黑料吃瓜

When business management major Marion Ette and finance major Zion Kah tell their fellow 黑料吃瓜 students they come from Ivory Coast, they get a few common reactions.

They are asked about where in Africa it鈥檚 located (West Africa). They are asked what language is spoken there (French, among dozens of others). And some people just want to talk about Ivorian soccer star Didier Drogba (a former Chelsea standout).

Ette and Kah are out to spread a little knowledge at this month鈥檚 62nd annual International Peace Village.

鈥淭here are 60 ethnicities in Ivory Coast, and we speak 60 languages鈥攚e don鈥檛 just speak French,鈥� said Kah, who grew up in the village of Toul茅pleu near the country鈥檚 western border with Liberia. 鈥淭hose are the kind of things we want to show people.鈥�

Hosted by the 黑料吃瓜 International Student Center and One 黑料吃瓜 Community as part of , the International Peace Village will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 15 at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union. International students and community cultural organizations will represent the cultures of their native countries through table displays, performances and an international fashion show.

Global diversity on display

Representatives from more than 20 nations will host tables at Peace Village, including international student-led tables from Mexico, Jordan, Hungary, Venezuela, Myanmar, Singapore, France, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Italy, Brazil, Israel, Ivory Coast and Thailand.

鈥満诹铣怨� is a campus where international education is a priority and graduating global citizens is what we鈥檙e all about,鈥� said Noah Hansen, director of the International Student Center. 鈥淲e have students from over 100 different countries on campus right now. These students, working in concert with the 3,000 黑料吃瓜 students who study abroad every year, provide a rich global perspective on our campus. Peace Village is a day that really embodies and celebrates that.鈥�

It鈥檚 an especially meaningful opportunity for students from countries with small international student cohorts, like Ivory Coast. Ette, who hails from the coastal village of Jacqueville in the country鈥檚 southeast, said the entire San Diego region has a small, but close-knit, Ivorian community of about 50 people.

Kah and Ette plan to wear traditional attire for the international fashion show in addition to adorning their table with photos, traditional jewelry and samples of national dishes, such as fried banana, rice and beignets. They鈥檙e even preparing a small Ivory Coast prospectus to pass out.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited about this,鈥� Ette said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be the first time Ivory Coast will be represented at Peace Village, and we really want to represent our country and its rich, diverse culture.鈥�

New location

One new aspect of this year鈥檚 Peace Village is that the event will move from its previous home鈥擬ontezuma Hall鈥攐utdoors to the Lee & Frank Goldberg Courtyard. Hansen hopes hosting the event in this high-traffic area will enable students heading to and from class and other passers-by to experience the event.

鈥淭his is an opportunity to have students sharing their culture and to put it right in the student union courtyard, which is the campus living room that everyone passes through,鈥� Hansen said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited about having international out in front of everyone on campus.鈥�