Students from every part of the world have started to prepare for foreign dances, songs, foods and other unique features as the ninth annual Global Culture Night draws near.

UNA represents about 45 different countries, as students and faculty come from different countries for business and education. Many have brought a piece of home with them to share with the UNA community through traditions brought from overseas.

Global Culture Night was started nine years ago by Dr. Santanu Borah and other international student services employees of UNA to help promote the international community by sharing different cultures to longtime residents of the United States.

“They really wanted to share that culture with the American students in the community and do a celebration of the cultural differences,” said Tammy Jacques, director of Student Engagement.

The event will contain various forms of entertainment introduced by students from different countries at Norton Auditorium and will continue in the GUC Atrium with a booth of each country represented and offering free food.

Many see Global Culture Night as a meaningful way to educate students about other cultures and traditions around the world in order to form strong relationships with others in the workplace or elsewhere.

“It’s really critical that we begin to educate our young people [and] community about global issues,” said Allison Ray, event organizer and founder of Student Multicultural Advisory Committee.

Jacques and Ray feel that Global Culture Night does well to remind students that each person has a connection in spite of international differences, especially in the world today.

“It is very important for students to learn that not everyone is like them and the people they will come into contact with in their careers will come from different backgrounds, whether regionally or globally,” Jacques said. “I think being a part of this begins to open your eyes and be able to see those differences and celebrate those differences.”