2013 Press Releases
UCC celebrated Indian Festival of Lights
UCC hosted a stunning array of traditional Indian music and dance this week to mark Diwali, one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar. The Indian 'festival of light', which lasts for five days, celebrates the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.
The theme is very much in keeping with UCC’s mission as a university. The annual event was organised by the newly formed Indian Society, which represents the over 130 students currently enrolled at UCC. In only its second year, it is a sure sign of success that it attracted over 400 attendees including students, staff, members of the local Indian community and representatives from the Cork Chapter of the Irish India Business Association and the Hope Foundation.
According to Dr Christopher Shepard, "the success of Diwali reflects both the university's commitment to celebrating diversity as well as our growing relationship with India. Indian students contribute greatly to the intellectual and social life at UCC and over the past two years, this number has doubled to more than 130. Events like Diwali are an opportunity for the university to acknowledge its commitment to India as well as the wide impact that the Indian community has both within and outside of UCC."
The organisers put on an impressive programme which reflected India's incredible cultural diversity and included outstanding performances of modern and classical Indian dance, and concluded with a breathtaking performance by UCC's own Dara O'Brien on the Sitar.