Rosemary Raths
rnr002@marietta.edu
Kuwait National Day takes place on the 25th of February. The Liberation Day of Kuwait occurs on Feb. 26. To celebrate the two occasions, students from Kuwait hosted their first Kuwait National Day event on campus. The celebration took place Saturday night in The Gathering Place, and drew a large crowd of students, faculty and friends.
As soon as guests entered the door they were encouraged to grab a flag, a pin, or a pair of Kuwait sunglasses. In the back, a booth was set up so that guests could receive a free henna tattoo and learn more about the artform. Food lined the walls and included packaged dates, colorful cupcakes, and a very sweet blend of coffee. According to attendee Sean Pinkerton, “it tasted very similar to Chai.”
In the background, favorite songs from Kuwait were being played. Although there was no dancing, guests were encouraged by the presenters to dress up in traditional Kuwait clothing and take polaroid pictures of each other for a keepsake. In return, guests were asked to leave a thoughtful note on the Kuwait flag for the hosts to enjoy after the event.
After thirty minutes of mingling and eating, some of the student organizers took to the stage to welcome everyone. The presentation included a reading from the Quran, the Kuwait national anthem, two speakers with a slideshow, and a short video about Kuwait’s history. “It’s just a beautiful day and we all have fun,” said one of the presenters about how the day is celebrated back home.
At Marietta College, the celebration ended with catering from the Buckley House. Students were able to enjoy the food while learning more about their fellow Pioneers. Faculty that attended had the opportunity to sit down and share a meal with students.
According to adjunct English as a Second Language instructor Deborah McNutt it was a good chance for her to get to know her ESL students better.
“I wanted to support my students, and I heard the food was going to be really great,” she said.
According to Derrell Anderson, the event was a good opportunity to widen his cultural horizons. “I want to enter into different cultures and learn more about the world,” Derrell Anderson said, adding that he was there to “celebrate.”
