Members of the SMU community got to experience a range of cultures around the world, as they celebrated cultural diversity and unity, at the launch of SMU Global Village 2018 on 12 September 2018.

The opening of the annual week-long social integration and cultural festival transformed the SMU basement concourse into a lively, multi-cultural fiesta of song, dance, food, games, arts and craft. Students, alumni and staff, including SMU President Prof Arnoud De Meyer, as well as members of the public, got a rare chance to experience different traditions and cultural practices coming together in one venue.

Students from SMU’s international students club, SMU International Connections (ICON), and its 12 sub-clubs - many of whom were dressed in traditional costumes – proudly hosted pavilions which showcased food and games from various regional ethnic groups. At the Filipino pavilion, intrigued participants lined up to try their luck at grabbing piñatas laden with food vouchers. Others got to experience henna painting at the Bedouin tent, while crowds played traditional ceremonial games at the Korean and Indian pavilions.

[Photo: Students catching chestnuts - part of a Korean wedding tradition.]

[Photo: Batik painting class in session.]

Food was the biggest draw at the event, with healthy queues forming at the dozen booths offering delectable delicacies ranging from Vietnamese summer rolls and Indian samosas, to Korean wedding rice cakes and Peranakan kueh-kueh.

[Photo: Delicious Peranakan kueh-kueh on sale at Global Village.]

Over at The Alcove, a lunchtime crowd enjoyed a spirited talk, titled The Tribe Has Spoken, where four motivated individuals shared how they had challenged themselves and social boundaries to bring the world a little closer to home:

Dr Tan Lai Yong related his varied experiences during his years abroad as a volunteer doctor in rural villages helping the poor, disabled and marginalised; migrant worker Zakir Hossain captivated the audience with his candid stories about how he never let being far away from home wane his passion for poetry; inspired millennial Cai Yinzhou – who was also featured during this year’s Singapore National Day Parade video segment – shared how his childhood interaction and friendships with Bangladeshi workers led him on a career path to helping and serving others; while avid traveller Jaclynn Seah recounted her adventures discovering the world over 15 months.

[Photo: Cai Yinzhou shares his stories growing up in Geylang.]

[Photo: Henna painting at the Bedouin tent.]

SMU Global Village aims to raise awareness and appreciation of the different cultures and ethnicities among students. The week-long festival, which runs from 12-21 September 2018, comprises talks, workshops and picnics which are open to members of the SMU community.

Photo credits: Singapore Management University

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[Featured photo: SMU President Prof Arnoud De Meyer admiring the origami at the Japanese pavilion at the 2018 SMU Global Village.]