The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Brandon Iwamoto

Students gathered at the Lory Student Center Saturday for the World Unity Fair, an exhibition of different cultural groups and countries represented at CSU and throughout the community.

Hundreds of students and community members browsed booths and stages, sampling the culture of 24 countries represented at the fair.

Sahar Babak, treasurer for the Afghan Student Association, said he could not have been more pleased with the Fair.

"When you go around and see it all come together, it just puts a smile on your face," the senior accounting major said. "We have accomplished something here."

Visitors to the event had a chance to sample some of the cultural aspects such as arts, foods and traditions of the different featured countries.

"It's a firsthand experience for people," Babak said. "Countries and cultures can give people a taste of their culture."

The fair is part of International Fest, a month-long observation of different cultures at CSU aiming to expose and promote diversity on campus.

"Our goal is to let people experience a little bit of each culture and really bring out the positive things each culture has to offer." said Colin Fain, a junior business management major and Council of International Student Association (COISA) secretary.

Babak agreed that it was important to showcase a positive representation of the people and culture of Afghanistan, beyond what they might see in the news and on TV.

"It's so important for me to give people a positive image of Afghans, and the people, and customs and religions," Babak said. "We want to give the relaxed version of Afghanistan and not what people see on TV, because that's a very small portion of it."

Babak and Fain said the organizations at CSU have done a very good job of encouraging and promoting diversity on campus.

"I think CSU is working very hard to bring diversity to this campus," Fain said. "I think it's great we have it (diversity); we could always have more."

"My experience here has been very positive," Babak added. "You can really see it here, putting on a whole month for diversity, it shows how accepting CSU has become."

Fain said the event turned out great and had hoped people walked away at least a little more informed.

"I think when you show a little bit about what's happening in the world, outside of one's circumstances, everybody gains from it," Fain said.

Staff Writer Kris Cote can be reached at news@collegian.com

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