Annual Global Festival celebrates Emory’s diverse cultures
June 12, 2026 Amber Cordell
The Global Festival, hosted each spring by ISSS and ISLAB, brought more than 600 Emory community members together to learn about and celebrate global cultures. Photo by Amber Cordell, Emory Global Engagement.
Emory’s International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and the International Student Leadership and Advocacy Board (ISLAB) hosted the annual Global Festival before spring semester concluded. More than 600 Emory students, faculty, staff and community members embarked on a journey around the world during the event, exploring diverse cultures through engaging performances, interactive cultural booths, trivia challenges and a food truck. This year’s Global Festival had a World Cup theme and included a soccer tournament.
“The Global Festival highlighted how many unique cultures we have on campus and gave everyone a chance to experience a little slice of someone else's home,” says Sanna Patel, a rising junior from New Delhi and ISLAB’s Global Festival vice president.
“This Global Festival has given us a wonderful opportunity to learn about the diverse cultures of the world, while also sharing our rich Tibetan heritage — our culture, language and Buddhism,” says Venerable Jampa Thakchoe, a Tibetan monk from Sera Jey Monastery and a current Tenzin Gyatso Science Scholar at Emory University who shared his culture with an interactive booth. “It was a joyful event that brought staff and students together in a spirit of unity and connection.”
Shinn Ko, associate vice provost for international services and global engagement, says the festival helps create opportunities for connection and learning across cultures at Emory. “The Global Festival highlights the invaluable perspectives and leadership of our international students and scholars, while inviting the broader Emory community to engage with the world through shared experiences, curiosity and mutual respect.”
The success of the 2026 Global Festival was supported in part by co-sponsors such as Belonging and Community Justice (BCJ) and the School of Nursing. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in future Global Festivals to showcase the wide range of cultures represented in the Emory community.
