The University Festival

the university festival                                                                   UNIFEST, the biggest university festival in Romania, has just come to an end.

UNIFEST, the biggest university festival in Romania, has just come to an end. The event, which has been held every year since 2001 and is organised by the Romanian Students' Union, provides students with an opportunity to combine entertainment with learning and social involvement with planning their future careers.  The festival, which lasted 11 days, was held in 17 academic centres. Its varied programme featured many cultural activities, such as performances and concerts, to which students had free access. The president of Students' Union Alin Grigore tells us more:


"The festival also features sports activities, such as a football championship and running. There are also non-formal activities that allow students access to a great number of free training programmes. In fact, we hold such training courses all year round. One such programme is the Training Academy, another the Training Academy for Pupils, which we started two years ago. The courses are given by teachers trained by us and are free of charge, for both students and pupils. This year, we've had a lot of demand for courses on public speaking, communication, leadership and project management."


UNIFEST also ran a campaign called "Donate Blood, Be a Hero!" organised by the Bucharest Medical Students Society. Here is campaign coordinator Andreea Galita with more:


"We're basically trying to help the Blood Transfusion Centre to improve the deficit of transfusion blood in Romania. We collect the blood at the Medical School in Bucharest because it's more convenient for the students. We've had the campaign for more than ten years and have noticed that it attracts a lot of people, including from other faculties."


The latest statistics say that less than 2% of Romania's population donates blood on a yearly basis, which is almost 4 times less that the European average. Are people reticent to come and donate blood in general? Andreea Galita:


"People are reticent but not because they don't want to donate, but because they are not informed. Which is why we're trying to inform as many people as possible. It hasn't been difficult to do that because we have a lot of volunteers. There are 130 of us in charge of the project and we're trying to help one another."


In the first three days of UNIFEST, over 500 students overcame their reticence and donated blood. The aim was to collect 600 blood bags. A chemistry student told us:


"I first wanted to go and donate blood at the Emergency Hospital but then I found out about this campaign online. People are reluctant to donate blood, but I think all young people in Romania should try and donate at least once a year."


This was not the first time that medical students donated blood, as is the case of the next interlocutor:


"I think it is very important to do this. After all, it's a chance to save a life. I think it's a noble and beautiful gesture. I know there's a general lack of transfusion blood around the country and this kind of initiative is very welcome."


Those who donate for the first time may feel nervous, but eventually overcome their reticence:


"I think it gives you a personal satisfaction. I wanted to do this at least once in my lifetime. I was worried that something may go wrong, but then I told myself that these people are professionals and I shouldn't worry. I was only afraid I might faint afterwards."


The Students' Union is also active when UNIFEST is not held. One of their other initiatives, for example, has recently come to fruition when a law was passed on paid internship with private and public companies. Alin Grigore, the president of the Students' Union has more:


"As regards our activities to promote engagement, which is a centrepiece of the Students' Union, four years ago we initiated the internship law that has been eventually passed this year. This piece of legislation looks at internship as a learning process and not necessarily as a demand for job achievement. According to the new law, internship will be paid under a special internship contract, which is different from the volunteering contract, because volunteering is not paid."


This year, UNIFEST was attended by some 100,000 students from the university centres where events were held. 



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Publicat: 2017-11-15 13:23:00
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