BY MIDHAT MERAJ (MAN/II)
On Saturday, March 27, Bilkent University’s very first International Festival took place, organized as a collaborative effort by members of Bilkent International House, the Erasmus Student Network and Sanatsal Etkinlikler Topluluğu. The festival included representatives from thirteen different countries and helped showcase the cultures, traditions and foods of these nations. Participating countries were Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, India, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, South Korea, Sudan, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
The event took place in the Main Campus Sports Hall and featured stands representing the aforementioned countries. The stands displayed the national flags, traditional clothing and food of the respective countries, as well as posters and souvenirs. Local desserts and delicacies were also prepared and offered by students.
A highlight of the festival was the performance of a wide variety of traditional folk songs and dances by members of the large international student body at Bilkent. These performances included Albanian students dancing to the famous “Valle Kosovare,” and a dance and recital of “Sari Gelin” by Azerbaijani students. There was also a Palestinian “dabke” danced by Arab students, while Pakistani students sang “Yeh jo halka halka suroor hai” and also performed dances, some rooted in traditional folk customs and others inspired by modern pop songs.
The event attracted both Turkish and international students, with participants and attendees alike able to learn about different nations and enjoy a glimpse of their cultures by visiting the stalls and watching the performances. Guests of honor included the chargé d’affaires from the Embassy of Nigeria and the secretary of the Embassy of India. The festival was a great success, as reflected in the large number of attendees who showed up to encourage, support and appreciate the efforts of the event’s organizers and participants.