The Mid-Autumn Festival at the University of Wollongong celebrated Asian culture affording the campus embrace diversity and cultural sharing.
Hosted by UOW Pulse, the festival transformed Duck Pond Lawn with lanterns, mooncakes, live music and food stalls from Asian student societies.
The evening encouraged cultural exchange and gave students a space to share traditions and experiences.
Pulse Student Events Manager Jaimee Evans said the purpose of such events was to create connections across backgrounds.
“The main goal was to simply bring students together …, to not only celebrate [those] who celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival here on campus, but to also expose other students who this may be their first time enjoying the festival to experience what it’s all about,” Ms Evans said.
“Just the ability to bring everyone together, no matter where you are in the world, to be able to showcase a part of home that’s important to so many,” she said.
Adylla Safiyyah, president of the Malay Students’ Association and international student, said that being part of the festival strengthened her sense of identity and belonging to UOW.
“UOW does a really good job at doing events and activities that make international students feel welcomed and not like they are a foreigner in another country. They make you feel like you belong here, and you’re welcome here,” Ms Safiyyah said.
Her club offered mooncakes in both traditional and modern flavours, drawing curiosity from domestic and international students alike.
“It was important to have cultural significance by bringing in the lanterns and the mooncakes, but also the modernisation so that more people who don’t know about Mid-Autumn could experience it,” she said.
Ms Safiyyah said that the university continues to provide space for Asian students to express their cultures and identities through campus events.
“They try their best to make events that both celebrate and welcome Asian identity and culture on campus,” she said.
UOW will continue its multicultural calendar with a Diwali celebration on October 21st, extending its commitment to diversity and community.