The FIUTS blog shares stories, reflections, and updates from our global community of students, hosts, alumni, and friends, celebrating connection, learning, and cross-cultural exchange.
Community Engagement Fellow Wanda Heydel of Poland asserts, “I strongly believe that intercultural dialogue can be a way to peace and understanding. Without getting to know other people, their cultures, and their backgrounds, we won't be able to understand their motivations, goals, and opinions. I hope that events such as CulturalFest can help us build bridges, not walls . . . “
Read MoreSangeet Moksha will be performing at CulturalFest for the first time to share with a wider audience the power that binds their team members together - the rich spirituality of Indian music - through which they hope to heal our hearts . . .
Read MoreLaura Ordoñez, a Vallenato Panamericano, dancer shares, “For us, music and dance transcend entertainment; instead, they serve as powerful forms of cultural expression, embodying the traditions, values, and history of our heritage which is a combination of African, First Nations and European influences” . . .
Read MoreCEE Fellow at FIUTS, Bachir from Niger shares, I believe that the CulturalFest makes people from all over the world come and get to know my ‘forgotten’ country . . . Creativity and development in the World is my motto . . .
Read MoreOver the years, CulturalFest has cooperated with many performance groups in the Seattle area with some of them as returning performers. Taiko Kai has been applauded for the most powerful performance every year they are at CulturalFest Performance. We are lucky to have them back this year!
Read MoreThe topic we chose for this year is Chinese calligraphy. Nowadays, we seldom experience the act of picking up a pen to write a letter or compose an article . . .Through this initiative, we aim to inspire people to rekindle the traditional habit of writing, to appreciate the enchanting beauty and cultural richness embedded in Chinese characters . . .
Read MoreStorytelling is what makes CulturalFest mesmerizing and memorable for the participants. Sandy Reyes Tena, a descendant of P’urhépecha-Mexico, is going to tell a story from the aspect of Latin American Indigenous communities at CulturalFest Expo 2024!
Read MoreTHE KOMPANY is a seasoned K-Pop dance troupe: their performance always makes a splash! They are joining FIUTS CulturalFest for the first time as a performance group at the night show and will wrap up the full-day cultural celebration. We can’t wait to see them “burn” the stage at CulturalFest . . .
Read MoreI arrived in Seattle in the fall of 2012 to start a graduate program in Hispanic Studies. I didn't know anybody in the city. My English back then was even worse than it is now, and I was genuinely contemplating life without any social or cultural outlets beyond school . . .
Read MoreEach year, we have returning and new representatives for the same culture, trying to enrich the diverse portfolio of different cultures. Dhanshika, the new Booth Captain of Sri Lanka this year is planning to show the rich history of her country from her perspective.
Read MoreCulturalFest invites all student individuals and organizations in the Great Seattle Area to join the celebration. Ukrainian Community at Bellevue College is showcasing the aspects of Ukraine culture that have been overlooked by the world.
Read MoreFIUTS CulturalFest helps promote underrepresented cultures through the student body. Nirmal Kumar Marimuthu is showcasing what has been a valuable asset to him—the music of Southern India at the CulturalFest Expo!
Read MoreCulturalFest is a place to strengthen group bonding and enhance cultural understanding for TYAPN (Taiwan Youth Alliance of the Pacific Northwest) at the University of Washington. This year, they’re going to continue this tradition by recreating a bustle Taiwanese Night Market at Expo!
Read MoreThe newly formed Ukrainian Students United group at University of Washington found its place advocating for its culture and traditions at FIUTS CulturalFest 2023, and is returning to represent its nation in another critical year. . .
Read MoreEach year, we receive new applications for booth captains who are eager to share their cultures from unique and personal perspectives. Such new faces diversify the flavors of the cultures represented and allow students, families and children to learn . . .
Read MoreA traditional activity at Japanese summer festivals – kingyo sukui (goldfish scooping) – will be part of the fun at CulturalFest2024 Expo through Mia Chon and the Japan Student Association at University of Washington . . .
Read MoreThis special award began with Betty Jean Crouch, a student who came to the University of Washington in the mid 1960’s to study sociology. During her student years she volunteered for FIUTS and met Hiro Ogawa . . .
Read MoreSince the start of our campaign in September, so many of you—alumni both here and around the world, local hosts, community members, and local organizations and institutions—have helped support FIUTS . . .
Read MoreMy FIUTS Journey: I became part of FIUTS in 2022 as a student focusing on database and community programs while pursuing my computer science degree at University of Washington…
Read MoreHere at FIUTS, we’re always looking for ways to show gratitude for what we have, especially when it comes to the support we have from our colleagues. In this post, we show gratitude to all the amazing work that our Manager of Education Programs has accomplished in the past year. Read about Olena’s journey at FIUTS so far..
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