By Jingjing Fu
In order to understand other countries’ cultures and get closer to those countries’ students, I like attending Cultural Night, which is hosted every year on our campus. You might never have had a chance to learn about other countries’ cultures; but here, you can begin to understand what “multicultural” really means.
I’m only one of hundreds of students at UW-Superior who are from different countries from around the world. All this might cause some misunderstandings to arise sometimes. Why? Because there are huge cultural differences between countries, which we don’t easily understand. Because of this, holding this event has become very necessary.
Each year, the World Student Association organizes Cultural Night, which includes dinner with food from around the world, along with an international flag ceremony, fashion show and various cultural performances. The event builds bridges between students whose languages and customs are often very different. It helps relieve misunderstandings.
But how do we know that these kinds of activities will dissolve the contradictions effectively between countries? Indeed, one cannot say it will remove all misunderstanding; after all, this is not an absolute thing. Moreover, each individual’s ideas and opinions differ, too. Nevertheless, in my opinion, these kinds of activities not only inform students about national cultural differences, but they promote better communication between students from different backgrounds as well.
As this type of communication grows, we begin to understand our own cultures better, and even more opportunities arise in which to broaden our understanding of other cultures and ways of life. As that happens, we gradually begin to respect, understand, and accept other peoples and cultures.
Therefore, let’s explore international cultural horizons. Not only students but also the wider population should be encouraged to attend this kind activity. Multicultural understanding is the basis of protecting the culture of the world.
