With food, dance and music from around the world, Springternational, Duke's cultural carnival, showcased the university's international and multicultural reach Friday.
This year's event, "Springternational: Across the Board," continued a tradition that began at Duke in 1994, said Lisa Giragosian, associate director of the International House. First called "International Festival, it was renamed "Springternational" in 2001.
About a dozen vendors, including foodtrucks that sold Local Yogurt, bratwursts, burghers and gyros, participated. Independent businesses selling jewelry, clothing and accessories from different parts of the world also were featured.
More than 40 student group participated, said Aum Dasani, president of Duke's International Association. These included cultural groups such as ThaiStudent organization and DukeAfrica to service-oriented organizations such as Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity, and Amnesty International. Nearly 22 student dance groups performed including Sabrosura, Duke's premier Latin dance group, and DoDream, a traditional Korean percussion group.
Giragosian said that the cultural event has changed significantly over the years.
"For many years International Festival was held on a Saturday," she said. "Groups of school children from the community would attend. When the date switched to Fridays during the day, more Duke students and staff started attending."
Springternational traditionally records a high turnout among students, with attendance ranging from 3,000-4,000 people in past years, with numbers increasing in recent year. In 2012, the event registered more than 5,000 attendees, Dasani said.
Dasani said that the event displayed the commitment Duke students have toward recognizing and celebrating cultural and ethnic differences on campus.
"One of Springternational's best attributes is that it is one of the few events on campus that brings the majority of undergraduates out at the same time and allows them to interact together cohesively," Dasani said. "At Springternational we're celebrating all cultures and heritages and experiencing and showcasing Duke's true diversity."