The line for the International Student Organization's Peace Dinner was anything but peaceful.
A group of loud, excited and hungry people formed by 5:50 p.m., and waited for the doors to ISO's Peace Dinner to open.
"I heard last year was fantastic," said Shahab Derhami. "So this year, I planned to attend."
By 6:15 the doors opened, and people began to enter in exchange for a dollar or a canned good.
Hundreds of students filled the Auburn Student Center Ballroom chatting in different languages and laughing as they ate food from around the world.
Tapas Acharjee, executive vice president of ISO, said that more than 500 students attended the event
"This event consistently draws 600 to 700 people," said Charus Campbell, Assistant Director of Greek Life Intercultural Programs Advisor
Campbell said that the annual ISO Peace Dinner has grown since the inaugural event in 2002.
"When it first started I was a student here," Campbell said. "I've been here since the beginning."
He said that the event originally started to promote intercultural friendliness in reaction to two ugly events which happened in 2001.
"It came about following Sept. 11, and a racial incident," Campbell said. "This is an event to promote peace and understanding."
The people who attended the even seemed to enjoy the international variety of food that was available.
Campbell said that his favorite food came courtesy of the African Student Association.
"They have this potato-yam type dish that's great," Campbell said.
Mollie Jackson enjoyed a plate of Indian food.
"I really like it a lot," Jackson said. "So far my favorite is the puri."
Jackson said she heard about the event through friends, and thought that it would be a great opportunity to try foods she normally wouldn't.
The multicultural sharing was not limited to the food, however.
Acharjee wore a yellow Punjabi; a Bangladeshi shirt, and Mohammadnaser Ansari's, Iranian Student Association, cultural costume even included a fake moustache.
"It's a great place to show both your culture and food," Ansari said.
Ansari said he was also at the Peace Dinner to encourage people to attend the ISA's American-Iranian Friendship Barbecue this Saturday.
Throughout the event there was also a slide show of pictures from past ISO events and music from different countries was played over the speakers to add atmosphere to the dinner.
By 7:15 the majority of the food at the Peace Dinner had been eaten, and some well-fed students had left but Acharjee said that the event was not done feeding people.
"We are a non-profit organization," Acharjee said. "All the cans collected at the entrance will go to the Beat Bama Food Drive."
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