Bhubaneswar, Aug. 17: Ananya Mohapatra, a 23-year-old postgraduate, was all praise for the Malaysian culture, which she came across at a cultural exchange event named Global Village held at the KIIT International School.
The event is a part of the programme being organised by the international youth-run organisation, Association Internationale des Étudiants en Sciences Économiques et Commerciales (AIESEC). It refers to the International Association of Students in Economic and Commercial Sciences.
Youngsters from various parts of the world are experiencing the state's traditions and art forms at the cultural exchange programme. They have been conducting workshops, teaching the underprivileged schools and visiting the local schools and colleges.
Around 31 students, who have come from places such as Egypt, Italy, Poland, Malaysia, Russia and Turkey, have been residing in the city for the past one month. They are also visiting various tourist spots and interacting with students at the various educational institutions.
"I enjoyed eating their meals, and their costumes were extremely vibrant. I spoke to the students, and they gave me an insight into the Malaysian history," said Ananya.
Similar is the feeling of Ania, who came from Poland and has been working with kids at a pre-school here. "People here are extremely generous and welcoming. I have accumulated all my experiences in documentaries, paintings and photography, and I am going to show them to the people in my country," said Ania.
"When youngsters interact with people from various cultures, they get to know about the different perspectives of lives and build an urge in them to travel to various countries," said Rahul Patnaik, organising committee president of the AIESEC.
During the event yesterday, youngsters from 10 countries set up stalls, displaying their culturally distinct items such as traditional clothes, food, dance and musical forms among others.
Sonali Patnaik, an engineering student, said: "I got an opportunity to meet new people and taste different dishes. I loved the Italian food and art forms. I also got to expand my knowledge and embrace other cultures."
The event witnessed around 500 students from institutes such as the College of Engineering, Bhubaneswar, Ravenshaw Unievrsity, Cuttack, International Institute of Information Technology, Bhubaneswar, Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, Sarang and the National Law University Odisha, Cuttack.
A series of cross-cultural interactions and panel discussions took place at the event where students talked with each other and discussed about the cultural practices prevailing in their respective countries.
The Global Village is conducted in various countries across the world, including 14 cities in India. Around 36 students from Odisha had earlier taken part in these meets in other countries.
