Ever wished you could travel the world in a day without leaving campus? SMU Diverse-City 2024 made it a reality on 11 September 2024! Organised by the SMU Student Success Centre and the energetic students from SMU International Connections, this vibrant festival brought together cultural experiences from across the globe, all under one roof.
The SMU Concourse was transformed into a life-sized board game, where visitors explored 14 unique cultural stations hosted by various SMU cultural clubs. From traditional games and creative workshops to tantalising international cuisines, there was something for everyone. With 12 food booths and 15 activity stations, guests were truly spoiled for choice. All who attended enjoyed a day rich with discovery and a diverse array of global flavours.
Zara Nomi Hartanto, a Year 3 student from SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business and Student Co-chair of Diverse-City, shared how leading this large-scale event was both exhilarating and challenging. “It took meticulous planning, effective coordination, and clear communication,” she said. “But the invaluable learning and the amazing team made it all worth it!”
The cultural workshops were a hit, drawing visitors to try their hands at artistic traditions from around the world. Attendees experimented with Japanese Mizuhiki (水引), knot-tying, Korean calligraphy (서예), Nón Lá (Vietnamese conical hat) and Fan Painting, French perfume-making, and Chinese seal engraving. Each activity sparked participants’ creative imagination and enhanced their cultural appreciation.
At the Ebru Painting booth, visitors swirled vibrant pigments into mesmerising patterns and transferred their artwork onto paper, while the Tung Making booth gave participants opportunities to craft traditional Thai decorations from colourful materials.
In addition to the workshops, participants took home personalised keepsakes like manga-style Japanese caricatures, while collecting stamps in their activity booklets to redeem food and beverages from a variety of cultural cuisines. Activities were centered around event mascot Rollie’s journey, with visitors solving riddles and completing missions by uncovering clues on information panels at each booth. The festival delivered a truly immersive cultural experience.
The event's life-sized games were crowd favourites too. At SMU Myanmar Community’s Lay Kaung Kyin booth, players tried a traditional spinning dice game from northern Myanmar. The Khmer Numbers Puzzle from SMU Apsara Cambodia added a cultural twist to a brain-teasing mathematical challenge, while SMU Barkada brought the 1990s nostalgia back with Pogs, as participants flipped stacks of cardboard discs using a “slammer.”
Culinary enthusiasts, meanwhile, indulged in a global feast. They tasted delicacies such as Korean hotteok, Singaporean snacks, Japanese mochi, and Indian pani puri. Each booth presented signature dishes, from Turkish ice cream and kebabs to Thailand’s iconic milk tea and Vietnam’s salted cream coffee.
Zara Nomi Hartanto reflected on the event’s success, emphasising the importance of cross-cultural understanding. "Diverse-City brings us all together. With our community coming from so many different backgrounds, it’s important to take the time to learn and appreciate each other's cultures. It helps foster the open-mindedness that is essential as we enter a globally connected workforce."
Yogert Lim, a Year 2 student from the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, echoed Zara’s sentiments: "This festival empowers us to embrace diversity in our everyday lives, shaping a more compassionate and connected future for Singapore."