08 Apr 2014

The international students’ cultural day held in Gaborone on April 5  was appreciated by many students and staff who attended it.

International students from various countries such as Nigeria, Liberia, South Korea, Malawi, Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, India, United States of America, South Sudan, Swaziland, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo and many more who study in various tertiary institutions of Botswana showcased their culture through music, dance, attire and poetry.

The event was organised by Botswana Education Hub (BEH) in conjunction with Botswana Association of Private Tertiary Education Providers (BAPTEP) to celebrate the cultural richness, to give students the opportunity to share their cultures and to create a meeting platform that would inspire them to get together and exchange views and learn from one another.

The event will be held annually in April and almost all students said it was a beautiful and phenomenal event. First on the parading time, was Batswana with their leather clothing attire. They did their best with their traditional dance to keep up other students on the dance scene and fought to have their videos clips.

Although the dance was great and fun, it was not mainly as eye catching and grateful as when the traditional Botswana guitarist Solly Sebotso stole their attention with his song Morena pidipidi, everyone, young and old find themselves going down their knees.

Students from Lesotho, with their traditional hats and blankets also drew the audience’s attention when they presented the process of initiation ceremony, together with the graduation part of it.

The acting chief executive officer of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), Dr Patrick Molutsi, expressed his appreciation of the students, “your presence in Botswana is very fundamental to us, not because you are bringing money”.

Dr Molutsi said the presence of the international students was crucial as they caused Batswana students to know different cultures and internationalise Botswana. He urged the international students to feel free and feel at home as Botswana was a peaceful, accommodative and loving country.

He suggested that the international students’ cultural day should be held in different part of Botswana. The event was sponsored by University of Botswana, Limkokwing University, ABM University, Botho University, Boitekanelo College, GIPS, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Botswana Accountancy College and First National Bank (FNB). Ends