On Thursday, September 17, the first student cultural day was held at the Student House. The association of Guinean students of the Côte d’Azur, in partnership with FACE 06, enabled international students to share culture and integrate within the student community of Nice.
The first edition of the Student Cultural Day took place on Thursday, September 17 at the Student House, 5 rue François Mitterrand. Imagined by the Association of Guinean Students of the Côte d’Azur (AEGCA) and supported by Face 06, the event aimed to promote cultural diversity on the Nice campus.
Between debates on the role of civic engagement and artistic celebrations, the day offered students a true space for meeting. The underlying objective of the latter was to “combat the feeling of isolation among new students”, emphasizes Ahmad Diallo, president of AEGCA and organizer of the event.
Getting involved to integrate better
The morning opened with a major event structured around video projections highlighting three countries: Guinea, France, and Japan. This clear choice was made to represent the host country of this day, that of the organizers, and another to introduce students to.
The screening was followed by a roundtable discussion with a focus on associative involvement. Laurine, treasurer of FACE 06, highlighted what associative life brought on a personal level: “It’s a feeling of satisfaction that is almost addictive. It gives us meaning, we expect nothing in return but we do it because it drives us around a global cause which is helping students. »
For the president of AEGCA, a computer science student, he states that “when you arrive as a foreign student, associative involvement is a great doorway to integrate, everyone is into mutual aid and you meet so many people!”.
Collective involvement would then be the best antidote against loneliness. A feeling that many foreign students have faced.
The approach of openness to others resonated strongly with some participants. This is the case of Daniel, a 23-year-old architecture student, who admits that “[openness to people] is really important in my studies. It influences the way I see things and can influence my daily life as well as my professional future. »
A cultural journey at the heart of Nice
Beyond the commitment and openness of associations for foreign students, the day was punctuated by a cultural village present throughout the event. Students were able to exchange at the stands of local associations present, but also admire the artistic works of Guinea. Paintings, sculptures and traditional clothing were displayed to showcase Guinean culture.
Diallo Khadijatou, creator and fashion stylist, came specially from Rennes to present the work of creators from her native country as well as her own. Particularly moved by the event and the many people present, she felt “very proud of our Guinean children, because they dignly represented our cultural identity. »
The event ended on a festive and musical note, punctuated by the sound of the kora and djembe. At the same time, a group of Philippine students also held a concert. The day concluded with a general knowledge quiz on different cultures, rewarding the students who achieved the best scores.
“The purpose of the event is to discover different cultures without having to travel”, clarified Ahmad Diallo. A success for the first edition, still leaving the theme for next year in suspense.
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