A Party for the Whole World

Christmas is a holiday for the whole family. At KIT, it is big and international: in December, more than 130 students and employees from all over the world met for a "Christmas Party" at the International Students Office (IStO) and the International Scholars and Welcome Office (IScO).

Participants of the seminar series "Welcome to Karlsruhe" organized the international get-together in Advent. The students made Christmas decorations and decorated a tree, designed an event poster and prepared a gift lottery, set up a buffet with Christmas cookies and distributed nameplates.

Employees from the IStO and other departments of KIT International Affairs (INTL) supported them, as did Theresa Lösch and Annika Müller, who are completing their training as media designers at KIT.

"We wanted to make a cultural exchange possible between foreign and German students, guest scientists and KIT staff," says Annette Seiter, head of the seminar series. And that succeeded: The party guests talked, sang together to the live music of a small INTL band, were happy about the appearance of a student in the costume of St. Nicholas and applauded Vice President Thomas Hirth, who welcomed them warmly.

Again and again, students sat down at the piano and spontaneously made music - like Farima, an Iranian student. "At my home, we're celebrating the New Year," she says. And then, she played a song from her homeland. Christmas is also a celebration of diversity.