On November 19, NYU Shanghai hosted its inaugural Culture & Heritage Expo in the 9th-floor VCREDIT Colloquium, celebrating the vibrant cultural diversity of its global community. The event featured over 35 tables hosted by students, faculty, staff, as well as local artisans and small business owners, each showcasing unique traditions and cultural heritage.
Organized by the Staff Council IDE Committee and sponsored by Community Inclusion, Faculty Council, the Center for Student Belonging, and the Office of Residential Education and Housing, the Expo offered attendees the opportunity to reconnect with their cultural roots, explore new traditions, and engage with the broader NYU Shanghai community.
The festivities included a cultural parade, exhibits, and performances, highlighting the customs of 11 countries: Bulgaria, China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, the United States, and Uzbekistan.
Urjinkhand Munkhtsetseg ’29 from Mongolia shows off her bow and arrow.
Faculty member Marcel Daniels (left) engages with Morrocan students Hajar Makhchan ’28, (center) and Malik Fenniche ’29 (right).
Madina Abatova ’28 from Kazakhstan answers a visitor’s question.
Ishi Chopra ’29 shares her Indian heritage by applying henna on a visitor.
Staff members Mayank Kamothi (second from right) and Yuming Ma (right) learn to make prints from Chinese students Lin Yibo ’28 (left) and Sang Yiran ’29 (second from left).
A visitor learns about Uzbek culture from Salamova Samira ’28 (right).
Mongolian students Ujin Boldbaatar ’26 (left) and Altan-Ochir Ochirvaani ’29 (second from left) share about their culture with visitors.
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs John Robertson plays chess with Aman Singh ’28 from India.
Mya Hasburn ’28 from the United States dressed as Lady Liberty.
Bulgarian students (from left to right) Maria Dan ’29, Danaya Georgieva ’29, Yoana Ivanova Dimitrova ’29, and Max Valtchev ’29 show off their traditional embroidered clothes.
Uzbek students (from left to right) Salamova Samira ’28, Shohjahon Khasanov ’29 , and Ikboliddin Najmiddinov ’29 take a selfie together.
A cultural parade was a highlight of the event.
The expo included performances by students, faculty, and staff.
Visitors to the Culture & Heritage Expo enjoy the performances.
