Happy diners think globally and eat locally at the 2012 International Dinner, held March 3 in the Gray Athletic Building. Photograph by Simone Schriger ’14.

The annual International Dinner, held this year on March 3, was a feast for all the senses.

On one wall, a display of flags from around the world transformed the plain interior of the of the Gray Athletic Building. Brightly patterned traditional garb popped out in the crowd.

Amidst the murmur of happy diners, special dance performances and a playlist of international music set the festive atmosphere. And an intriguing combination of spices and scents made it impossible to forget the main attraction: the food.

This year the menu featured an impressive array of 44 dishes from nearly 30 countries. There were the familiar and delicious — two types of spring rolls from Vietnam, chicken enchiladas from Mexico and crepes from France — as well as the distinctive and delicious: chin chin, a fried donut-like snack from Nigeria and Ghana; saltibarsciai, cold beetroot soup from Lithuania with an unforgettable magenta color; and gajar ka haluwa, an Indian dish made with carrots and milk.

At the dinner, food becomes a common ground to explore, learn and celebrate the diversity in the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ community. More than 350 people took part — students, professors, staff and local residents.

In short, “Food is a wonderful way of sharing your culture,” said Shlesma Chhetri ’12, of Kathmandu, Nepal, and co-president of the International Club, which sponsored the event.

Thailand’s red curry is a good example of the cross-cultural exchange. Over the centuries, Thai cuisine has been influenced by South Asian, Chinese and European cooking — and the fiery red chilies that give the curry its color came originally from Central America, brought to Thailand by Portuguese explorers.

But ultimately none of that matters. What does matter is the delicious explosion of flavors that immerses you in a dimension of Thai culture, sparking appreciation, interest and dialogue.

The dining is only half the story. The task of cooking food for 350 people, combined with limited equipment and space and difficult-to-locate spices, was an epic in and of itself. As Chhetri explains, “For the cooks and helpers, it is like an adventure.”

Shared pots, pans and all seven kitchens on campus, American and international classmates started cooking the night before and even made a special trip to Portland for ingredients.

For International Club co-president Hieu Nguyen ’13 of Hanoi, Vietnam, the dinner is what sparked his involvement in the club: His freshman year he made Vietnamese spring rolls and lotus soup.

Since then, Nguyen has remained committed to the club because of its “open and friendly environment and the beauty of diversity.” The ambiance and popularity of the International Dinner certainly bear that out.

— By Izzy McKean ’12

The annual International Dinner offers a spectrum of colors and cuisine, says Sulochana Dissanayake ’09 of Colombo, Sri Lanka. “The highlight for me — apart from helping a friend cook 15 pounds of chicken according to my mom’s recipe! — was wearing a traditional saree and seeing all the other cooks in their traditional dresses. It’s breathtaking to see so many countries represented in one place at one time.�

The ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College International Club hosts its annual International Dinner at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, in the Clifton Daggett Gray Athletic Building. The public is invited to attend, and tickets may be purchased at the door for $7. This year a major portion of the dinner’s profits will go toward tsunami relief.

Guests will enjoy dishes from around the world and multicultural entertainment throughout the evening. Considered one of the most popular events on campus, the dinner will be prepared by various members of the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ community including international students, said Khoa Pham, a sophomore from Saigon, Vietnam.

The buffet banquet will include approximately 15 dishes from various countries. Students were invited to submit recipes to a dinner committee organized by the International Club. Once recipes were chosen, committee members purchased ingredients and organized teams. Students will work in teams to cook the entire meal, with some peeling and chopping as others fry and steam.

“This dinner is more than just exotic food and good music,” said Pham. “It is truly a community effort, and everyone helps make it a success.”

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College opens the three-day Traveling Film South Asia series with The 18th Elephant-3 Monologues, a 2003 award-winning documentary from India, at 8 p.m. Friday, March 12, in Room 105 of the Olin Arts Center, 75 Russell Street. Sponsored by the college’s International Club, the Asian studies program and the departments of political science and anthropology, the film series is open to the public free of charge. For more information, call 207-786-6135.

Directed by P. Balan and winner of the Ram Bahadur Trophy for Best Film at the 2003 Film South Asia, The 18th Elephant-3 Monologues is a critique of modern man’s mercenary attitude towards nature and his anthropocentric conception of development. The sad plight of the elephant in both its wild and domesticated states exposes how such behavior brings death and wreaks havoc on the lives and habitats of other species.

The film series continues Saturday, March 13, and Sunday, March 14, in the Olin Arts Center, in Room 105, except as where noted:

Saturday, March 13
3 p.m. — Sand and Water (2002, Bangladesh, Room 104) and A Night of Prophecy (India, 2002)
5:30 p.m. — Godhra Tak: The Terror Trail (India, 2003)
7 p.m. —  Swara – A Bridge Over Troubled Water (Pakistan, 2003)
8 p.m. —  Naata (The Bond, India, 2003)
9 p.m. — Made in India (India, 2002)
10 p.m. — Itihaas Jitneharuka Laagi (History for Winners, Nepal, 2003)

Sunday, March 14
1:30 p.m. — Shei Rater Kotha Bolte Eshechi (Tale of the Darkest Night, Bangledesh, 2001)
2:30 p.m. — Buru Sengal (The Fire Within, India, 2002)
3:45 p.m. — Vikas Bandook Ki Naal Se (Development Flows from the Barrel of a Gun,India, 2003)
5 p.m. — Hunting Down Water (India, 2003)
6 p.m. — Resilient Rhythms (India, 2002)
7:15 p.m. — The Unconscious (India, 2002)
For more detailed descriptions of the movies to be shown at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, visit  .

Film South Asia is a competitive biennial festival of documentary films on South Asian subjects that provides a quality platform to exhibit new works and to promote a sense of community among independent filmmakers. Organized by Himal Association,  FSA is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to spreading knowledge and information in Nepal and South Asia in collaboration with Himal South Asian magazine, published in Kathmandu. In the seven years of its establishment, Film South Asia, the only such event that is solely dedicated to showcasing contemporary South Asian non-fiction film, has gained recognition within the region and globally as a world-class festival.

A number of musicians will perform, including guitarist John Smedley, associate professor of physics at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½; the Deansmen, a ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ a capella ensemble; saxophonist Linda Williams, assistant professor of music at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½; the Yankee Jazz Ensemble; and Cheyn Band.

College sponsors of the concert include the Multi-Faith Council, Solidaridad Latina and the International Club.

International Weekend activities begin March 5 with an international fair from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in Chase Hall Lounge. The fair will feature more than 25 student-staffed booths, displaying a variety of arts and crafts, including origami, Nepalese stamp collections and Indian body painting.

Sol Y Canto, a six-member band specializing in Latin folk and dance songs, will perform at 9 p.m. March 5, in the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College Chapel. There is no admission charge, but free tickets are necessary for admission. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Chase Hall Concierge until the evening of the performance. No reservations are accepted. Call the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College Concierge at 207-786-6255 to check on ticket availability.

Burlington Taiko, a 12-member ensemble that performs Japanese drums in a dramatic choreography associated with the Buddhist and Shinto ceremony and the martial arts, will perform at 1 p.m. March 6, in the Olin Arts Center. Admission is free for this unticketed event.

International Weekend at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ concludes at 7 p.m. March 6 with a coffeehouse presentation of songs, dances and skits in Chase Hall Lounge. Admission is free.