The University of Nevada, Reno campus is gearing up for the 29th annual Night of All Nations on Friday, April 15, held at the Lawlor Events Center starting at 6 p.m. Hosted by the Association Students of the University of Nevada’s (ASUN) International Club (I-Club), the event will have representatives for dozens of countries and will be promoting the message of world unity.

Past president of the International Club and this year’s emcee for the event Navgeet Zed believes the event is important in order to broaden peoples’ understanding of other cultures.

“As a people, we tend to get a limited perspective of others and their cultures,” Zed said.  “The hope of the event has always been to promote unity and peace by allowing people to share themselves and their culture openly with one another.”

The event, expected to draw up to 3,000 people this year, will host more than 50 booths representing several countries, including Japan, China, Mexico, India, America and many more, according to Zed. In the spirit of connecting with the community, the I-Club will donate 10 percent of all ticket sales to a local non-profit organization called Project Solution, which helps homeless youth and kids aging out of the foster care system. Ticket prices are $5 for general admission, $4 for University students and free for children under three years old.

“The world is rapidly changing and in order to create a more harmonious society it is important for all of us to understand where we come from so that we may work together toward an even better future,” he said.

While the event has been around for nearly 30 years, Zed believes it is just as important today as it has been in previous years.

“The country booths usually provide food, showcase regional art, dresses, destinations, language, culture and more,” he said. “The representatives are also happy to talk about their country and answer any questions that may arise.”

Many other multi-cultural events will be held on campus throughout April.

• On Saturday, April 16, Stompin’ with the Pack, the University’s annual step show presented by the Multicultural Greek Council, will be held from noon-3:30 p.m. at Hug High School. As seen in movies such as School Daze (1988), Stompin' the Yard (2007), How She Move (2007), and shows like 'STOMP' (currently nationwide), stepping has its roots in African-American culture.
• On Saturday, April 23, the Spring Powwow, hosted by the Center for Student Cultural Diversity, will be held in the Virginia Street Gym on campus. A powwow is the Native American people’s way of meeting together to join in dancing, singing, visiting, renewing old friendships and making new ones. This year’s Powwow is being held to honor the importance of higher education. Grand entry times are noon and 7 p.m.
• Charley Trujillo, a Vietnam war veteran and novelist, will be visiting campus at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27 to speak about the role of Latinos in the military. Trujillo brings a unique experience to share as a Latino veteran of Vietnam and a recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

The Associated Students of the University of Nevada is also hosting Unity Week the week of April 11-15 and Night of All Nations is just one of the many events being hosted by ASUN in honor of diversity.

For a full schedule of events for the Center for Student Cultural Diversity, go to http://www.unr.edu/cscd/.