International Week awaited BME students with a diverse programme

International Week was held at the University of Technology and Economics between 13-17 November 2023 for the second time.

International Week was organised by the International Mentoring Team (IMT), the Directorate of Sales and Services (ÉSZI), with the support of the National Conference of Student Councils (HÖOK). The aim of the programme was to celebrate the cultural diversity of the BME community and to give students the opportunity to represent their own country, showcase their traditions and culture and learn about that of others, while making new friends, even with their peers from the other side of the world.

On Monday, participants gathered in Building Q, where Balázs Bokor, assistant professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (GPK) of BME, opened the International Week and the first programme, the Art Exhibition. This was followed by the welcome speech of Nathan Arreola, HÖOK-mentor from the Philippines. The art exhibition featured works of art with the theme “Hidden Treasures". In addition to the pieces of Hungarian exhibitors, Russian, Bengali, Mexican, Brazilian, Kazakh and Iranian works were also on display. The exhibition gave everyone the opportunity to meet and talk to the talented artists, as the exhibitors were present in person. The braver ones could also ask them about the background and motivation behind their paintings and pictures. The exhibits included some very creative solutions: watercolour paintings, drawings, photographs and even a window painting. Through the works, visitors were able to gain insight into the personal stories, characteristics and unique customs of different countries. The exhibition, held in the lobby of Building Q, had been open to visitors for more than a week, giving everyone the opportunity to admire the works of art of students from different cultures.

Wednesday night's Concert Night was held in the auditorium of the Gábor Baross Halls of Residence. To boost the mood, the evening started with a quick Hungary-related quiz of interesting facts. After the game, all eyes were on the stage for the rest of the evening, as eleven different performances were presented to the audience. Among the talented young musicians were singers who fascinated the audience with their piano skills, as well as those who took the stage with their own bands. The enthusiastic audience gave the musicians a standing ovation. All performances were met with high acclaim. It was incredible to see people cheering each other on and celebrating the success of their peers. Huge congratulations to all the performers! Thank you for showing your musical talents and creating a real concert atmosphere in the lobby of the halls of residence.

The programme entitled Fashion, Dance and Wine was also held in the auditorium of the Gábor Baross Halls of Residence. The evening consisted of two parts, the first of which gave participants the opportunity to taste 5 different white wines from one of the most famous Hungarian wine regions. The owner of Kőmalom winery in the Tokaj region also participated in the event, and briefly explained some important and interesting facts about the drinks before the tasting. The organisers also prepared a variety of cheese boards to accompany the wines, making the evening even more enjoyable. The members of the VBK Wine and Cheese Circle provided professional help in the organisation of the wine tasting. Thank you for their contribution!

After the sold-out wine tasting, the room was quickly transformed into a dance floor. First, a South American student gave a short cumbia dance performance, inviting brave volunteers from the audience to partner him, then showed everyone present some basic steps. András Vincze and Zsuzsanna Vincze continued the evening with a Hungarian folk dance performance, followed by a dance house style Hungarian folk dance session, which was enjoyed by all. The night was spent in a great, vibrant atmosphere and with lots of laughter.

On the last day of the event, the lobby of Building I was filled with hundreds of participants for the International Dinner. Enthusiastic chefs from all over the world came together to prepare and share delicious dishes from their countries' cuisines. Students were grouped into teams by country, so there was 1 table for each country. The Romanian table offered a very tasty looking dessert called Pap Anasi, while the Filipino table presented turon, arroz caldo and lumpia. They were also very prepared with descriptions of the dishes, so that people could find out not only what they were going to eat, but also about the traditions associated with the dish in the country. At the Lebanese table, hummus and baba ganoush were served with Arabic bread, with a long queue of students. As usual, the Nigerian team created a great atmosphere around their stand. They prepared not only food but also music for the event. At their table, hungry visitors could taste a spicy dish called Jollof. Our students from Vietnam, Spain, Colombia and China also brought the taste of their home countries to their tables. The Hungarians also prepared many delicacies. There was layered potato casserole, meat stew, Szekler style sauerkraut stew, Liptauer cottage cheese spread, aubergine spread, potato salad and of course desserts. Visitors were able to taste pancakes, Dobos cake, semolina pudding, different flavoured strudels, plum dumplings and chimney cakes. “Köret” group from the GPK and B3 self-supporting culinary group from the Faculty of Architecture joined IMT to prepare Hungarian dishes, and there were also enthusiastic individual applicants. The table of the Sollertia student group featured Indonesian, Japanese, Kazakh, Jordanian and Turkish dishes. At the end of the gastronomy trip around the world, everyone went home in good spirits and with a full belly.

International Week was not only about the diversity of countries and cultures around the world, but also about the unity of the university community. All of the events organised as part of this series of programmes were held in a great atmosphere. We hope that we have succeeded in presenting the culture of the international community and in bringing together Hungarian and international culture. Given the overwhelming success, we will strive to organise similar programmes for our students in the coming years, helping to build friendships between Hungarian and foreign undergraduates and creating an even more welcoming atmosphere for all students.

IMT-GG

Photo: Viktor Kiss