Food, fashion, culture, and excellence. That’s what was on display at the 25th annual Cultural Night at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. The event was held in the Yellowjacket Union Great Room, with the dress code being formal or cultural attire.

The event started with a social hour with Mole Musical Productions, a Latin DJ, playing music. That was followed up by a welcome message from Tasneen Aidabi and Temuulen Battulga. They were two of four masters of the ceremony, along with Ifenna Nnama and Ayneb Seid. Following that up was recognizing the World Student Association, led by their president, Maëlle Rihouey.

Photo of guests talking and plating their food at Cultural Night.
Photo by : Carter Lansdale | The Promethean

“Cultural night is meaningful to our student organization and our campus community. It highlights and celebrates the intercultural diversity we have presented here and brings our communities together. Over the past 25 years, this simple event has grown into a long-standing tradition, and we all look forward to it,” said Rihouey. After that was dinner, and the menu was filled with delicious cultural foods. For appetizers, Veg Manchurian and Kattama. Main dishes: Chicken Mole, Veg Biryani, and Ratatouille. Dessert Alfajores and Kringle. For beverages, Hibiscus Juice and Water.

Photo of Maelle Rihouey speaking at the 25th Annual Cultural Night in the Yellowjacket Great Room.
Photo by : Carter Lansdale | The Promethean

After dinner, that’s when the party started, over 35 countries were celebrated during the fashion show, flag show, and other performances. The countries that participated in the fashion show and showed off their cultural fashion were Nigeria, Vietnam, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Cameroon, and Ethiopia. There were multiple performances from Mexico Azteca, WSA Board Members, Yoonho So, Kiet Truong & Nathan Hoop, and Kidest Seabhatleabe. All performances were either singing, dancing, or instrumental.

Smiles, connections, and building relationships were seen throughout the whole night, along with learning about different cultures. UWS helps offer this special night for students who could never have this opportunity again in their lives, and it happens once a year in Superior, WI. For more information about events like this, visit the academic calendar on the UW-Superior homepage.