International Carnival Returns to NMH

Good things were cooking Jan. 24 as the International Carnival returned from a several-year hiatus, bringing students, staff, and faculty to Grandin for a buffet-style trip around the world.

Nineteen groups of students and faculty, representing more than 20 countries, regions, and ethnic groups from across the globe, many dressed in traditional clothing and accessories from their homelands, served iconic dishes from their cultures. In addition to the culinary offerings, the community enjoyed a live performance by the NMH World Percussion Ensemble, a photo booth for portraits with friends, and a slideshow of art and artifacts representing the cultural heritage of the student body.

Altogether, more than 100 students and faculty members contributed to the array of music, art, and food, said Mercedes Garcia, support coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Campus Life, who spearheaded this year’s carnival alongside OMA Assistant Director Roberto Irurueta.

“That’s a huge part of the student population,” Garcia said. “This is such a great example of bringing people together to show how special our community is.”

Planning for the carnival began months ago, Irurueta said, as OMA staff worked to secure a location and supplies for the event. In the days leading up to the carnival, students prepared their chosen recipes in dormitory kitchens and faculty sponsors’ homes across campus. Several members of the dining staff also volunteered their time to offer guidance and support to the student groups.

“We opened this up to the whole school: You don’t have to be international to participate,” Garcia said. “It’s just so cool to see how many people have been part of it.”

Sofiia ’27, whose Ukrainian delegation prepared borsch and syrnyky, was impressed by the cooperation and support among the groups.

“People from other countries helped make our food, and we helped other countries make their food,” she said. “Even though the preparation was really long, it’s the best part of making something, because you can share your voice and the culture of your country with everybody in a way people are engaged in.”

Hiba ’26 welcomed the opportunity to celebrate Moroccan culture while learning to prepare chicken briouat under the guidance of faculty member Loubna Boumghait.

“I see this carnival as a bridge between international students and American students,” said Hiba. “Just by tasting food, you get a sense of what the country is like: the spices they have, the landscape they grow in. Food forces people to slow down and actually think about and enjoy it.”

“It’s a big jump to come from your hometown to halfway around the world,” said Luisa ’26, a member of the campus Hispanic/LatinX affinity group HOLA. Events like the International Carnival are important because “it feels like NMH is closer to home. It gives you that warmth and familiarity that a lot of people miss, whether they’re in their first semesters here or already four years in.”

According to Irurueta, the roots of the International Carnival at NMH date back to at least the 1960s. The event remained a beloved annual tradition until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on large gatherings put a halt to the festivities. While NMH hosted an abbreviated version during the pandemic, it was limited to food trucks brought in from off-campus, Garcia said.

Events like the International Carnival, she added, affirm NMH’s institutional values. “We want to show the kids that we love them and we care about them, that this is a safe space,” she said. “Being able to represent countries that are experiencing discrimination, war, and genocide, helping students feel seen and recognized — that they’re among other countries that will all be celebrated — that’s a big part of our intention here.”

“NMH is about community,” Sofiia agreed. “As a student from Ukraine, with war in my country and all of these difficulties that I receive every single day, it’s a chance for me to talk about this. This event is not only about food or people; it’s a statement.”

Adebimpe ’27, who prepared the traditional African dish jollof rice as part of the Nigerian group, said she hoped the carnival would help students see that diversity does not have to be divisive.

“In Nigerian culture, even though [you and I] might not be related by blood or even hail from the same place, you are my brother and I am your sister,” she said. “At the end of the day, we’re all human. We all have things we want to be proud of and want to share respectfully.”

For Irurueta, who plans to retire at the end of the academic year, reviving the International Carnival held personal significance.

“Before I leave, I needed to make this happen again,” he said. “This is a school tradition, but at the same time, we like to incorporate ideas about what migration means. It’s something we want not just students but the entire school to think about.”

Irurueta and Garcia said bringing back the International Carnival marks the beginning of an ongoing effort to highlight international students’ stories throughout the year and beyond.

“The intention is that we’ll have conversations and get to know each other beyond just being friends,” Garcia said. “We are giving value and importance to diversity and community here, that you have a right to be yourself and to say, ‘This is where I’m from.’ There are other moments throughout the year when smaller groups come together to celebrate, but this event, from start to finish, is for the whole school.”

— Max Hunt

Photos by Matthew Cavanaugh Photography. Additional photography by Allen '28 and Charlie '28. See more scenes from the International Carnival on Flickr.