Emirati students showcase UAE culture in Australia

Emirati students studying at Deakin University in Geelong, Victoria, have helped to showcase the diverse and vibrant culture of the United Arab Emirates. Waleed Ali Salem Al Harbi, a 22-year-old Emirati studying a Bachelor of Forensic Science at Deakin University's Geelong campus, located just outside of Melbourne, prepared the monthly cultural event along with other Emirati students at the university's library. It was part of the university's International Student Support Team's ENGAGE program. The students put on a spectacular show with miniature examples of some of the most famous architecture in the UAE on display, along with beautiful postcards and traditional coffee pots and perfume bottles. Posters of striking scenery and promotional materials about the UAE were also given to the hundreds of guests and students who passed through. Waleed, who is from Al Ain and is in his second year of the course, said "Our objective was to educate people about the UAE and there was a lot of interest from everyone who passed by. We even offered people the opportunity to experience the UAE's traditional dress and we had a lot of questions about our culture and traditions. It was a wonderful experience." John Butler, State Government of Victoria Commissioner to the Middle East and North Africa, said Victoria, Australia's south eastern state including major regional cities such as Geelong and its capital Melbourne, is a significant international education destination for the world. "International students are highly valued members of the Victorian community and its wonderful to see Emiratis showcasing their culture in Melbourne and helping to provide, in their own small way, further understanding about the UAE," added Butler. Education links between the two countries was also boosted recently when 30 Emirati students from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain returned home after an unforgettable month-long visit to another major Victorian city, Bendigo. The students successfully graduated from the Summer Abroad Program, an educational and cultural partnership between the Abu Dhabi Education Council and Bendigo TAFE.