By Frances Mulraney
International Day ‘‘could have been a much bigger event’’ if it was spread across a number of days, according to the Islamic Society at DCU.
As part of Identity Week, campus was treated last Tuesday to International Day. Abdul Abubakar, chairperson of the DCU Islamic Society said, “it’s a shame it’s just one day in Week 11, it could have been a much bigger event”.
As well as an international themed Toxic Tuesday and a free 5-a-side football tournament, all societies associated with an international culture were encouraged to take part. A food fare and buffet ran in the HUB, alongside arts and crafts stalls.
Abubakar spoke of the importance of showing the diversity of students in DCU. The society asked all their members to join them in the HUB in their traditional attire so as to “be visible, be seen”.
According to Abubakar, the point of events like this is to give all students the opportunity to “come out, dress how they dress and be who they are”.
The event aims to let other DCU students know about the many minority cultures that are on campus, and to allow those cultures to express being Irish in their own way.
The Intercultural, Indian, Chinese and Japanese societies also provided food and arts and crafts at the event.
All proceeds of an all-you-can-eat international buffet went to charity, while the event also aimed to raise awareness of diversity in the food we eat.
Chairperson of the Intercultural Society, Dami Gbaja, said “we do eat different things, things that others might think are strange, but we want to offer people the chance to try them out”.
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