Hundreds of students, staff and members of the public gathered at the Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Concourse for the opening of SMU’s 'Global Village' on 13 September 2017. The place was abuzz with a smorgasbord of art booths, immersive videos, food and games, all of which showcased the rich culture and history of eleven nationalities housed in a single location. 'Global Village' is part of a series of events hosted by the university to promote social integration of all students at SMU through raising awareness and appreciation of ethnic and cultural identities. Open to the entire SMU community, their guests and to the general public, Global Village is presented by members of the SMU International Connections (ICON) student body and the Office of Dean of Students (Diversity, Inclusion & Integration), which is led by Professor Paulin Tay Straughan, Professor of Sociology (Practice) and Dean of Students.
In sharing about the context of the initiative, Professor Paulin Tay Straughan commented: “In past years, SMU organised international cultural festivals and commemorated the United Nations' International National Day of Peace to involve the community in celebrating diversity and cultural differences. The result was so compelling that this year, we are doing it again, on a wider scale with a festival of activities taking place over nine days – and it will start with the opening of a spectacular and immersive Global Village.”
“We wanted a theme that our multiracial student population could relate to. The concept of a “village” brings to mind a familial culture, where individuals integrate and form a community where people take care of each other. The aim is to recreate Singapore's "kampong" spirit which our young nation enjoyed, where neighbours who may have once upon a time been strangers, would reach out and make it a point to get to know each other's names; and where personal privacy is not valued over communication and kindness towards one another. We hope to bring people of all nationalities and backgrounds together on campus to help rediscover and develop this "kampong" spirit, right here at SMU.”
