International flavour to infuse campus
10 Aug 2007 | Renee Criddle
The annual International Week will take place at the University of Wollongong next week, featuring a range of colourful and entertaining celebrations of cultural diversity. Staff, students and the general community are invited to participate in this week-long festival which will include a blend of free performances, displays, guest speakers, games, activities, movies and international food.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Professor Rob Castle, said UOW’s fifth ‘I Week’ will once again provide the university community with an opportunity to celebrate and experience the diverse cultures and countries represented at the university, as well as acknowledge and celebrate the various international achievements of students and staff.
Highlights will include:
MONDAY: International Week will be officially opened at 9am in the McKinnon Foyer where a light breakfast will be served. Following this, activities will kick off including a bush dance, a global workplace information session and a study abroad and exchange session (which will run every day to provide information to students interested in studying overseas).
TUESDAY: A Chinese Cultural Festival will take place on the Duck Pond Lawn which will involve bamboo and Tibet dancing, traditional instrument playing, Chinese calligraphy, herbal tea tasting, handicraft and other activities. Representatives from the Chinese Consulate will be in attendance. ‘Engineers Without Borders’ will also take place – a display showcasing how technology can be made to do useful work like cooking and sanitising water. There will be international karaoke at the Uni Bar and Dr Mary Zournazi from the Faculty of Arts will give a presentation on, and provide pre-signed copies of, her new book Keywords to War.
WEDNESDAY: Members of the Wollongong Symphony Orchestra will give a free performance on the Duck Pond Lawn, playing music with an international flavour. Conducted by Carlos Alvarado who has a Columbian/Russian background, the music will feature a range of international composers, Spanish guitar, flamenco dancing, singers and a pianist. Global Highway will also take place on Wednesday, which will involve a 'highway' of stalls set up across the campus. This event is organised by students in the university residences and the nations represented will include Australia, China, France, India, Japan, Kenya, Persia, Singapore, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA and Saudi Arabia.
THURSDAY: Clubs and Societies will be on display at the Duck Pond Lawn as well as a Japanese Matusri festival which will include Japanese food, games and performances. The Centre for Student Development’s (CSD) Amazing Race will take place where teams will decipher clues that will lead them to a variety of activities around the campus. There will also be a ‘Women of the World’ gathering where two women will share their stories about being lured from their home countries to live and work in Australia.
FRIDAY: Highlights will include an international health symposium, a picnic day on the Duck Pond Lawn featuring international food and games, and a funk and soul performance by a band from Byron Bay called Invisible Friends.
*For further information: Visit http://www.uow.edu.au/about/internationalweek/2007/index.htm or contact International Week Co-ordinator, Erin Hiesley, on (02) 4221 5332 or 0421 343 735 (mob)
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