Nancy Smith, Staff Writer
From Nov. 13 to Nov. 16, Armstrong will be holding an International Education Week. The Department of International Education and the International Student Organization (ISO) will be hosting all events associated with the celebrations.
Kourtney Sims, co-promotions officer of the International Student Organization, says that International Education Week has been a tradition at Armstrong for the past nine years, perhaps even longer.
“The goal of International Education week is to create a fun way to bring students from different backgrounds and cultures together by connecting them in a way that makes international education more open through interactive and interpersonal events.”
International Education Week will begin on Monday Nov. 13 from noon to 2 p.m. with a Taste of the World, where international students will provide their favorite dishes from their home countries while providing informative displays and conversations to learn about their cultures.
On the same day, from 12: 30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., there will be a keynote address to commemorate the week. Armstrong’s website invites students to come to the Ogeechee Theater at 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. “…from one of Belize’s foremost cultural ambassadors: artist and musician Pen Cayetano. He will deliver an address entitled “My People, the Garinagu: History, Art & Music” and demonstrate the latter component of his culture through a drum performance.”
Shortly following, there will be an International Fashion show held in the Residential Plaza from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. International students will have the opportunity to show off traditional clothing while sharing what special occasions the attire would be worn on according to their country’s cultural history.
On Tuesday Nov. 14, there will be a film screening of the 2016 documentary Tickling Giants in the Ogeechee Theater from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sims says “The film is after the Arab Spring in a time when the people and government of Egypt were going through very harsh times. Dr. Bassem Youssef decided to use comedy to bring about change and make his voice heard. I think this movie was chosen because it shows a different perspective and a way to address harsh situations in order to bring about change.”
International Education Week continues Wednesday Nov. 15 with a pop-up International Café to experience Thailand from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in University Hall 156. That night, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. there will be an International Game Night at the Compass Point Clubhouse to play games from all over the world from members of International Student Organization.
When asked about the importance of students attending these events, Sims says “These events are important for students to attend because they give all students at Armstrong a chance to connect with students from different places around the world in a way that makes the learning experience tangible to them. This also gives international students an opportunity to share and celebrate their cultures through food, traditional dress, and presenting.”
International Education Week will end Thursday Nov. 16 with the ability to Discover Sweden. From noon to 1 p.m. in University Hall 121, Linnaeus University’s International Coordinator Ulla Kerren and Senior Lecturer of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences Maria Mattsson will talk about what the culture, student life, and education in Sweden is like.
That night, there will be an International Awards Ceremony in the Student Union Ballroom from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to celebrate faculty and students that have strengthened the international campus community. Sims believes Armstrong has always striven to be a campus of openness and diversity through community and academics.
“Having International Education Week connects non-international students and international students to learn more about each other and inspire them to discover something new about where they want to go, what they want to do, or learn more about their own families. This can foster a greater understanding of each other as people and create an even more positive environment among the students of Armstrong.”
For more information on International Education Week, contact the office of International Education.
