Some 280 students, staff and homestay families celebrated EIT Hawke’s Bay’s diversity of cultures with an International Dinner held on campus last week. (Thursday, August 15)

Many overseas students dressed in national costume for the occasion, and contributed to the event by preparing dishes typical of the cuisine of their homeland.    

The evening’s entertainment also had an international flavour with dance and singing performances by groups from Laos, Mongolia, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and India.  New Zealand’s home-grown culture also shone, with the Kahurangi Performing Arts Group and EIT English language teachers included in the line-up of entertainment.

Welcoming guests in a number of languages, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Fred Koenders pointed out that people now lived in a global world.

That was reflected in the wide range of cuisine styles – with dishes representing India, Russia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, China, Laos, and of course New Zealand.

Mr Koenders said students had driven the organisation of the event, helped by EIT’s International Centre and English Language Centre.

Others to lend a hand were “the ladies” of St Columbas Church in Taradale, who helped in the kitchen, “Scholars” (EIT) who helped cater the dinner and sponsors of the evening, Greenmeadows New World and Flaxmere New World and Thai Oaks Restaurant.

Students thoroughly enjoyed dancing to the music from different countries and making the most of photo opportunities. Awards were given to best dressed male and female, won by Ms Bolormaa Borkhuu of Mongolia and Mr Kuldip Singh of India.