International Peace Village Spreads Cultural Awareness
International students and community cultural organizations will represent diverse cultures at the 62nd annual International Peace Village.
When business management major Marion Ette and finance major Zion Kah tell their fellow San Diego State University students they come from Ivory Coast, they get a few common reactions.
They are asked about where in Africa it’s located (West Africa). They are asked what language is spoken there (French, among dozens of others). And some people just want to talk about Ivorian soccer star Didier Drogba (a former Chelsea standout).
Ette and Kah are out to spread a little knowledge at this month’s 62nd annual International Peace Village.
“There are 60 ethnicities in Ivory Coast, and we speak 60 languages—we don’t just speak French,” said Kah, who grew up in the village of Toulépleu near the country’s western border with Liberia. “Those are the kind of things we want to show people.”
Hosted by the SDSU International Student Center and One SDSU Community as part of International Education Week, the International Peace Village will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 15 at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union. International students and community cultural organizations will represent the cultures of their native countries through table displays, performances and an international fashion show.
Global diversity on display
Representatives from more than 20 nations will host tables at Peace Village, including international student-led tables from Mexico, Jordan, Hungary, Venezuela, Myanmar, Singapore, France, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Italy, Brazil, Israel, Ivory Coast and Thailand.
“SDSU is a campus where international education is a priority and graduating global citizens is what we’re all about,” said Noah Hansen, director of the International Student Center. “We have students from over 100 different countries on campus right now. These students, working in concert with the 3,000 SDSU students who study abroad every year, provide a rich global perspective on our campus. Peace Village is a day that really embodies and celebrates that.”
It’s an especially meaningful opportunity for students from countries with small international student cohorts, like Ivory Coast. Ette, who hails from the coastal village of Jacqueville in the country’s southeast, said the entire San Diego region has a small, but close-knit, Ivorian community of about 50 people.
Kah and Ette plan to wear traditional attire for the international fashion show in addition to adorning their table with photos, traditional jewelry and samples of national dishes, such as fried banana, rice and beignets. They’re even preparing a small Ivory Coast prospectus to pass out.
“We’re really excited about this,” Ette said. “It’s going to be the first time Ivory Coast will be represented at Peace Village, and we really want to represent our country and its rich, diverse culture.”
New location
One new aspect of this year’s Peace Village is that the event will move from its previous home—Montezuma Hall—outdoors to the Lee & Frank Goldberg Courtyard. Hansen hopes hosting the event in this high-traffic area will enable students heading to and from class and other passers-by to experience the event.
“This is an opportunity to have students sharing their culture and to put it right in the student union courtyard, which is the campus living room that everyone passes through,” Hansen said. “I’m excited about having international out in front of everyone on campus.”
