CUHK
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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is committed to promoting cultural diversity on campus and encourages interaction among students of different nationalities.  Recently, the Office of Student Affairs and the Taskforce for Enhancing International Bonding on Campus (iBond) co-organized a 2-week CUHK International Festival, featuring a series of cultural activities including a film festival, concerts and a talk to arouse students’ interest in understanding different cultures and interacting with students coming from different parts of the world. 

Seeing the world through films 

The CUHK International Festival was kicked off by a film festival themed ‘Diaspora’, in which five selected movies from Italy, Taiwan, Indonesia and South/North Korea were shown. The Act of Killing, nominee of Oscar Best Documentary Feature, was premiered in Hong Kong at the festival, re-enacting the Indonesian genocide in 1965. Other films included Crossing, adapted from a real story about North Koreans fleeing the country; Oscars Best Foreign Language Film The Great Beauty (Italy), illustrating an aging socialite’s reflection on his life; One Tree Three Lives (Taiwan), following novelist Hualing Nieh’s remarkable life traversing cultures and languages; Another Promise (South Korea), portraying the legal battle between the Korean conglomerate Samsung and its employees. Post-screening seminars were hosted either by CUHK teachers or guests for deeper discussions. Among the guests were Mr. Owen Lau, co-founder of North Korean Defectors Concern, and Mr. Wan Tsz Hin, executive editor of The Global Studies Journal. 

Creating bonds with music 

The Music Galaxy was another highlight of the festival. Student performers of different origins including Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, Indonesia and South Korea won rounds of applause from the audience with their versatility – singing, ballet, Chinese folk dance, K-pop dance, band show, as well as Indonesian and Chinese instrumental performance. Nadia Gabriela from Indonesia said, ‘The number of Indonesian students at CUHK has been growing, and I think it’s a good way to introduce our culture to the local students through music. We appreciate the opportunity given to us by the International Festival.’

An inspiring talk 

Mr. Dylan Leung, a young local entrepreneur, was invited to share his experience with the students in the session ‘Talk on Coffee x Cultural Exchange’. Dylan is the owner of a chain of four cafes in town, ‘The Alchemist Café Bistro’. He shared how he was inspired by the modern classic, The Alchemist, to pursue his dream of starting his own business, and how he integrated innovative cultural initiatives into his business. Dylan also gave valuable advice to students who aspire to start their own business. 

To learn more about CUHK International Festival, please visit www.facebook.com/CUHKCulturalEncounters. 

iBond at CUHK 

The ‘iBond’ (Taskforce for Enhancing International Bonding on Campus) Programme aims at promoting internationalization on campus by broadening students’ global vision, and to promote integration of the CUHK local, mainland and overseas students by organizing various activities.