A Symphony of Cultures: International Festival Brings the World to Campus
The highly anticipated International Cultural Festival returned to campus this year from May 13 to 15, transforming Sunlight Boulevard into a vibrant hub of cross-cultural exchange. Students from 16 countries, including the United States, Jordan, France, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Honduras, set up booths featuring international cuisine and handmade crafts. Dressed in traditional attire, students shared their heritage with the broader NTNU community, creating a lively, immersive cultural experience.
This year’s theme, Forest Symphony, imagined the campus as a thriving, inclusive ecosystem where diverse voices and perspectives come together in harmony. During the opening ceremony, NTNU President Cheng-Chih Wu joined representatives from 12 countries, including Belgium, Mexico, the UK, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, to place national flags on a world map in a symbolic gesture of NTNU’s global reach.
President Wu highlighted the university’s commitment to intercultural engagement. He noted that international students make up 12 percent of the student body, or around 1,700 individuals, placing NTNU at the forefront of internationalization in Taiwan. “This enjoyable festival also offers students a chance to see the world through different cultural perspectives, share food, exchange ideas, and create lasting memories,” he said.
International dignitaries echoed this sentiment. Deputy Director Cédric Schampers of the Belgian Office in Taipei, emphasized the importance of curiosity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning in higher education. Director Susan Milner of the British Council celebrated the event as a reflection of the Council’s strong partnership with NTNU. Counselor Shebby-Ann S. C. Dennie at the Embassy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, praised the university’s spirit of inclusion and openness.
Director Martin Torres Gutierrez Rubio of the Mexican Trade Services Documentation and Cultural Office, remarked on a symbolic gesture of friendship. President Wu, an alumnus of UT Austin, wore a UT Austin tie to reflect his connection to his alma mater. In response, Rubio wore an NTNU tie to highlight the growing bond between Taiwan and Mexico. He described the opening ceremony as deeply meaningful and said he looked forward to exploring the booths and engaging with students.
Director Shu-Hsing Hung of Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment encouraged students to visit the ministry’s booth and attend sustainability-themed talks. She emphasized the role of universities in advancing environmental awareness.
Other dignitaries in attendance included Mr. Mohammed Muslem Said Al Baraami from the Commercial Office of the Sultanate of Oman, Mr. Sergey Chudodeev from the Moscow-Taipei Coordination Commission, Ms. Abbigail Pieterse from the Embassy of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Ms. Tamara Vér from the Hungarian Trade Office, Professor Tomáš Klinka, Vice Dean for International Affairs at Charles University in the Czech Republic, Ms. Silafaga Lalua O’Brien from the Embassy of Tuvalu, and Ms. Kayoko Ellis, an intern from the Embassy of the Republic of Palau.
The festival also featured cultural performances by students. The Vietnamese Student Association performed a dance inspired by the lullaby “Au Lac,” which tells the origin myth of the Vietnamese people through the legend of the dragon and fairy. The Indonesian Student Association presented Voices of the Archipelago, a musical fusion that showcased instruments and traditions from across the Indonesian islands.
Culinary offerings were a central attraction. The Myanmar booth served cold noodles, coconut jelly, and “Four Seasons Ice,” a dessert made with sago, coconut milk, and bread. Their fish noodle soup, rich and flavorful, offered visitors a deeper taste of Burmese culinary tradition.
Students from Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Chile shared a booth and served rice pudding, a dessert common across South America with roots in Spanish colonial history.
At the Mongolia booth, students offered fried dumplings, meatballs made from beef, lamb, or horse meat, and a distinctive vinegar-marinated salad. The dumplings are a staple of Mongolian cuisine and are traditionally eaten during the Naadam Festival in July.
The opening ceremony concluded with remarks by emcees Yu-Ting Ma, an NTNU English major, and Njål Armin Kaland Homeyer, a graduate of Norwegian translation. “A forest symbolizes diversity and inclusivity,” they said. “It nurtures all life and embraces all beings, just like NTNU, which celebrates difference and encourages each student to shine.”
The festival wrapped up on May 15, but the convivial spirit of international comradery endures. As the hosts put it: “NTNU is the world, and the world is NTNU.”
