UNM’s International Festival celebrates culture, community and global learning

UNM's Global Education Office recently celebrated its annual International Festival, a beloved campus tradition held for more than 30 years. The event has become such a longstanding tradition that no one seems to know exactly when it first began.

According to Molly Wright, GEO's marketing representative, "In the 90s, the celebration was held in November to coincide with International Education Week. It was typically held in the Johnson Center gym because of the weather."

When attendance reached a certain level, she said the organizers sought to increase the event's visibility and accessibility, because it was always the most popular celebration activity. Their goal was to share the celebration with the broader UNM community, so they moved it to April and hosted it outside for all to join.

The festival reflects the breadth of UNM's global community. This year, UNM is home to 1,302 active international students who represent 109 countries, each bringing their own perspectives, traditions, languages, and experiences to campus life.

International students are an important aspect of every university and college campus. These students alone can help drive local economies, advance research through their particular worldviews, and share knowledge of different cultures and understandings with their local networks.

This year's festival featured 15 students who hosted artisans and informational booths, 17 who made and served food from their home countries, nine students and two alumni who performed at the lunch-hour performances, and 14 students who volunteered their time to help set up and clean up.

GEO had a beautiful day, and the excitement for the day's festivities was palpable among every attendee, vendor, and staff member who helped facilitate the activities.

For some students, this festival has become more than just a celebration of culture; for one former student-turned-alumnus, it was a launching point for opportunity and a successful entrepreneurial endeavor.

Hanmin Kim, a graduate of the James & Gail Ellis School of Business Leadership's business analytics program, first participated in GEO's international festival three years ago as part of a Korean student group. Little did he know how popular his homemade seaweed rice rolls, called samgak gimbap, would be.

Between his education at the Ellis School of Business Leadership and his love of cooking, he started Seoul Gimbap in a local church's kitchen. It has now grown into its own retail space, where he can offer more Korean food options and other cultural retail items.

This is Kim's third year of participating in the festival. He said, "This festival is important because of its message to the community and the bigger purpose of bringing everyone together for one common purpose."

For another vendor, Isabella Peralta, representing her home country of Mexico, she shares her culture through her small business, Sandia Fashion Art. She offers handcrafted bracelets and embroidered wall hangings. This was also her third year participating.

"This festival is amazing, because it helps showcase that art can be anywhere," she said.

For Afghan Kabab House owner Ilhamuddin Hussaini, whose lunch line never seemed to end, this marked his second year participating in the festival.

"This festival is very unique because of its message and the people," Hussaini said. "From students to community members, it's very diverse, which is why I like to participate. I like being part of this community."

The University of New Mexico, as New Mexico's flagship university, is a cultural hub that draws students from around the world. International students at UNM are an important part of the community and this annual festival highlights them.

They transform and enrich each campus gathering, every classroom they enter, and the communities where they live in ways that may not always be apparent. Each international student leaves a lasting impact on each person they meet.

GEO's International Festival is a staple on UNM's campus, and its attendees and vendors hope it remains so for some time to come. If you are interested in participating next year, email Molly Wright at [email protected].