Dining and Dancing at Diversitas

It's not every day a student can listen to music from Korea, feast on delights from India, and enjoy traditional dance from Mexico. But this Friday, students can enjoy a variety of food, fun, and festivities at Diversitas, a cultural celebration put on by the UC and the Harvard Foundation from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday in Tercentenary Theater.  Over forty cultural groups are slated to participate in the event, which will include decorated tents from which clubs can dole out food and cultural education and performances from such groups as Ballet Folklorico and the Harvard Ballroom Dance Team.

Crystal Trejo '13, a UC member and the chairwoman of the Social Program Task Force, a committee which is focused on diversity issues on campus, said that the event was created in the hopes that it would breed more intercultural communication among students.

"I think sometimes it becomes insulating to become really committed to a cultural group so you don't get to see the other amazing groups that exist," she said. "Cultural groups can sometimes be seen as some of the exclusive groups on campus. We wanted to create a large event that everyone could attend that could be free ... that could create a sense of unity among all of the groups."

Trejo also said that the event, which is open to all students, is meant to be a celebration of the Harvard Foundation, which celebrates it's 30th anniversary this year, as well as the college's mission of diversity.

"This event is also part of 375th Anniversary," Trejo said. "They have the same goal that we have."

Trejo says that she hopes students will come and experience this unique cultural event.

"The fact that we're using Tercentenary Theater makes this a historic event," she said.

Ultimately, the UC hopes that students will take Diversitas as an opportunity to get to know the many different cultures present at Harvard.