The students of Semmelweis University have had the possibility to participate in the annual Semmelweis Carnival since 2010. The aim of the event is to bring closer the students taking part in the Hungarian, English and German Language Programmes who come from over 60 countries around the world.
The event took place in the NET building at Nagyvárad tér and was officially opened by Dr. Ágoston Szél, rector of Semmelweis University and the event’s official patron. Rector Szél called the students ‘colleagues’ in his speech emphasising that “naturally I know that you have not had the opportunity to be handed your diploma yet, however, in spite of this, I have numerous reasons to offer each other the respect and appreciation that the word ‘colleague’ signifies.” The Rector added that the word ‘colleague’ also refers to a common task which contextually remains appropriate considering that both the teachers and students are active in the same field and therefore share similar interests.
[pullquote]naturally I know that you have not had the opportunity to be handed your diploma yet, however, in spite of this, I have numerous reasons to offer each other the respect and appreciation that the word ‘colleague’ signifies.[/pullquote]
To further underline the appropriateness of the use of the word ‘colleague’, Dr. Ágoston Szél pointed out that all of them strive for the same goal since the teachers want to confer knowledge while the students want to obtain a diploma that is internationally competitive. “Another reason we are colleagues is the fact that we are all the citizens of Semmelweis University which we can be proud of.” – emphasised the Rector according to whom the University’s foreign language programmes are one of its biggest pride. As he said, the main idea behind the Carnival – one that an international university also considers as its own – is the fundamental sense of belonging of the students regardless where they are from.
Dr. Ágoston Szél asked the participants to appreciate our predecessors who realised three decades ago that launching foreign language programmes is a worthwhile intellectual investment which would later become the University’s most successful enterprise. The rector concluded his speech quoting the words of Marie Curie: “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” Dr. Erzsébet Ligeti and Dr. Andrea Székely welcomed the students as well representing the German and English Language Programmes.
The Carnival is one of the most dynamically developing student events offered by the University based on the increasing number of students it attracts from year to year. Similarly to previous years, this intercultural event was organised by the four largest student organisations: the Semmelweis University Students’ Union (EHÖK), the Instructor Self-Active Group (IÖCS), the International Student Association of Semmelweis (ISAS) and the Deutschsprachige Studentenvertretung Semmelweis (DSVS).
The event – apart from music and dance performances – featured a Multicultural Food Festival as well where the participants could try 18 nations’ specialities at the various international student booths.
Mária Mozer
Translated by: Bonifác Makkai
Photos: Attila Kovács
