The purpose of this event is to celebrate holidays and festivals from South and Southeast Asia. This event provides a safe space for students who practice the holidays and festivals that we will feature at our event and especially hopes that those students who may be celebrating these holidays away from home for the first time will find a sense of community and welcome on campus. In addition, our event hopes to provide an opportunity for students who don’t practice these holidays or who do not have South/Southeast Asian heritage to have a chance to learn about the cultures, traditions and religions of the region. This event will provide a safe space for learning in a healthy and fun environment. Finally our event seeks to bridge divides that may exist within the Wake community. South and Southeast Asian students may feel isolated on campus while their non-South/Southeast Asian peers may not understand their traditions and cultures. Out event puts all of these individuals in the same room and allows for healthy interactions. This, in turn, builds community and stimulates constructive discussions across difference in which all parties feel safe and welcomed. The organizations and departments involved will learn from this event about how to cater an event to both minority groups on campus and to the general population of Wake. Having the event be more about learning AND experiencing the cultures on display, rather than just “free food”.