By Devid Abbasov
24/03/2018, 15:06
On April 15, 2018 Bilkent International House (BIH) in collaboration with the South Asian Cultural Club (SACC) and Erasmus Student Network (ESN) will hold the 3rd International Festival at Bilkent University’s Sports Hall, where 22 countries will represent their national cuisine, folklore and culture.
Being the most unprecedented and vivid event among Bilkent students, the International Festival majorly contributes to the international image of Bilkent University. Its main idea is to become a unifying platform for Bilkent’s international and Turkish students and to encourage the cultural and traditional exchange among different nationalities and its visitors. This way, BIH, SACC and ESN, indirectly fight against nation-based prejudices and other preconceptions, which, unfortunately, sometimes occur in Bilkent social media groups (i.e. “Bilkent Duyuru” on Facebook). The event delicately raises students’ awareness about other cultures and values, leading to the rise of tolerance and respect among different nationalities living and studying “under the same roof.”
“The exposure to other cultures…will change our perceptions and make us more tolerant and respectful.”
Yasemin Altıntaş is a member of ESN Bilkent and a random visitor at the International Festival 2017. She kept critically looking at some of the students because of their clothes, since she was finding them very ‘weird’. However, during the Festival, she got an opportunity of directly asking these students about their dresses. As she admits, thanks to the Festival, she understood “the history of these traditional dresses” which was “both entertaining and intellectual.” Now she finds herself ‘less judgmental’ and agrees that “the exposure to other cultures…will change our perceptions and make us more tolerant and respectful.” Simultaneously, Yasemin positively finds that Turkey is also represented, so the international students may taste the real Turkish cuisine. “Even though we have some restaurants in Turkey, you never know whether these restaurants are cooking proper cultural food or not” - she says.
“The event showed the diversity of Bilkent University.”
When asked about the importance of the Festival for Bilkent, the President of SACC – Muhammad Asad Rafi answered that “the event showed the diversity of Bilkent University” by demonstrating that “there are people in this university from 22 countries from all over the world,” breaking the stereotype that “there are students just from Pakistan, Azerbaijan or Albania.” The President of BIH - Sabuhi Osmanov, in turn, notices that “many Turkish students or internationals…have restricted information about cultures and cuisines, so International Festival is a platform where people can come and see different traditional performances or just try some traditional food or drink.”
“This is the biggest event at Bilkent University where international and Turkish students come together.”
BIH and SAAC wish to make the event ‘a yearly tradition’. Although, the Festival takes place for the 3rd time, it has not become Bilkent’s tradition yet. For comparison, Middle East Technical University holds similar festival and it has the status of an annual tradition. Moreover, according to Sabuhi and Asad, Bilkent University does not provide any extra budget support for the event. Its costs are totally covered by the BIH’s own budget, which is very limited. Nevertheless, both clubs hope Bilkent will re-evaluate the importance of the Festival. “I hope that this tradition will continue, because this is the biggest event at Bilkent University where international and Turkish students come together” - says Sabuhi.
Background
BIH is the first Bilkent Student Club where the only language of communication is English. The International Festival, where different countries may participate and present their national cuisine and culture, was also firstly initiated by the BIH in 2016. Then the number of participating countries was about 13, including Turkey. During the 2nd International Festival which took place in April 2017, the number of participating countries rose to 22 countries.
24/03/2018, 15:06
On April 15, 2018 Bilkent International House (BIH) in collaboration with the South Asian Cultural Club (SACC) and Erasmus Student Network (ESN) will hold the 3rd International Festival at Bilkent University’s Sports Hall, where 22 countries will represent their national cuisine, folklore and culture.
Being the most unprecedented and vivid event among Bilkent students, the International Festival majorly contributes to the international image of Bilkent University. Its main idea is to become a unifying platform for Bilkent’s international and Turkish students and to encourage the cultural and traditional exchange among different nationalities and its visitors. This way, BIH, SACC and ESN, indirectly fight against nation-based prejudices and other preconceptions, which, unfortunately, sometimes occur in Bilkent social media groups (i.e. “Bilkent Duyuru” on Facebook). The event delicately raises students’ awareness about other cultures and values, leading to the rise of tolerance and respect among different nationalities living and studying “under the same roof.”
“The exposure to other cultures…will change our perceptions and make us more tolerant and respectful.”
Yasemin Altıntaş is a member of ESN Bilkent and a random visitor at the International Festival 2017. She kept critically looking at some of the students because of their clothes, since she was finding them very ‘weird’. However, during the Festival, she got an opportunity of directly asking these students about their dresses. As she admits, thanks to the Festival, she understood “the history of these traditional dresses” which was “both entertaining and intellectual.” Now she finds herself ‘less judgmental’ and agrees that “the exposure to other cultures…will change our perceptions and make us more tolerant and respectful.” Simultaneously, Yasemin positively finds that Turkey is also represented, so the international students may taste the real Turkish cuisine. “Even though we have some restaurants in Turkey, you never know whether these restaurants are cooking proper cultural food or not” - she says.
“The event showed the diversity of Bilkent University.”
When asked about the importance of the Festival for Bilkent, the President of SACC – Muhammad Asad Rafi answered that “the event showed the diversity of Bilkent University” by demonstrating that “there are people in this university from 22 countries from all over the world,” breaking the stereotype that “there are students just from Pakistan, Azerbaijan or Albania.” The President of BIH - Sabuhi Osmanov, in turn, notices that “many Turkish students or internationals…have restricted information about cultures and cuisines, so International Festival is a platform where people can come and see different traditional performances or just try some traditional food or drink.”
“This is the biggest event at Bilkent University where international and Turkish students come together.”
BIH and SAAC wish to make the event ‘a yearly tradition’. Although, the Festival takes place for the 3rd time, it has not become Bilkent’s tradition yet. For comparison, Middle East Technical University holds similar festival and it has the status of an annual tradition. Moreover, according to Sabuhi and Asad, Bilkent University does not provide any extra budget support for the event. Its costs are totally covered by the BIH’s own budget, which is very limited. Nevertheless, both clubs hope Bilkent will re-evaluate the importance of the Festival. “I hope that this tradition will continue, because this is the biggest event at Bilkent University where international and Turkish students come together” - says Sabuhi.
Background
BIH is the first Bilkent Student Club where the only language of communication is English. The International Festival, where different countries may participate and present their national cuisine and culture, was also firstly initiated by the BIH in 2016. Then the number of participating countries was about 13, including Turkey. During the 2nd International Festival which took place in April 2017, the number of participating countries rose to 22 countries.