Concordia Journal Home > Archives > January 15, 2009 issue >

Holiday dinner far away from home 

Currently, 11% of Concordia’s student body are international students, miles from the 150 different countries they normally call home.

For the ninth year running, Advancement and Alumni Relations has established an annual event directly acknowledging the fact more than 4 000 of our students are unable to be with their families during the holidays. Holding a dinner Dec. 27 at the Hotel Nelligan in Old Montreal, over 250 students from 50 different countries took the opportunity to share a meal and create a special sense of community.The meal combined local foods like smoked meat with fatouche.

In an article the following day in the Montreal Gazette, reporter Jason Magder gave a colourful account of the event.

"I'm glad I got to experience my first white Christmas, but I never thought it would be this cold," said Kenyan student Rebecca Gideon, 26.

“I’m delighted to take part in this festive occasion in honour of our international students,” said Judith Woodsworth, Concordia President and Vice-Chancellor. “We value them for their contributions to campus life and for sharing their own customs and traditions. It is this diversity of cultures, backgrounds and approaches of both our students and faculty that contributes to the identity and fabric of Concordia.”