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Looking back on Durham Global Week 2023

The first ever Durham Global Week was a resounding success, with 38 events including panel discussions, workshops, language taster sessions, world music and dance, international movie viewings, a multilingual pub quiz and student takeovers of cafés around campus.

Many of the events were hybrid, allowing guests to attend in person or online. We launched a new Global Durham section of our website. Our official social media accounts published 68 posts and 21 stories, reaching 34,000 followers. We received 265,238 impressions, 2,800 engagements, 1,400 reactions and gained 1,539 new followers across all channels. The #DUGlobalWeek hashtag was used 258 times between 22 February and 11 March. 

Staff and students were recognised for their contributions to building the University's international reputation and partnerships at the Global Durham Awards, which were held following a celebratory dinner at Stephenson College on 10 March.

See what events took place
38
38 Events
1,539
1,539 New social media followers
50
50 Web posts, case studies and stories on the Global Impact and Global Culture web pages
265,238
265,238 Social media impressions on Durham University accounts
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Video: Global Week highlights

Students, staff and members of the wider community celebrated our cultural diversity at events throughout Durham Global Week

Learn more about our global impact

 

 

University student
Global Week was a great opportunity to learn about different cultures and traditions from around the world, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have participated in it. It was a great reminder of how much we can learn from each other and how much we have in common, despite our differences.

Rahma Aqeel
Durham University international student

Durham Global Awards

Our Global Week events culminated in a celebratory dinner on 10 March 2023 at Stephenson College, for the first-ever Global Durham Awards.

The awards recognised individuals and teams from across the University who have made a significant contribution to furthering international collaboration and understanding.
Meet the winners
Professor Rob Lynes, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor (Global) presenting the Durham Global Awards dinner

The week in photos

Click through the gallery to see some of our favourite moments from Durham Global Week 2023.

 

Students taking part in the Indian tradition of throwing coloured powder over each other during Holi Festival

Students taking part in the Indian tradition of throwing coloured powder over each other for Holi Festival.

 

Students throwing coloured powder at Durham Global Week Holi Festival

Students throwing coloured powder in celebration of Holi Festival at Durham Global Week.

Student helping local children colour in designs as part of Holi Festival

Students helping local children colour in designs as part of Holi Festival celebrations during Durham Global Week.

Students dancing in celebration of Holi Festival during Durham Global Week

Students performing traditional Indian dances in celebration of Holi Festival during Durham Global Week.

Lord Darroch of Kew at Durham Global Week

Lord Darroch of Kew (pictured, left), the UK's former Permanent Representative to the EU, National Security Adviser, and US Ambassador, delivered a talk on Brexit, Trump, and the War in Ukraine: Democracy in Turbulent Times as part of Durham Global Week.

Students running a stall at World Fest, a Durham Global Week event

Students offering samples of food from countries around the world at a stall at World Fest, a Durham Global Week event.

Students learning about Indonesia, one of many countries represented by a stall at World Fest

Students learning about Indonesia, one of many countries represented at a stall at World Fest.

The Canadian stall at World Fest

The Canadian stall at World Fest.

Students at the Mongolia stall at World Fest

Students at the Mongolia stall at World Fest.

Students at the Mexico stall at World Fest

Students at the Mexico stall at World Fest.

Students taking part in international music and dance taster sessions at World Fest

Students taking part in international music and dance taster sessions at World Fest.

Students taking part in global craft sessions at World Fest

Students taking part in global craft sessions at World Fest

Students painting fans during a craft session at World Fest

Students painting fans during a craft session at World Fest.

Painted fans created by students during a World Fest craft session

Painted fans created by students during a World Fest craft session.

Writing in foreign languages during World Fest

Writing in foreign languages during World Fest.

Students taking part in a Taekwondo session during World Fest

Students taking part in a Taekwondo session during World Fest.

A student taking part in a global dance session at World Fest

A student taking part in a global dance session at World Fest.

Serving tea at World Fest

Serving traditional refreshments at World Fest.

Dr Kamal from the University of Dhaka presents slides at the Fixing our Climate The Bangladesh Perspective event

Dr Maksud Kamal from the University of Dhaka presents slides at the Fixing our Climate: The Bangladesh Perspective event.

A speaker joins the Fixing our Climate The Bangladesh Perspective remotely. The event was hybrid, allowing speakers and audience members to join in person or online.

The Fixing our Climate: The Bangladesh Perspective event was hybrid, allowing speakers and audience members to attend in person or online.

A speaker summarises recommendations that were made at the Fixing our Climate: The Bangladesh Perspective event

A speaker summarises recommendations that were made at the Fixing our Climate: The Bangladesh Perspective event.

Vice-Chancellor Karen O'Brien addressing guests at the International Scholars' Reception

Vice-Chancellor and Warden Karen O'Brien addressing guests at the International Scholars' Reception 2023, an invitation-only event held in the Oriental Museum during Global Week to celebrate our international scholarship recipients.

Guests listening to speakers at the International Scholars' Reception

Guests listening to speakers at the International Scholars' Reception.

Guests at the International Scholars Reception 2023, held in the Oriental Museum, Durham

Guests at the International Scholars Reception.

Networking at the International Scholars' Reception

A group of guests in conversation at the International Scholars' Reception.

A group of guests posing for a photo at the International Scholars' Reception

A group of guests posing for a photo at the International Scholars' Reception.

Durham University staff stand beside the Global Week banner during the Global Goals Summit

Staff stand in front of a Durham Global Week banner during the Global Goals Summit.

Professor Mark Allen speaking to an audience at the Global Goals Summit

Professor Mark Allen delivering a session on What are UN SDGs and Why are they Important? to an audience at the Global Goals Summit 

Speakers at the Global Goals Summit

Speakers at the Global Goals Summit.

Students taking part in a group exercise at the Global Goals summit

Students taking part in a group exercise at the Global Goals summit.

Students hold their certificates of achievement after completing the Global Goals Summit

Students hold their certificates of achievement after completing the Global Goals Summit.

Two students preparing food in preparation for the Palatine kitchen takeover

Two students preparing food in preparation for the Palatine kitchen takeover, in which students prepared menus from different countries at cafés around campus.

Students trying a variety of foods from around the globe at World Fest

Students trying a variety of foods from around the globe at the Palatine Kitchen Takeover.

Palatine kitchen takeover

Students making food in preparation for the Palatine kitchen takeover.

Some of the baked goods made by students to international recipes for the Palatine kitchen takeover

Some of the baked goods made by students to international recipes for the Palatine kitchen takeover.

 

 

University student
Participating in Global Week as a lead ambassador has been a true highlight of the year. The opportunity to connect with others and learn about many different cultures, perspectives, and definitely music was an unforgettable experience that I cherish and am proud to have taken part in.

Adel Rezk
Durham University international student

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Two images side by side: A mixed group standing outside for the camera on the left, and mixed group standing inside smiling at two women signing an agreement at a table in front of them on the right