Fahmida Sharmin, Mehnaz Choudhury and Sharmin Akther of Bangladesh present the history, location and natural resources of their country yesterday in Van Campen Hall as a part of the Cultural Dialogues series hosted by the International Exchange Program. T

Credit: DKS Editors

Yesterday, 18 international scholars from eight different countries presented pictures and music to inform an audience of about 26 attendees on their countries’ education, population, culture and history.

The Cultural Dialogues Feature, or moving feast, took place around campus in the Student Center, Van Campen Hall and White Hall.

The first part of the moving feast consisted of scholars from India, Egypt and Malaysia. During the presentation, the audience could enjoy soup and bread while listening to each speaker.

“India is the last country of more than five billion people,” Shaji Mani Choorapuzhayil, visiting scholar from India, said. “That’s the beauty of India; Hindi is our national language, and more than Hindi we speak English.”

The next segment of the roving meal included cheese, fruit and vegetables with speakers from Morocco and Bangladesh.

Moroccan speakers emphasized schooling during their presentation.

“They go to school from 8 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.,” Abdesalam Zouita, visiting scholar from Morocco, said. “It means from noon to 2 p.m. it’s free; they can go home.”

It is such a long school day, students don’t have very much free time.

“They don’t have time to work and study at the same time,” he said.

The day ended with cookies and tea with cultural dialogues from Indonesia, Jordan and Lebanon.

Scholars from Indonesia opened their presentation with a lesson in geography.

“People ask me ‘where is Indonesia?’ I just told them do you know Australia? ‘Yes, I know Australia.’ It’s just north of Australia and it makes easier to understand where Indonesia is,” Nuraini Ibrahim, visiting scholar from Indonesia, said.

The scholars also spoke about the devastation from the tsunami incorporating pictures and music into their presentation.

“These cultural dialogues informed the participants from eight countries of each other’s culture and history and also informed the Kent State community,” Linda Robertson, director of the center for international and intercultural education, said. “These secondary educators are here to learn about America, but also about each other.”

All 18 scholars are involved in the International Leadership in Education Program.

Contact Education, Health and Human Services reporter Alyssa Conner at [email protected] Contact international affairs reporter Marissa Mendel at [email protected].