International Night brings world to SIUE

Melissa Stein
Chief Copy Editor

A mosaic of cultures came together Saturday night in the Morris University Center at the well-received International Night '00.

Peace and love mingled in the air of the Meridian Ballroom as student performers floated, stomped and spun across the stage in colorful traditional dress, showcasing the cultures of their homelands

"There was energy flowing," said Govinda Pai, International Student Council president and chair of the University Center Board recreation committee. Pai was also the first recipient of the International Student Leadership Award.

The ballroom was filled to capacity. Extra chairs and tables had to be brought in to accommodate the crowd. Twenty to 30 people were left standing or sitting in the back of the room with plates and napkins balanced on their laps.

A total of 550 tickets were sold for International Night. Twenty to 30 people had to be turned away, according to Pai. The people left standing will have their money refunded.

The night began with a flag ceremony of the countries represented at SIUE as techno artist Moby's transic "Porcelain" played. A dinner featuring foods from several countries was also served. Students performed dances and sang songs from their native countries, and a Chinese meditating exercise called falun dafa was demonstrated to calming music. Students performed a Turkish song and folk dance as a slide show featuring Turkish landmarks was projected on the wall behind the stage. A provocative Latin dance had some of the audience catcalling. A surprise performer, Nimisha Luthra, of St. Louis, performed an Indian dance.

Students also modeled clothing in a fashion show. Latin-style jazz band Acoustic Internote and a disc jockey D.J. 4 performed in the Goshen Lounge afterward until 1:30 a.m.

"It was amazing," Ehab Abdelrazag, agraduate assistant in International Student Services, said. "It was a good chance to get to know different cultures."

International Night, which is sponsored by the International Student Council and the University Center Board, was voted Event of the Year in 1999. Sixty-two countries are represented at SIUE. Five-hundred and fifty international students are enrolled for the fall semester, according to the International Student Enrollment Report compiled by International Student Services.