that many students visited our booths with enjoyment.” She then added, “I particularly loved that I got to enjoy other booths and sections and had the opportunity to learn about other food cultures. It surely formed memorable interactions and enjoyment among the three sections of the College of Humanities.”