Leeds Beckett Global Village celebrates the university’s rich diversity

Leeds Beckett University hosted Global Week from 10-16 March 2025, with events held around the university and beyond. From cultural cookery classes to a day trip to the Lake District, through to the famous global showcase evening, events were scheduled day by day to display the diverse range of students and cultures at LBU.

The global showcase evening on 13 March included both a fashion and a talent show. Performances included singing, rapping, beatboxing, cultural dancing and even a spot of stand-up comedy. Global engagement officer, Ivana Obetkova, said: "It's very important to bring so many different cultures together. We saw a lot of emotional performances today. There were a lot of people that were proud to represent their country. It's especially important when people are moving from halfway across the world for them to bring their culture into this new destination."

Included in the week was a global fair where representatives of the Global Village and Study Abroad teams gathered at the Rose Bowl to answer questions and meet and greet interested students.

Annie Lobos Caro from Chile played a big part in Global Week as she ran a vintage clothing stall at the global fair and then represented her country at the showcase evening in both the fashion and talent shows, performing a song by Adele.

Annie said: "It was amazing having the opportunity to perform here and having the opportunity to show my art and my music. I would love to come to this event again."

Carla Mattar, who also took part in both the fashion and talent shows, representing Sierra Leone, added: "It was a very proud moment for me to represent my Sierra Leonean roots and make my family proud."

The Global Village doesn't just work around Global Week, however. The team of global engagement officers works year-round to organise events like sports for international students, cultural exchange sessions and a global café.