Last Friday, on May 1, 2026, the World Around U (WAU) club celebrated its annual multicultural festival, Pangea, in the library plaza from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The event included tables from different multicultural clubs across campus, namely the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), Students of South Asia (SOSA), the African Student Association (ASA), the Asian Student Union (ASU), the Caribbean Student Association (CaribSA) and the Japanese Club.
Students also had the opportunity to table independently without club affiliation in order to represent their country or regions. International students from countries like Nepal and Vietnam jumped on this opportunity by tabling for their respective countries. The Cricket Club also participated in the event, enabling students to learn and play the bat-and-ball sport popular in regions like South Asia, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
“Pangea is the flagship event of World Around U, and we were really excited to continue it after previous E-Boards revived it post-Covid,” shared Thinn Thinn San ’27, Vice-President of WAU. “Since we’re the primary international student club on campus, it’s meant to celebrate all the different cultures and backgrounds within the Union community.”
The idea behind the event is for each table to feature interactive elements such as games, crafts, food samples, or displays that allow students to gain a deeper understanding of the region.
Tables flaunted a plethora of regional snacks and drinks for students to grab, such as samosas, tres leches cakes and fatoush salad. Some of the engaging activities included custom sticker-making, region-specific trivia, and placards with students’ names in different scripts, which allowed the students to explore different cultures and celebrate them as their own.
“What made the event special was really the people who participated. Each table brought something unique, whether it was traditional food or an activity. It ended up being a really fun, welcoming space where people could share and experience each other’s cultures,” added San.
“It is amazing to see the campus appreciate all the global cultures on Union’s campus, and what everyone brings to the table, ” expressed Advitya Singh ’27, Secretary of Pangea. “Pangea gets better every year.”
This success was a direct result of the hard-work put in by WAU’s E-board to plan and execute the event. “We started reaching out to clubs toward the end of Winter term and worked closely with StuAct and International Advising in the weeks leading up to it,” said San when asked about her experience organizing the event.
The E-board’s enthusiasm and positive outlook was shared by the students that attended the event.
“I had a lot of fun at Pangea. Each table had something unique to offer and all the food was incredible,” stated Aaron Binion ’27. “I learned so much about so many different countries and cultures.”
The E-board is looking forward to the rest of the term in anticipation to host more such events for the student body in the near future.
