The University of New Mexico (UNM) recently announced the return of culture nights, an initiative by the Global Education Office (GEO). These events are large-scale, venue-based evenings featuring games, performances, and cuisine from various countries. The aim is to provide a cultural experience for participants.
Culture nights were first initiated by the GEO in 2017 to address the need for organized cultural gatherings. The inaugural event, dedicated to Nepal, attracted over 125 attendees, demonstrating the demand for recognizing diverse campus communities. Subsequent events celebrated countries such as India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Korea, China, and Japan. After a hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions, Fall 2023 marked the successful return of culture nights. Future plans include events featuring Korea and India as well as a celebration of Holi starting in March 2024.
International Student & Scholar Services Director Linda Melville emphasized the importance of these events in a press release by UNM. "When students come and they live in another country, frequently they get homesick. They miss food from their country and they miss their holidays and their family and their celebrations," said Melville. She added that it's crucial for students to have opportunities to celebrate their own cultures while also sharing them with New Mexicans and other members of the university community.
Melville further explained how these culture nights are planned and executed. "We get together and we help them plan and execute a culture night. The students decide on what they want to perform. They decide on how to provide information about their country. The group decides whether or not they want to cook on their own or they want to cater the event," she said.
According to information available on its About webpage provided by UNM, GEO plays a significant role in enhancing global understanding on campus through internationalization efforts. It establishes strategic partnerships, acts as liaison for entities supporting international education, supports faculty engagement in global collaborations, advises students on education abroad, recruits international students, offers English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, and more.
