Fortunately, it is that time of year again, for the International Food Festival that is! This year’s festival, will take place tomorrow afternoon. Doing justice to its name and reputation, numerous booths will provide visitors the opportunity to taste a wide variety of food from all over the world while socializing and enjoying the entertainment. And the best thing is: entry and food are completely free!
What’s on the menu?
Among other delicious treats, there will be poffertjes, dumplings, donuts, sauerkraut, sausages, as well as various rice and noodle dishes ready to stimulate your taste buds. The booths are managed by the different international student associations that are part of UniTe and the event is coordinated by International Office. Although the food will befree of charge, a small fee will be charged for drinks.
But mind you, the drinks on offer may not just be your obligatory coca-cola or a Grolsch. 'What drinks will be there will be decided by the participating international associations themselves. So it will be a surprise what will be offered,' says Mareike Backhaus, UniTe Chairperson and AIESEC Twente’sLocal Commitee President.
Besides AIESEC other participating associations include the Association of Chinese Students, Indian Student Association, Latin American Student association 'VOZ', the Pakistani Student Association, the Turkish Student Association at Twente and the Indonesian Student Association Enschede.
When it comes to the latter organization’s program, we cannot just expect great food, but also a dance, as a member of the Indonesian Student Association confides to UT Nieuws.
Not just food
The event is sponsored by the UT’s International Office. 'The International Food Festival is a unique (and tasty!) opportunity for UT students and employees to familiarize themselves with a variety of cultures,' says IO spokesman Menno Bergman.
But that’s not the sole reason that the International Office organizes the event, in cooperation with the students from UniTe and the event office. Bergman: 'we also hope to encourage the process of mutual integration and understanding among international and Dutch students. This mutual integration is very important: not only to make international students feel more comfortable among their peers, but also to show Dutch students what is out there.'
Talking of what is on show, you may want to make sure not to arrive too late. You would not be the first to find that UT-ers tend to have a healthy appetite and are not scared to try new dishes…
The 11thInternational Food Festival will take place on the Boulevard near the Bastille on 12 June, from 17:00 to 20:00. More information is available at: www.facebook.com/events/267130686764853/
