One World Week

This past week (13-21 Jan) at Warwick has been "One World Week", which is widely plugged as being the "World’s Largest Student-Run International Event". There are apparently more than 120 nationalities represented in this weeks festivities (so I guess that means it includes people from about 1/2 of the world's countries - not bad really). The week consists of loads of cultural shows: music, dance, a fashion show, food from many countries, sports competitions and forums on different subjects of a global nature.

According to their website, OWW is "a well-respected annual event that stimulates personal development through a week of Festival, Forum, Arts and Sport". It aims to promote "a view based on acceptance and appreciation of the world's mosaic of cultures." It started out as a one-day event 10 years ago and has evolved into nine days of "cultural celebration, unity and a belief for a better future."

International students are a significant part of the fabric at Warwick. Around 25% of our 16,000 students are international students. Yet there seem to be at times quite sizeable divides between the different nationalities on campus. One World Week, although only lasting for one week, does something to address this issue. I don't think I'm the only one who feels that whilst being a step in the right direction, it's a step which is quite small. That said, One World Week provides a fantastic opportunity for different facets of different nations to be displayed and celebrated. I've not attended a huge amount of OWW events since I've been at Warwick, but this year I have witnessed marching bands in the piazza, Asian music performances in the students union and a forum about whether foreign aid is effective. All very interesting stuff.

It's rather sad to see so many people from overseas feeling a little alienated by the fact that British students would rather spend 100% of their time with fellow Brits. The British student lifestyle, which for a reasonable number involves going out and drinking in excess regularly, is not always one which international students are keen to follow. And personally I'm rather glad that a lot of them don't. This is just one small reason why international students are seldom as included as they ideally would be. Whilst it would be easy to criticize internationals for forming their own "mini-ghettos" by hanging out purely with their countrymen (and women), I can't help but feel that in many cases the blame lies more at the door of us Brits.

I remember reading in the media after the horrific events of 7/7 last summer of how the community of Beeston in Leeds operated. White British people were living in the same street as many people with Asian and/or Muslim backgrounds. Although these two groups lived together alright - they would leave one another in peace, say hello to one another and so on - they seemed to spend time exclusively with members of their own "group". Whilst there was not any physical divide, there seemed to be a hidden, underlying one. From my experience this is not unique to Beeston in this country by any means.

Ken Livingstone is always quick to praise London's diversity and to claim that it's a wonderfully multi-cultural place where everyone lives happily together. Happy on the surface maybe, but I suspect there is much tension underneath. Such tension is probably present in much of Western Europe - as it seemed to be in Paris with some of the race-linked uprisings not so long ago. Thus I'm of the opinion that a whole lot more needs to be done to integrate outsiders in our society.

As well as One World Week, Globe Cafe, which I'm involved in and is run by the Warwick Christian Union, also hopefully plays its part in bringing together people of different nationalities. Whilst primarily aiming to pass on the fantastic news of Jesus Christ through Globe, by following our calling to love people (including foreigners) we also aim to make internationals feel at home at Warwick. And it really is a joy to know people from such a range of backgrounds. One thing's for sure in my mind, having so many internationals around certainly enriches the experience of being at university dramatically. That is, assuming you take the time to engage with them ...