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May 22, 2016

Erasmus Social Week at KTU Invited International Students to Participate in Voluntary Activities

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) organization of Kaunas University of Technology celebrated Erasmus Social week at the end of May.
 
The goal of Erasmus Social week is to involve the international students in social activities and help them leave their own mark in the country they are temporary studying in.
 
During the week Kaunas University of Technology organized 6 different volunteering activities and encouraged all students to participate.
 
The week started with a meeting in “Food bank”, where the students had a chance to learn about food wasting and sorting while helping the organization sort the donated food products. We are very glad that all the participants found this event interesting and some of them expressed their willingness to volunteer in the “Food bank” more often, not only during the SocialErasmus Week.

 

A discussion on the topic of tolerance was held on Tuesday. The students were talking about the concept of tolerance and the effect it brings to our everyday life. They were also trying to figure out what to do when the lack of tolerance turns into an aggression.  After the discussion the participants were visited by a guest – Matas Stebuliauskas –  Kick Boxing Champion of Lithuania and a multiple champion of Bushido S.W.A.T. He taught the students some basic self-defence moves.

Every Wednesday ESN KTU is organizing “Culture and Cinema” evenings that gathers students to watch movies from different countries. During the SocialErasmus Week this event was changed a bit: the students were watching some motivational speeches, given by the people that have mental problems and physical disabilities. The participants of this event had an opportunity to talk about goal reaching, discuss different philosophies towards life and the meaning of happiness.

Thursday was dedicated to the Talent Show. During this event international students and other friends of ESN stunned the crowd with amazing performances. There were 12 participants in total: some of them danced or red their own poetry, some sang and played different musical instruments (guitar, piano, violin, baglama, flute). The participants were evaluated by the jury that was formed of talented specialists: Abdalla Cheh Chahine (Dj/Producer/Promoter); Vytautas Kederys (Lecturer & Head of Audiovisual Arts Department at KTU; Sound Engineer); Žiedūnė Duobaite (Art teacher at KTU and Founder of Menų Kambarys); Meda Bagušinskė (International judge of World Dance Council; Lithuanian and World Dance Sport champion; Trainer of Hobby Class Lithaunian Champions). The performances were also evaluated by the crowd: more than 70 people who came to KTU Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture to enjoy the show. The winner of this amazing evening was Deimantė Rūtėnaitė, the youngest participant who played the piano and showed her beautiful voice while singing in four languages. Great atmosphere of the event was also kept by the guests: KTU dance group “MoDance“, KTU music band “Aitor“ and the music band “Freemen“ that came to the event all the way from Panevėžys. It‘s important to mention that during the Talent Show people donated money for the orphan children. Now our little friends from the orphan home “Atžalynas” are enjoying new colouring books.

The weather didn‘t let anyone sit at home on Friday, therefore ESN KTU invited everyone to move a bit: students had a dance class in Nemunas island park and tried the park‘s sports ground as well. Right after doing some sports everyone had a cosy picnic in the nature.

On Saturday we went to Zapyškis and joined the annual kite festival „Tarp žemės ir dangaus“. This event ended the SocialErasmus Weel perfectly – the members of ESN KTU, international students, children from the orphan home “Atžalynas” and other active, enthusiastic and energetic people spent a great day together. They participated in kite making workshops and learned to fly kites. It was a pleasure to see the students and children learning, playing games and music together and sharing their snacks with one another. This day spent in the nature gave everyone a perfect chance to chat and get to know each other better.

Next SocialErasmus Week is going to be organized in autumn and it will invite the whole community to do good once again.