Fusing Cultures: Upcoming festival to feature international food, dance and fashion

People participate in last year's Cultural Fusion Fairfax event. This year's event kicks off Wednesday. (courtesy photo) 

Cultural Fusion Fairfax is returning to George Mason University for a third year from Oct. 6-27, opening with tables in the Quad, free food, information and activities.

“A huge part of Mason is the diversity,” said Mrinalini Ramanan, who is in charge of event operations, “[but] the campus is really segregated [into groups].”

CFF was founded two years ago when students decided that Mason needed better communication between its various groups and departments. The festival was designed as a way to break down cultural and political barriers within the Mason and Fairfax community.

This year will feature many different cultures including Chinese, Indian, Hispanic and Caribbean.

“The first year [of the festival] was more focused on sports,” said Table Fair Manager Naliyah Kaya.

“We had a lot of food and games. Then the second year we added performances.”

This year the event has expanded to a whole month involving film, dance, fashion and promoting cultural awareness.

Kaya said the first year had two days of Field Day activities that gave way to cultural events. These include a fashion runway, an art and film festival and dancing. Ramanan said the event gives students the chance to become leaders since they are involved with running the event.

“We wanted to have something in the fall when people are coming into campus and new groups,” Kaya said.

Over the past two years, CFF has found that many commuter students and graduate students who have a more removed campus life have been able to participate and get to know others through CFF activities. One of the initial reasons for the festival was to bring people together and give them an opportunity to experience the diversity at Mason.

Staff and students working at the Office of Diversity Programs and Services were very involved last year – an example of the communication CFF hopes to inspire. The group also hopes that CFF will provide students the chance to become leaders by having opportunities to run the events, as well as give students in many different studies a chance to network with a large and diverse group of fellow students, faculty and professionals.

For groups interested in joining or reserving a table they should contact the organizers at gmuculturalfusion@gmail.com.

During the festival WGMU will also be broadcasting world music. To submit songs online, e-mail ahussai@gmu.edu or drop a hard copy off at the Department of Communication office on the second floor of the Science and Technology II building. The group planning the event meets Mondays from 3-5 p.m. on the third floor of the Johnson Center and welcomes anyone interested in stopping by to learn more about the CFF.