Embracing Global Cultures: IE University's Global Village Comes Alive in Madrid

IE University hosted its second Global Village this year at its Master campus in Madrid, bringing together students, alumni, staff, and individuals from outside IE in a celebration of diverse cultures from around the world.

The garden at the Maria de Molina campus was adorned with food, drinks, and various elements representing different cultures from countries such as France, Ukraine, Algeria, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, India, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Japan, and Chile. Each country's stand offered a unique experience, allowing visitors to discover new cultures or appreciate the greatness of those they were already familiar with.

“Global Village is one of the ways in which IE’s values of multiculturalism and internationalism are showed and carried out. It Is a great way for people to discover how truly diverse IE is,” said Alfonso Pérez López, IE student who attended the event.

For the students who organized the stands, Global Village gave an opportunity to showcase their own culture alongside their fellow countrymen, representing it to people from all over the world. The student representatives had the responsibility of demonstrating what their country stood for.

“Of course, it gave me a feeling of home: Ukrainian food that you don’t see every day is right in front of you. The happy faces of foreigners who tried our food made us happy as well. I definitely think that these events are a great way to do the culture exchange,” shared Alina Volyk, IE student and a member of the Ukrainian Club at the Global Village.

Besides the wide array of food and beverages, Global Village provided attendees with more than just culinary delights. For instance, the IE Indian Club performed a traditional dance on stage and offered henna tattoos, which generated much enthusiasm and resulted in a line of people wanting to have a tattoo that would remind them of Indian culture for weeks after the event.

In addition to fostering diversity, IE organized a raffle for all attendees, offering prizes such as certificates for full menus for four people at Don Manolito restaurant, reward cards for a unique shopping experience at El Corte Inglés, gift certificates for Naked and Sated, and many other prizes.

Events like Global Village embody IE Business School’s values of diversity and humanity. By providing a multifaceted perspective of the world, these events aim to inspire creativity and compassion among participants, a goal that IE strives to achieve across all its campuses.

Congratulations to the organizing entities; IE Net Impact Club, DE&I Committee, IE Foundation, and Campus Life.