DOHA: Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) of Qatar Foundation (QF) recently hosted ‘International Fest’ at the HBKU Student Center at Education City.
The annual event offers students opportunity to celebrate the unique, multicultural academic and cultural experience they share at Education City.
It is a joint initiative between HBKU and partner universities, including Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q), Texas A&M University at Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar, HEC Paris in Qatar, and UCL Qatar.
Since the tradition of holding the festival started in 2007, it has grown to include a growing number of elements, such as an artisan craft bazaar and musical performances by the student body.
This year’s event also featured a conversation table, developed by HBKU’s Translation and Interpreting Institute, where participants learned a few Arabic, Spanish, French and Mandarin Chinese words and gathered more information about TII’s language courses.
Noora Hassan, a student at WCM-Q, said such events help build a better understanding and unity among students at Education City.
“Cultural diversity is one of the essences of Education City. There are students from across the world, and at events like this we get to see beyond their academic and extra-curricular skills. It shows us where they come from – their traditions, cultures, art, cuisine and heritage.”
Committees representing various nationalities across Education City decorated cultural booths with traditional dress, handmade items, and gifts.
Among national cultures represented were Qatar, Palestine, Sudan, Libya, and the UK.
Melissa Winter, Assistant Director, Student Engagement, HBKU, said, “It’s a pleasure to work with our friends across Education City each year to organise the festival as it gives students opportunity to take a short break from studies to learn more about the many cultures that converge at Education City. “The performances are a lot of fun for students to participate in and they seem to get better and better each year.”
The Peninsula
