Students Exchange Cultures at International Day
Known for its high percentage of international students, the American University in Cairo (AUC) holds International Day every spring to give such students an opportunity to share their cultures, food and music with their university colleagues, said Dina El Shazly, International Day coordinator at the International Student Services Office (ISSO).
This year’s International Day will take place this Wednesday when students will present folkloric dances, food and costumes from Tunisia, India, Greece, South Korea, Libya, Sweden, Palestine, the United States, Morocco, Thailand, Guatemala, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Armenia and Yemen. Classes between noon and 4:30 p.m. will be cancelled.
“ The office offers the participants a booth, two tables, and electric outputs. Everything in the booths is student-made and they [can] be as creative as they [want to],” said El Shazly.
The ISSO’s only requirement is that the participants sell the food at cost price, because the aim of International Day is to have fun, not to make profits, she added.
“We are going to display Greece and show how great it is and attract people to visit, “ said Sotirios Scoufaridis, a business administration senior, about the country’s decision to work with Greek Cypriot students on a joint booth.
The booth will display posters depicting the Greek landscape; Greek traditional food will be sold and three or more traditional dances will be performed, added Scoufaridis.
The Palestinian booth will display the rich culture of Palestine through traditional food, national costumes and music. In addition, it will sell handmade Palestinian goods, said political science sophomore Yasmeen El-Khoudary. Students will also be performing the dabkeh, the Palestinian national dance.
“I am really interested to attend [International Day]. I might capture some pictures. It’s really interesting,” said Marwan El Sheikh, an AUC graduate student.
However, some students feel that International Day should engage students in more intellectual activities
“The international day is fine, but they should have more intellectual activities and student-to-student interaction in order to exchange cultural ideas,” said Ahmed El Sherif, a journalism and mass communication (JRMC) junior.