Cultures from all over the world could be seen at MU today as the university held their eighth annual International Day.
Students and faculty from MU kicked off the celebrations at 9.15 a.m. Tuesday with a parade displaying over 40 flags. The parade route began at Lowry Mall on the MU campus and continued past the historical columns to the newly-opened Traditions Plaza, then moved on to Tiger Plaza before ending at Ellis Library where the flags are displayed. MU Vice Provost James Scott says cultural diversity is extremely important to the University of Missouri as not only does it allow international students to grow, it also enables American students to learn from other cultures.
“Today we see some of the richness and breadth of human experience and endeavor from these students when they carry their flags. Flags are beautiful, powerful symbols. Each flag represents in bright colors and cloth the history, the struggle really, of people. It represents a shared commitment to values, customs, and to a way of life to a people’s identity,” Scott said.
Scott went on to describe the similarity between each country’s flags and the flags displayed on the historical MU columns at the start and end of the school year. Scott says the flags “display the values” that the two share as well as representing both internationals and Mizzou students being “committed to [our flags].”
The flag parade is held annually to raise awareness of the diverse student body and faculty at MU. The flags represent just some of the 100 plus countries from which international students hail, including China, France and Turkey.
The Vice Provost was also joined by David Currey, the Director of International Student and Scholar Services who welcomed the many international students in the crowd to Missouri.
“It is important for our campus to appreciate these symbols, as Jim was saying, of national identity since they illustrate not only national identities but Mizzou as a family that includes not on Missourians and Americans but international families as well,” Curry said.
The parade was followed by the International Bazaar, a cultural learning and food event that has been held by MU for over three decades. Free food was served to the public in order to showcase some of the foods of the world alongside international students and faculty discussing their home countries with locals. The university website says the Bazaar “embraces the extraordinary presentation” of the cultures studying at Mizzou.