01 Nov 2015

Botho University students have been urged to take advantage of cultural festivals that promote cultural activities. The university’s pro-vice chancellor, Priya Iyer said this during the cultural festival hosted by students in collaboration with the institution management in Maun.

Iyer noted that such events would give students an opportunity to learn different languages and traditions and enable easy tracing of their roots.

She said young people could realise their talent while pursuing their studies adding that performing arts was a critical component, which could assist to address issues of unemployment within young people.

“By hosting events like this, it gives you a chance to identify your hidden talent and explore, nurture it to better your lives because I believe everyone is born with capabilities,” she added.

Iyer said culture played an important role in moulding young people’s characters to become responsible citizens. She urged students to take advantage of any opportunity that came their way and make best out of it.

In addition, she said the festival was born out of the need to enrich students’ lives by providing a platform that they could use to express themselves artistically and to grow through engagement in cultural activities.

The vice chancellor said the institutions started celebrating culture days a year and half and the event has grown significantly. She said since the institution admits diverse tribes and nationalities, cultural festivals help them to tolerate and adapt easily to other cultures.

However, the exciting event started with traditional games such as mmele, diketo, morabaraba and some Indian traditional games. Students also had an opportunity to showcase their culture through music, dance, attire and poetry. Traditional food tasting also took place.

The out-going Student Representative Council president, Milton Gabonnwe said they found it fit to host the event as the institution is made of three distinct nationalities namely Batswana, Indians and Zimbabweans of which Batswana come from different ethnic groups.

He said the objective of the event was to celebrate the cultural richness and to give students the opportunity to share their cultures and create a meeting platform that would inspire them to get together and exchange views and learn from one another. Ends