College of the North Atlantic – Qatar (CNA-Q) welcomed more than 6,000 visitors to the ninth Annual Global Village last weekend.
The event, which showcases the various student countries represented at CNA-Q, is the largest and most popular student event at the college.
The event was officially opened by a VIP delegation that included Hamad Hamdan al-Muhannadi, director of heritage, Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage; Dr Ken MacLeod, president of CNA-Q; Andre Dubois, ambassador of Canada; Moumin Hassan Barreh, ambassador of Djibouti; Abdel Jawad Mousa Adwan, counsellor, Palestinian embassy; Chief Mi’sel Joe, chief of the Mi’kmaq in Newfoundland and Labrador; and representatives of each participating student country.
“This is the premier event at CNA-Q because it is a celebration of the cultural mosaic that makes up CNA-Q and Qatar,” said Dr MacLeod. “It truly is a student event and engages hundreds of students at all levels. Each year, this event gets bigger and better, and I think this year is the best so far.”
Students from 16 countries worked for several months on booth design and stage performances to ensure that they present their countries to the thousands of visitors who attend the two-day event. These student booths are joined by booths representing host countries Qatar and Canada.
Each booth is designed and decorated to represent the traditions of the student’s country. Wall coverings, furniture, artwork, rugs and cuisine are used to ensure that there are 16 unique experiences as a visitor walks through the village.
While each booth is unique, the stage performances were also as varied as the countries themselves and included cultural plays, musical performances, fashion shows and the popular debka.
This year, awards for best performance and best booth were given. Pakistan took first prize in both categories with Egypt and Sudan rounding out the top three performances and Sudan and India talking the second and third spots for best booth.
The two-day event was kicked off with a multicultural drum circle, led by Chief Mi’sel Joe. Drumming is common in many of the cultures represented at CNA-Q, and the chief was joined by Mi’kmaq member and CNA-Q instructor Sheila O’Neill in explaining the cultures of their people to students of both the college and Qatar Canadian School.
After a traditional Mi’kmaq drumming demonstration, CNA-Q students from Egypt, Lebanon and Sudan joined in the festivities.
Global Village began in 2006 and this year’s event was the largest to date with more than 3,000 visitors each night, according to a statement.