Wed 5th October, 2011
International students and Luton’s local community came together at a fair held in their honour at the University of Bedfordshire.
More than 200 students flocked to the special community fair in the £34m Campus Centre organised as part of their Orientation Week.
More than 25 businesses, voluntary and youth groups exhibited at the fair, including local food outlets, mobile phone companies and community radio stations. Safety tips and advice, town information, details on accommodation, employment and free health checks were also on offer.
The London 2012 cultural project – Truck Art – made a special appearance at the Community Fair. Luton Truck Art is a project where a group of young people have decorated a vintage Bedford Truck inspired by the colourful and fascinating Pakistani truck folk art. The Project is a part of Eastern Exchanges - a London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Stories of the World programme.
Organiser Dr Fiaz Hussain said: “The event went really well. Hundreds of students came along and it was great to see the interaction between them and the local community. We hope that our international students are now better acquainted with what Luton has to offer and that they’ll soon become an active part of the community.”
Deputy Vice Chancellor (External Relations) Professor Ashraf Jawaid said: “We want all our students, including those from around the world, to interact and engage with the local community. This fair was a chance for us to show just how proud we are of both our students and our neighbours in Luton.”
