The University of Ottawa’s initiative to host watch parties for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) soccer games have proven to be a beacon of unity for diverse communities across the city.
The watch parties hosted by the International House, is a service provided by the University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU) aiming to offer a variety of events for international students to build community and integrate into Canadian society.
Niaz Youssef De Benjamin, a first-year computer science student at Carleton, said the atmosphere of the watch parties was surreal because of the way students support their nations during the games.
“Everyone is supporting their home country with a sense of pride which creates this sort of tension,” Benjamin said. “That’s what makes it amazing.”
The watch parties are hosted in the Agora at Jock Turcot University Centre, where students dressed in their national jerseys gather around a giant screen to cheer on their home countries.
Radi Shahrouri, a uOttawa alumni and director of operational services for UOSU, said the watch parties have brought communities closer as the tournament unfolds.
“There’s a sense of strong sentiment and pride to come watch and support my Arab countries,” Shahrouri said. “Supporting countries like Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and others gives me a sense of pride to see them advance. And of course, it brings the community together, the students together.”
The watch parties have become a platform for cultural exchange and understanding.
“It’s a nice feeling to see different cultures come together,” Shahrouri said. “They learn from one another, and also seeing the respect between the two different countries, different cultures is something amazing.”
Benjamin shared the same sentiment, as he said the watch parties create a sense of community among different cultures.
“There really is a sense of community in the fact that people you’ve never met in your life all of a sudden are nice to each other,” Benjamin said. “After a win you can see everyone laughing, dancing and chanting together.”
“I’ve even seen people make new friends at some screenings,” he said.
Anais Rezaigue, a third-year international development and globalization student at uOttawa, is one of the main organizers of the watch parties. Despite facing initial difficulties due to cultural barriers around soccer on campus, Rezaigue emphasized the positive response from the African community.
“It’s bringing a lot of communities together,” Rezaigue said.
Rezaigue said the Association of Ivorian Students also managed to raise $1,000 for a scholarship through the AFCON watch parties,
Rezaigue expressed gratitude to Carleton University students for their support, noting the beauty of people from different universities coming together.
“I want to say thank you to all the Carleton students that have been coming,” Rezaigue said. “I think just to see people from Carleton coming to see the screenings that I work really hard on, I’m like, ‘Wow, this is just so beautiful to see.’”
“It’s an amazing feeling, amazing experience and amazing ambiance,” Shahrouri said.
Featured image provided by Anais Rezaigue.
