Students celebrate different cultures during Global Focus Week

Liberty University kicked off Global Focus Week in Monday’s Convocation as more than 120 international students filed into the Vines Center proudly waving the flags of their home nations to the beat of Chris Tomlin’s “How Great is Our God.”

Global Focus Week is a biannual conference hosted by the Center for Global Engagement aimed at raising global awareness among Liberty University students, faculty, and staff. The conference offers students the opportunity to hear globally influential guest speakers in Convocation, connect with hundreds of cross-cultural workers at an expo of organizations, and participate in interactive cultural learning breakout sessions. Representatives from 47 organizations, including the International Mission Board, Samaritan’s Purse, and Compassion International, are visiting campus this week to connect with students.

Liberty’s international students are involved in many of the events. About 900 students representing over 85 countries are enrolled in Liberty’s residential programs. Many

of the events throughout the week offer opportunities to experience different aspects of foreign cultures. On Tuesday, students sampled international food at Taste of the Nations Food Festival. Additionally, they have the chance to attend various Cultural Breaks in the Jerry Falwell Library each afternoon from 2-4 p.m., allowing them to experience the art, culture, and cuisine from various nations. See the full schedule for times and locations, as well as other events.

Unique to this year’s event, Compassion International’s The Compassion Experience, featuring 2,000 square feet of interactive exhibit space, will be hosted in the Liberty University Barnes & Noble Bookstore parking lot for five days. The experience is a self-guided tour that immerses visitors in the lives of children in the Philippines, Kenya, and the Dominican Republic — all from the perspective of a child whose life began in poverty. This event is free and open to the public.

Juan Bautista, an international student from Honduras, said that he is looking forward to sharing his culture with other students this week.

“Everybody here at Liberty encourages me in my life on a daily basis, and I am excited for them to learn about other cultures through the various events this week,“ he said.