One World Week 2011
The world's largest student run international event - One World Week - returns to campus between the 29th January and 5th February 2011 for its annual celebration of the world’s mosaic of cultures.
Now in its 16th year, the nine day event offers an array of interactive entertainment ranging from thought provoking discussions in the One World Forum and enchanting performances from One World Festival to the blood and thunder of the One World Sports tournaments and the thumping beats of One World Nights.
One World Week has grown considerably since it began as a one-day event in 1995. It is now recognised as the world’s largest Student-run International Event, and draws more than 20,000 participants each year to celebrate the world’s diversity and share in the vast array of cultures present at Warwick.
"One World Week's primary objective is to celebrate the beauty of our world's diversity. It is entirely dedicated to an inspiring exploration of cultures, of the human being and of his world. Over the years it has come to be the most important international student festival...I ardently encourage initiatives of this kind."
(Honourable Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations)
The Week is made up of four elements: Forum, Festival, Nights and Sports. Students have the opportunity to get involved in more than 140 different events, and to learn and share in the spirit present on Warwick’s unique campus. It is a self-funded, non-profit initiative and aims to, stimulate personal development and inspire a view based on acceptance and appreciation of the world’s mosaic of cultures. It encourages awareness of and positive action on issues which affect our One World.
Forum
The world-renown Forum element of One World Week attracts high-profile speakers from across the world, and has recently welcomed such luminaries as Professor Raghuram Rajan (Chief Economist of IMF), Mr Stephen Tindale (Executive Director, Greenpeace UK) and hundreds more.
Forum 2011 will discuss topics such as: The Future of Nuclear; Feeding the Hunger; and Corporate Social Responsibilities.
Speakers include:
- John Hancock, Director - World Trade Organisation
- Michael Reid, Editor - The Economist
- Steven Cowley, CEO - UKAEA
- Professor Ashwini Deshpande - Delhi School of Economics
Through a series of panel debates, and interactive sessions, Forum provides a platform to discuss mainstream topical issues as well as highlighting more personal stories of struggle, change and success.
Festival
The One World festival highlights different regions of the world on each day: Middle East & Africa; Indo Asia; East Asiania; Americas & Caribbean; and Europe.
The busiest element of One World Week, Festival hosts the day entertainment. By transforming the University of Warwick’s Students' Union each day into a dramatic show of cultures and passion, Festival becomes the lifeblood of the Week, and embodies the spirit of fun, enthusiasm and celebration of One World Week. In 2011, some of the highlights include Capoeira and Salsa performances, wine tasting, Venetian mask making session, Eurovision Song Contest and a DJ Workshop.
Sports
Sports allows students from all the 120 nationalities on campus to come together on friendly terms and communicate in spite of any cultural, social, language or even physical barriers. It allows friendship and understanding to be fostered through a variety of different sporting events, encompassing both the popular and the less well known sports, such as floorball, lacrosse and different types of martial arts. With the football tournament alone attracting over 230 players, Sports has rapidly developed as a major element of One World Week, and continues to attract interest from across the UK. This year Sports has even incorporated a Wii Sports tournament.
Nights
One World Week Nights offer a variety of evening entertainment. The World Music Concert looks to combine a fantastic amalgamation of global sounds, rhythms and beats mixing classical, contemporary
and avant-garde styles together. The Fashion Show – ‘Evolution to Utopia’ is exploring the exciting theme of society today and how we are living on a delicate balance of social, political, economic and even environmental stability. Participants can also look forward to an Inter-University Dance-off, a masquerade carnival and a DJ set by the world-renown Mark Ronson.
