Welcoming the world – our international societies
With a student population from over 137 nations, it stands to reason that many of the University’s 280+ societies would have an international focus. We spoke to representatives of several societies to find out more about the appeal they hold for current and future students.
The current volume of international societies at the University of Edinburgh leads to wonderful chance encounters; on any given day, one could stumble upon a French Society barbecue in the meadows or Korean Society film screening in George Square.
International societies are the juncture for students nostalgic for home and students interested in a foreign culture to meet. They are the antidote for homesick students who long to converse in their mother tongue and discuss the latest book release from their country’s most celebrated author. In the same vein, international societies are the cushion for students who have just returned from an exchange, or have just started learning a language and want to celebrate their adoration.
To find out more about what kind of support international societies offer their members, we spoke to representatives from the Estonian International Society, Japan International Society, Latin American Society and Kurdish International Society.
While the overall aim of the international societies is to promote their cultural presence in Edinburgh, the approach differs.
The day is filled with “calligraphy, origami, gaming and various Japanese foods” and even “a friendly sumo suit fighting competition.” It is no wonder that the society has been commended as the 'Most Sociable Society'
Estonian Society
The Estonian Society, in addition to creating an environment for “Estonians and people interested in Estonia to meet and create strong connections here in Edinburgh,” they also work with national and international organisations to “encourage Estonian students to come to study at the University of Edinburgh.”
Kurdish Society
The Kurdish Society encourages members to not only learn about “Kurdish language, culture and identity” but also to engage in the political atmosphere surrounding the Kurdish people.
Though only 10-15% of the Latin American Society members come from outside the Latin American region, the society has “become more open for people outside Latin America” as they believe that “listening and understanding perspective from outside the region will only increase tolerance among members.”
Japanese Society
For those interested in Japanese culture, members of the Japan Society recommend Japan Day, their main event of year.
The day is filled with “calligraphy, origami, gaming and various Japanese foods” and even “a friendly sumo suit fighting competition.” It is no wonder that that the society has been commended as the 'Most Sociable Society'. They encourage non-Japanese members to join their group as they have events that may interest them as well, including “career events for members with an interest in either working in japan or for a Japanese company in the future.”
The Kurdish Society – a quarter of whose members are non-Kurdish – collaborates with other political societies at the University. With a strong emphasis on human rights, the society teams up with refugee action groups on campus. With this ethos, members have been shown to be “more enthusiastic about different cultures and identities.”
Latin American Society
The Latin American Society runs a Latin American week every February. The crown jewel of this week is the Latin American Forum, which, according to its website, “serves as an opportunity to represent and integrate the Edinburgh Latin American community, as well as to develop international partnerships between the University of Edinburgh and first-class institutions and businesses.”
In previous years, there were networking opportunities and speakers with unique knowledge and insight into Latin American-UK economic and international relations, including the UK ambassador to Panama, Dr Ian Collard. The value to students attending the event may only be matched by the knowledge exchanged between the societies that worked on creating it.
The Latin American Society collaborated with the University of Edinburgh’s Business School, School of Economics and the Centre for Contemporary Latin American Studies on facilitating the speakers and managing the logistics, an experience they’ll surely remember for a long time to come.
Creature comforts
For students who do join international societies they identify with, a bonus is the food that often comes with it. The biggest Estonian Society event is their “cozy Christmas dinner”, filled with Estonian food, the thing many Estonians say they miss the most from home. Students that join these societies can tap into a wealth of knowledge of where to find the best ingredients for recipes from home - perhaps mom’s famous Borscht soup, or where the best place is to get the classic and revered American dish, mac’n’cheese.
Culture exchange
The Kurdish Society – a quarter of whose members are non-Kurdish – collaborates with other political societies at the University. With a strong emphasis on human rights, the society teams up with refugee action groups on campus. With this ethos, members have been shown to be “more enthusiastic about different cultures and identities.”
This sentiment has been echoed across the international society sphere, where students have noticed “more international interaction” between societies. As the Japan Society commented, “we are constantly inspired by the activities of other societies.”
Interested in finding out more about what international societies are on offer? Use the Edinburgh University Students' Association society search to find the perfect community for you.