By Genevieve Adams

Students of different backgrounds have a chance to showcase their own culture while experiencing a variety of others over the next month.

To allow exposure to different cultural groups on campus, Assistant Director of International Student and Scholar Services Karen Slaymaker and Student Services Director Larry Crouch helped organize the 21st annual Cultural Diversity Festival.

Events over the course of the festival range from performances to documentary screenings and are hosted by several organizations. Slaymaker hopes to bring together different aspects of the university’s culture and to have an impact on students’ views on the numerous different ethnicities at UK.

“It is a time to celebrate diversity and experience new perspectives,” Slaymaker said.

Ethnic food, panel discussions, films and many more activities will be presented in hopes that students will see diversity in a new light, such as a talent show featuring international students put on by The International Student Council.

The festival began in February and has already featured events such as Islamic Awareness Week, a performance of “EMERGENCY” by Daniel Beatty and a screening of a documentary about a coal-waste accident in Appalachia.

Promotion of unity is the main goal, as the students will be able to discuss the problems surrounding diversity, or even lack there of, Slaymaker said. She expects to bring the campus together with a sense of unity despite the different backgrounds.