Students will be able to experience cultures and different traditions from around the world with the event Global Traditions, hosted by the University Board Cultural Arts at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the University Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The event is meant to celebrate the different cultural traditions that occur during December and even some of those that occur in January, said Jessica Ashley, the UB cultural arts coordinator.

Ashley said this is not the first time the event has been hosted, but this year, they’re hoping to have the event be more interactive.

The Global Traditions event will observe different holidays from many cultures such as the Jewish holiday Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Three Kings Day, and Chinese New Year.

Hanukah, beginning on Dec. 25 and lasting for eight days, is to commemorate light over darkness.

There is a candelabrum with eight candles and each candle is lit on one of the given eight days.

Kwanzaa, which is a holiday celebrated usually by African-Americans, begins on Dec. 26 lasting for seven days. Like Hanukah, there is a candelabrum with seven candles — three red, three green and one black; each day a candle is lit representing something along with one gift given and on the seventh and final day the black candle is lit.

Ashley said the importance of this event is to help people become more culturally aware of each other and their respective holidays.

She said the goal for the event is to have as many people as possible to come out to the event and learn as much as possible about other cultures; there will also be some giveaways that will assist students during finals.

Roberto Hodge can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]