DIS 2010 a resounding success
16 Nov 2010
On Saturday 13 November more than 2000 students attended the Day of the International Student in The Hague to enjoy an exciting programme and – most importantly – to get to know one another. The event was marked by a positive and lively atmosphere from start to finish.
Pre-event excursions
Before the meeting at the World Forum, many participants made an excursion to one of The Hague’s numerous famous sites such as the Dutch Parliament, the miniature city of Madurodam and Panomara Mesdag.
The first thing the students saw on arriving at the World Forum was a skating rink alongside a triumphal arch of orange balloons. The colour orange is not only significant as the colour of the Dutch royal family, but also symbolizes the international promotion of Dutch higher education.
Opening
In the World Forum, Nuffic’s Director-General Sander van den Eijnden bid all those present a warm welcome. He expressed gratitude on behalf of the Netherlands for the fact that so many international students have chosen to study in this country.
His speech was followed by a second word of welcome from Ingrid van Engelshoven, Councillor for Education in The Hague. She welcomed the students on behalf of her city, which has helped to make the Day of the International Student possible through a significant sponsorship contribution.
Sharon Goh Puay Ngee from Singapore then went on to give the audience lots of useful advice for standing out in the labour market, thus improving your chances of securing a job that allows you to make the most of your talents.
Stand-up comedian Russel Hekster, who has swapped his native country of South Africa for The Hague, acted as a comical Master of Ceremonies during the plenary session.
Workshops
During the second part of the afternoon many enthusiastic students attended a wide range of workshops. In addition to serious workshops addressing topics like entrepreneurship, working in the Netherlands and networking, visitors also had the chance to try out Bollywood dancing and to paint Dutch clogs.
Final meeting
The final plenary meeting featured a fashion show with participants in regional traditional dress. The jury, which included former Miss Holland Lucy Visser, had great difficulty in reaching a decision. The award for the men eventually went to Bunu Umara Goso of Nigeria, for his truly regal and assertive presence. The women’s category was won by Kledia of Rwanda with a festive outfit.
The final meeting concluded with a refreshing approach to networking. Stand-up comedian Adam Fields threw balls of thread out into the room for the audience to throw to someone else. In a matter of minutes, the 2000 students were all connected together under a roof of thread.
The evening was brought to a close with an electric party featuring The Hague-based cover band Tour de Funk and the renowned DJ Bus.
Student lottery winners
A number of those who took part in the DIS later went on to receive a special surprise in the form of a student lottery prize. Rael Ruto from Kenya won the hotel stay for two, while Mecklina Babyegeta from Tanzania won the chance to go on a sightseeing bike trip together with nine friends. Xing Yinuo from China was lucky enough to win that famous Delft invention, the storm umbrella that can survive any hurricane unscathed.
Download the speech of Sharon Goh Puay Ngee (87 kB)