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This Saturday, Acadia is hosting its traditional international banquet, held in Fountain Commons, at 6:30 p.m. This banquet鈥檚 theme is 鈥淗ollywood Oscars.鈥�

Each year, the International Banquet welcomes Acadia students from all over the world in celebration of the university鈥檚 international community.

Performances from students are the highlight of the banquet, as they showcase a variety of cultural traditions from different countries, says International Education Program Officer, Elvis Zhou.

鈥淚t kind of works like a talent show,鈥� Zhou says. 鈥淲e send out a notice to all students on campus inviting them to prepare a performance and it鈥檚 a fun way to learn about different cultures.鈥�

Although the banquet is organized for students, by students, the event is open to faculty, staff and community members.

鈥淎 common misconception is that the international banquet is intended for international students exclusively, but really we want to emphasize this is open to everyone.鈥�

Zhou says it鈥檚 very encouraging to see how well-attended the event is every year. Expecting around 180 guests this year, organizers arranged the stage to look like a runway for people to have better visibility of the performances.

The banquet is always a successful traditional event at Acadia, but Zhou says it鈥檚 important to keep in mind that one of the evening鈥檚 main purposes is to continue to encourage an inclusive environment on campus.

鈥淥ne of the most important goals for us is to bring our Canadian and International students together,鈥� he says. 鈥淓vents like these are the perfect opportunity to do so.鈥�

Zhou adds that the banquet is more than a celebration, it is also a way to raise awareness about how diverse Acadia鈥檚 student body is. 鈥淓ven though Acadia is a small school, we have a diverse community here,鈥� he says. 鈥淏eing a small community and having students from over 80 countries is definitely a success, and it鈥檚 something we鈥檙e excited to celebrate.鈥�

Learn more about the Acadia鈥檚 international students here!