Austria
participants
The goal of the Brazilian-Portuguese night was to familiarise people with the culture, the language, the national cuisine and the music from both Brazil and Portugal.
This event was organised by a group of OCs from our section with the help of international students from Brazil and Portugal, who we recruited through an Open Call. With the help of these incomings we put together a playlist with famous Portuguese and Brazilian songs, prepared some national dishes for the people to try as well as some sheets of paper with some basic phrases in both languages. During the evening we also offered a number of different drinks, some of which were typically Brazilian or Portuguese beverages while also offering finger food and snacks, in addition to the national dishes. While people were able to talk and socialise, we had a PowerPoint presentation with beautiful locations from both countries playing in the background to set the mood. For some fun pictures we prepared a number of card board cut outs to take pictures with, like the Rooster of Barcelos or carnival masks. As a highlight of the night we then also organised two quizzes, one about Brazil and the other one about Portugal. People could form teams together and compete as a group by answering questions about the countries and cultures while also learning fun and interesting facts. The winners of both quizzes were awarded with a prize. This prize consisted of a basket with things that are typical for either Brazil or Portugal, which we acquired at a special market.
The evening was lauded as a great success by both local and international students! The incomings who helped us organise the event were eager to tell and teach other people about their culture and language. All people actively engaged and talked about differences in cultures, language, music, food and drinks and they showed a lot of interest for both cultures and the general theme of intercultural dialogue. This event also attracted local students, who were thrilled to participate in such an international event. The quizzes we organised were also highly praised and the prizes very well received. Overall, the event was a very well received and people left with newfound knowledge and appreciation for other cultures, with new friends and in high spirits.