Cultural Faire at WFU Will Feature Food and Music

The Faire, a free and public event during Wake Forest’s Year of Globalization and Diversity, will celebrate cultural diversity, said Joanna Iwata, a member of the year’s planning committee and the event’s organizer.

“This is an opportunity to expose people to world cultures through food, music and dance. We hope the event will help build an awareness and an appreciation for other cultural traditions,” said Iwata, who is also director of the Benson University Center.

Faire participants will experience aspects of Asian, African, Latin American, Native American, Greek, Spanish, Italian and Indian cultures. For instance, participants can sip on Chinese tea, learn about the Japanese paper folding art of origami, sample Caribbean food, and watch the Otesha African Dance Ensemble perform.

The event will feature a series of performances and entertainment. In addition to Otesha, there will be the Middle Eastern dance troupe Magic Carpet, the steel band Shadz and the mariachi band Los Viajeros. Traditional Indian, Greek and Native American dances will be demonstrated.

Wake Forest student groups, such as Islam Awareness, and area vendors will have booths and exhibits set up during the Faire. There will also be samples of food from Nigeria, Spain, the Dominican Republic, China, Japan and Italy.

The Year of Globalization and Diversity is a yearlong series of activities focused on the world’s development into a more global community. For more information about the year or the Faire, call 336-758-5788 or visit www.wfu.edu/yogd.