UBC's First Every Intercultural Fair

On March 28th 2014, in Abdul Ladha, UBC saw its first ever Intercultural Fair - and it was a huge success! After a year of planning and a lot of support from many different departments and organisations on and off campus, the UBC Intercultural Alliance opened the doors of the three storey venue to a huge crowd of students and community members eager to sample the amazing variety of food that awaited.

President, Karen, outside the fair.


 

Almost all the member clubs of UBC's Intercultural Alliance held booths at the fair meaning that visitors were able to sample food from all over the globe and effectively travel the world during their lunchbreak. The fair was open from 11am to 5pm meaning that people could come and go all day for only $5! Each club prepared an amazing host of food either by themselves, with friends and parents or catered by external companies and restaurants. Visitors were able to use their food tickets to try tidbits of fantastic food from countries like Russia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, India, Taiwan and Jamaica.

Food by the Russian Club

Food by the Russian Club

Food by the Ismaili Club

Furthermore, there were a whole host of wonderful performances that added to the culturally diverse atmosphere. Many cultural clubs as well as external groups and students from the English Language Institute of UBC put forward performers to showcase typical cultural dances, poems and songs. Performances included a Korean dance troop, Scottish bagpipers and a professional traditional Indian dancer from the Indian Embassy of Vancouver. 

Scottish Bagpipers

We thank everyone that attended UBC's first ever Intercultural Fair and hope that next year is even more of a success! We would especially like to thank Alba from UTown@UBC for helping us to coordinate our fair, the Equity and Inclusion office and the Global Lounge for their help and funding and all of the organisations and clubs from on and off campus who participated.


Acknowledgements: 

PARTICIPATING CULTURAL CLUBS:
• Arab Students' Association
• Armenian Students' Association
• Caribbean African Association
• German Club
• Ismaili Students' Association
• Pakistan Students' Association
• Polish Students' Society
• Russian Club
• Saudi Arabian Students' Association
• Tamil Students' Association
• Taiwan Association
• UTSAV-Indian Students' Association 

PARTICIPATING STUDENT GROUPS:
• Middle Eastern Studies Initiative 
• Tanzania Heart Babies Project

SUPPORTING CONSULATES:
• Consulate General of India
• Consulate General of Pakistan
• Consulate General of Poland

SUPPORTING CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS:
• AMS Innovative Projects Fund
• Global Lounge
• UBC Equity and Inclusion Office
• U-Town@UBC


Written by Cicely Blain