"Christmas is here!"

Diversity characterizes the city of Liege, Belgium, and is particularly embodied by the University. Indeed, despite the fact that students from all over the world come to study in this Walloon town, diversity is often celebrated within the very confines of the university. Thus, events are put in place regularly, such as "Christmas of cultures", which took place at Place du XX Août, on the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth of December.

If the first two days seemed to be more centered on the "formal" aspect of the gathering -- Important figures came, lectures were given, buffets were prepared and of course, eaten -- the last appeared to be punctuating the happening with happy caroling Christmas spirit.

"The Christmas of Cultures" congregated seventeen countries. Small stands were scattered all over the hall and corridors of the 20 Août building's ground floor. Most "countries" proposed touristic guides provided by their embassies, food and drinks. Drinks seemed to have interested many. Perhaps the red-cheeked Santa Claus had stopped at the respective stands of Russia and Latvia, to encourage people to taste their traditional alcohol: vodka for the first and Riga black balsam for the second. The smells of cookies, puddings, Moroccan mint tea and all sort of culinary specialties filled the place. The hall of the University building somehow looked like a small Souk. Every organizer, teacher, assistant or event student in charge of a stand would invite you to see what they had to offer. "Come and try our Christmas cookies?" "Would you like some tea?" Furthermore, as if it had been turned into a miniature tower of Babel, a multiplicity of languages were spoken, which eventually led the visitor to forget quite easily in which country the event actually occurred. Surprisingly enough, one could hear speaking English at the German stand, or French at the Japanese stall. Indeed it would be wrong to say that the seventeen countries where equally represented. Yet, there was one language that was common to all: Santa Claus' deep voice which regularly arose from the crowd, chanting: "Ho! Ho! Ho!" And, echoing the voice, Santa's bell rang out every now and then.

Though only a small majority of the stands dedicated their decoration and folders to Christmas, some countries like Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom or the Netherlands totally embraced Christmas. Teachers wore Santa hats, Christmas sweaters, decorated Christmas trees and eventually sang. This spirit reached its climax when all gathered began to sing carols. A middle aged woman sat at a piano, prepared her "Joy of Christmas" scores and began to play. Soon, she was joined by a small crowd. "Jingle Bells", "Silent Night", "Gloria", "Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer"; all the classics were sung. Of course some mistakes were made, of course some merely pretended to sing, but the atmosphere was jolly. Christmas was here. However, the event lacked mostly two things: snow, and a Belgian stand. Despite the fact that the "Christmas of Culture" happened in Liege, an important part of the students who visited the stands where exchange students, or at least foreigners. It could have been interesting, talking of diversity, to present the Belgian's own Christmas traditions, like Saint Nicolas for example. Likewise, Russia distributed to the visitors a flyer explaining the differences between Santa Claus and his Russian colleague, Father Cold: « Ded Moroz ». To put an end to the gathering, in keeping with the theme of diversity, a Greek band was chosen to play traditional "Greek blues". In the meantime, the hall slowly emptied itself, the decoration where put away and Santa took off his outfit. The Christmas atmosphere happily left the building, as it had come.

Jaunet Amandine
Année prépartoire Arts et Sciences de la Communication