COVID-19 has affected this year in ways that many never could have imagined before and in many ways it will also affect the International Festival that will be held.

The third annual international festival will be all virtual this year, with videos being shown at the beginning of each class period. Although they don’t have a specific date that these videos will be shown, they are optimistic they will be available for classes by the end of January. Senior and student council president, Caroline Blanke is taking part in planning the festival and is very excited for the new opportunities a virtual festival offers.

“Because of the festival being virtual this year, we will be able to show students at North this year because we really want to represent the kids at North and make them feel welcome and give them cultural representation because there’s a lot of people at our school who never really get the chance to show their true colors so this is their time to shine instead of us focusing on people outside the school,” Blanke said.

The international festival is a very special event that highlights the different cultures FHN has to offer. Sophomore and student council member Manisha Muphukaruppan performed a traditional Indian dance called bharatanatyam at the festival last year and is hopeful she will be able to do so again this year, although it is virtual. Besides being able to perform, Muphukaruppan loves attending the festival and experiencing everything it offers.

“You get to learn a lot about FHN and the different cultures,” Muphukaruppan said. “It’s just really interesting and fun to learn about it and to experience different cultures.”

What is most valued about the festival is the attention it brings to the diverse culture of FHN. Many students look forward to learning about the different cultures and traditions that the other students at their school experience. The international festival is something that brings students together to be not just a student body, but a community.

“I think the festival is a great opportunity for students to come together and get to know each other personally instead of just on an academic basis,” Blanke said. “As students we go through the halls and are more focused on school and what’s going to be on the next test but the festival lets me see the inside view of the different people around me and I think that’s such a beautiful thing.”