Another term has flown by in the Global Lounge! From January to May we hosted 55 social and cultural events across the University in collaboration with societies, the SU and various other teams and individuals. Thank you to the 1500 students who attended, making every event one to remember!
Let’s take a moment to reflect on a few of the amazing events we enjoyed this spring.
Groundhog Day Celebration
We kicked off February with a lively Groundhog Day celebration, bringing a slice of American tradition to the Global Lounge. Students and staff gathered to watch the live broadcast from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where Punxsutawney Phil made his annual weather prediction.
The event featured American breakfast goodies and fun facts about Groundhog Day, making it an exciting start to the term!
CSSA Spring Festival Gala
We then collaborated with the Chinese Students’ and Scholars’ Association to celebrate the Year of the Dragon with a Spring Festival Gala in the Victoria Rooms.
This significant Chinese holiday, which begins on the last day of the lunar month, was brought to life with a fantastic variety of acts including singing, dancing and band performances. The event gave us all an insightful glimpse into the rich traditions of Chinese New Year and the opportunity to learn more about this important time of year.
Image credit: Sirun Tang
East Meets West: Legally Brown
In March, we collaborated with the Hindu societies to present “East Meets West: Legally Brown”, a unique cultural twist on the modern-day classic Legally Blonde. The show told the story of Alia, a fashionable and determined young woman aiming to attend Oxford Law School to win back her ex-boyfriend. The re-imagined production combined the original storyline with vibrant Bollywood music and showcased diverse talent from various societies.
The event was a resounding success, with an enthusiastic audience enjoying the perfect blend of drama, music, and dance.
St David’s Day
To honor the patron saint of Wales, we celebrated St David’s Day in style. We kicked things off with a presentation on Welsh culture and identity, where we asked staff and students to try pronouncing the longest word in Welsh – ‘Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch’, which is a name of a village in Anglesey. We then went on to play some games and enjoyed a serving of traditional Welsh stew, Cawl, with some Welsh cakes for pudding!
Open Iftar
April saw the celebration of Open Iftar, where Muslim and non-Muslim members of the University community came together to learn about Ramadan and share in the tradition of breaking the fast after sunset. Held in the Great Hall of the Wills Memorial Building, the event encouraged non-Muslim attendees to try fasting for the day to fully embrace the experience.
Ann, a member of staff at the University said: ‘Being able to share in an event which is a hugely important part of my colleague’s beliefs/life but is something which I have not experienced before, [was really valuable].’
The evening featured speeches, a Qur’an recitation, and a presentation about Ramadan, peaking with a delicious meal provided by Gopal’s Curry Shack. It was a night of reflection, learning, and community spirit.
Image credit: Sirun Tang
Black Students Network Spring Soiree
Our spring term concluded with the vibrant Black Students Network Spring Gala at Bristol SU, celebrating the full spectrum of Black diasporic culture. This inclusive event featured performances by the talented team behind Afrocentrik, dancing and engaging games.
Alex, our Global Lounge Coordinator said, ‘The Black Student’s Network Spring Soiree was a vibrant and energetic event celebrating the diverse culture at the University of Bristol. With great African and Caribbean food, rapping, singing and a dance-off, it will definitely be a night to remember for all those who attended.’
Image credit: Amy Fern, Soul Media
Looking Ahead
Ola, Head of Global Lounge, summarised the spring term:
‘Spring term this year was brilliant, our team went out a lot to collaborate on vibrant events with different teams and venues. I enjoyed all events I attended (which was a lot!), meeting new students, and continuing to learn about new cultures. We continued to run our Language Café’s, Travel the World sessions and started new Friday Hangouts in the Lounge, which I thoroughly enjoy, as they offer opportunities for our students to engage with us and others in a meaningful ‘global’ way.’
Keep an eye on our upcoming events calendar and don’t miss the chance to engage, learn, and celebrate with us over the coming months! Our summer events are now in full swing, with picnics, craft events, culture and coffee shop crawls and more! We will also be launching our new cultural events programme in August. Check out our upcoming events here.
Until then, enjoy your break and we will see you soon!
Lots of love, the Global Lounge team x
Full spring events listing:
- South Asian Harvesting Celebrations – 23 January, 5 pm to 7 pm