AUK Celebrates Diversity at its 7th Annual International Week

The Office of Student Life at The American University of Kuwait (AUK) organized its 7th Annual International Week from March 25th - 27th. The International Week was a collaborative undertaking which contained numerous and diverse events, such as cultural luncheons and student-led discussions by various students at AUK. Cultural foods, traditional arts and clothing, and diverse films were components of the week. These events support the mission of the Office of Student Life by celebrating cultural diversity to reflect current issues in the world and by providing more personal development opportunities for students.

The week featured a variety of events including, a sidewalk art contest organized by the Office of Student Life. At the entrance of the Liberal Arts buildings, students competed to show their artwork featuring designs and phrases of peace and love. A drawing that quoted one of the Beatles most famous song, "All You Need Is Love" was the most attractive to the student crowd.

Student-led discussions, which took place throughout the 3 days of the event, were a good opportunity for students to gather and discuss the current issues in the world. "International Community and the Bedoon" was one of those discussions that tackled the issues of Bedoons in Kuwait. The discussion was moderated by the Fulbright Scholar Madeline Murphy Hall, focused on the life of unemployed Bedoons, and the difficulty of getting into friendship/relationships with the national citizens. Other student-led discussions included, "The Unfinished Arab Spring" and "UNDP Youth Program = Your Program".

The highlight of the 3-day event was the Global Village Day, where students were encouraged to celebrate and represent their individual cultural diversity. Students represented their culture through works of traditional products, food, music, and art. The countries represented were, Egypt, Pakistan, Thailand, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, France and Iran. During the Global Village Fair, representatives from each country had the opportunity to provide information about their country and culture to the diverse body of the AUK Community. The students, faculty, and staff had the opportunity to ask the representatives questions about their countries including, history, tourism, and educational opportunities.

Representatives also offered informational presentations. The day also featured a country competition, where judges visited each country's booth to judge them based on chosen country themes, content and representation, as well as knowledge about the country's culture and history. The first place winners were Egypt and Palestine.

The 7th Annual International Week provided opportunities for students to interact and engage in meaningful experiential learning activities. This allowed them to deepen their understanding and appreciation of cultural differences. The week highlighted the important role these differences play in the human experience. It also cultivated a sense of social responsibility to others, fostered cultural collaboration, and communication, as well as offered civic, personal, and organizational leadership.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 18th April 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012