International Week is an annual celebration for the many cultures hosted within the American School of Doha’s (ASD) campus. The ASD community takes pride in the fact that it comprises over 2,100 students from 75 countries.
The opening ceremony saw speeches from student council presidents of the high school, middle school and elementary school. As Aisha Javaid, high school student council president, said: “It isn’t every day that when you walk into a classroom you see children from every corner of the world working together. This diversity and richness of cultures is the gift of ASD to all of us in preparation for the increasingly globalised world.”
ASD’s middle school president Omar Mardini shared his experience with the full student body for “Week Without Walls” and stated: “Last week, I had a chance to go to Sri Lanka for Week Without Walls. I learned more about the Sri Lankan culture. We stayed in the centre of the green country, Sigiriya. As a service project, we fixed up the school, played with the kids that were almost the same age as me… 14. We learned more about the different cultures and the diversity of Sri Lanka… it opened my eyes to see the different situation these kids live in… and how lucky we are to be going to a school like this. Different cultures? Different lives? That is what International Week is all about… Diversity.”
The opening ceremony also hosted a parade of flags; the youngest and eldest student from each country walked together holding their country’s flag while being introduced by different students with key facts about their country. Over 70 flags were paraded.
An international buffet, sponsored by the Parent Teacher Association, consisted of dishes cooked by volunteer parents for over 2,500 people. The gym was filled with people and food from all over the globe.
The Arab Mothers Association (AMA), a group of volunteers aiming to bridge Arabic culture with other cultures at ASD, also contributed to making this year’s International Week a success with interactive activities showcasing Arab traditions. The AMA put up a large traditional Qatari tent that consisted of a majlis, Arabic delicacies, henna, paintings, handicraft artists and a live falcon, a symbol of hunting in some Arab countries. Professional dancers performed the traditional dance (dabkeh).
Closing ceremonies were held individually for each division. Students performed traditional dances from Peru, Qatar, Arabic Dabkeh, Zumba and the Philippines. The Sri Lanken School performed for the middle school. ASD percussionists played an Australian song while pre-k students sang in seven languages.
The middle school announced the winners from each grade’s video for the “One Tribe Campaign”; a community building project focused on encouraging positive behavioural changes through kindness and compassion.
The Peninsula
