A multicultural Valentine
Graduate International Cultural Night celebrates love

BY JESSICA STARK
Rice News staff

Te Amo. Je t’aime. Mahal kita. Ich liebe dich. I love you. The phrase filled Rice Memorial Center as the Rice community celebrated the second annual Graduate International Cultural Night Feb. 16. And while the love was palpable throughout the entire evening of dances, readings and feasts, it reached a crescendo as the Egyptian flag was presented during the flag procession.  

Greeted by a standing ovation, graduate student Ahmed Elnably skipped down the aisle embracing his country’s flag. He led the way for undergraduate and graduate students displaying flags for the 36 participating countries and representing all of Rice’s international students and scholars who hail from more than 100 countries and regions.

"We really are a single community," said Rice President David Leebron. "We have distinctive parts of that community, but we really are a single community. That’s what we celebrate here tonight."

Though love might have been the theme of the evening, collaboration and cohesiveness also proved strong elements.

"Multiple international clubs have come together to put on this event that exemplifies the collaborative spirit of Rice," said Corinne Allen, president of the Graduate Student Association (GSA). "It showcases the multicultural nature of Rice through a grand celebration of art, entertainment, music and food."

Grand Hall could barely contain the large crowd gathered within; many onlookers lined up along the sides of the room, trying to get the best view of the performances. There was much to see, from a traditional Chinese fan dance by the Rice Chinese Students and Scholars Club and to a double-veil belly dance, to the ”dragon dance” by the Shaolin Kungfu Academy to the depiction of an Indian-style wedding.

"It’s the only event on campus that features all different cultural groups," said Eteri Svanidze, one of the event’s organizers. "Because it was so close to Valentine’s Day, the theme was love. It’s really interesting to see how different cultures perceive love, so we asked the participants to show us how in different cultures love is different yet the same."

The students did just that with a saucy salsa dance, dramatic poetry reading and citar solo, among the diverse performances. The love was not lost on the night’s guests of honor, Leebron and his wife, Y. Ping Sun. 

"I have to say I particularly like the theme of love tonight," Leebron said. "I even know how to say ‘I love you,’ in some of those languages. My wife told me that I can learn to say that phrase in as many languages as I like, as long as I only say it to one person.

"I love you, sweetheart," he said to Sun. 

Sponsors for Graduate International Cultural Night included the GSA, Student Activities President’s Programming Fund, Office of International Students and Scholars, Graduate Alumni Committee, Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and the Chao Center for Asian Studies.