MSU International Sports Day and Chinese New Year Festival – Creating an Atmosphere of Cross-Cultural Learning
On February 3, 2025, Mahasarakham University, through the Division of International Affairs under the Office of Public Relations and International Affairs, organized the MSU International Sports Day and the Chinese New Year Festival. The event was presided over by Asst. Prof. Pondej Chaowarat, Vice President for Public Relations and Global Engagement, who delivered the opening remarks. Dr. Sarinthree Udchachone, Assistant to the President for Public Relations and Global Image, presented the project’s objectives and led more than 200 international students from undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs to participate in the activities at the Confucius Institute Cultural Building, Mahasarakham University.
In the morning, the MSU International Sports Day featured both international and local sports, allowing students of all nationalities to enjoy themselves while developing teamwork skills. This was followed by a Chinese New Year lunch, with deans and faculty representatives joining to extend their best wishes to the international students, creating an impressive atmosphere that fostered learning about Chinese culture.
Additionally, there were activity booths for cultural exchange, such as dumpling-making, Chinese-style performances, and activities offering participants hands-on experiences with Isan traditional arts and culture. These included exhibitions of ancient manuscripts, demonstrations of palm leaf inscription, crafting traditional spider web flags (tung), and weaving animal figures from palm leaves, organized by the Isan Art and Culture Research Institute, Mahasarakham University.
Asst. Prof. Pondej Chaowarat stated that the MSU International Sports Day and Chinese New Year Festival promote understanding, cooperation, and cultural exchange among international students from various countries, including China, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Japan. The event created an environment for cross-cultural learning and supported Mahasarakham University’s key strategy of enhancing internationalization, strengthening relationships among students and the university community, and providing a platform for knowledge exchange that reflects cultural diversity and global unity.
Editor: Jack Neill, Office of International Affairs
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