Students Celebrate Unity Across the Nations

Muhibbah Dinner Photo provided by Danbi Koo

Muhibbah Dinner

Photo provided by Danbi Koo

On March 7, the International Club will be hosting their annual Muhibbah Dinner. The event consists of two parts, including a culturally-diverse dinner to be held in Jensen Dining Hall followed by performances set in Laird Hall. The dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m., while the performances will start promptly at 7:30 p.m.

The event is entirely student-driven through the International Club, known as Muhibbah, which stands for “Unity among nations.” The club’s current advisor is Paul Miller, the International Student and Scholar Services director on campus.

Some of the dishes featured at the dinner will include Naan (Asian bread), Bo Kho (Vietnamese beef stew), Tajin (Tunisian egg dish), and American rice pudding. Immediately following the dinner, the international students along with other club members, will present a show that will include a variety of dances, a martial arts display, and a cultural fashion show.

The free event is open to the public along with Wilson students and faculty, though donations are greatly encouraged. All donations collected from the event will support the local non-profit organization “Women in Need of Chambersburg.”

The international dinner has remained a tradition on Wilson’s campus since the 1980’s. Miller described the event as “an opportunity for local residents to experience international cultures, both in food and performances. Last year was our largest attendance, when approximately 300 came to the dinner and an even large number attended the performance.”

Students involved in this event feel particularly passionate about the dinner and performance because it allows them to showcase the diversity of Wilson’s campus community. The event is largely about celebrating the diversity that exists among Wilson students.

“Muhibbah dinner is an important event on campus,” said Neena Gurung ’15. “The members strive to promote diversity and acceptance of cultures and traditions from various parts of the world, and we use this event as a way to share our culture with everyone here. Students get the opportunity to learn about other countries and their traditions and celebrate diversity on campus. Plus, it is a free event!”

 For some Wilson students and faculty, this will be their first year participating in Muhibbah Dinner. Katia Sosa Da Silva, who is currently the Spanish Teaching Assistant on campus, said, “For many of us it will be the first time performing in front of a big audience, and also the first time performing the show. This event requires mutual collaboration among the students, and it is amazing to see how they are willing to help others.”

Other Wilson students have grown accustomed to the tradition of Muhibbah Dinner such as Kisha Pradhan ’15, who feels that, “Despite being such a small college, we have international students from different parts of the world. I think it is a different experience for Wilson students because they get to know about other cultures, costumes and food. It gives us a reason to come together, share our cultures, languages and traditions.”

This event is sure to attract a large crowd of community diversity among Wilson and the Chambersburg as a whole. Be sure to attend the performances to support the International Club while embracing the assortment of cultures fostered on campus.

For more information contact Paul Miller at paul.miller@wilson.edu.

 

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