Hood College kicks off International Education Week with Parade of Flags

Nov. 15—A lively rendition of Edith Piaf's traditionally mournful ballad, "La Vie En Rose," bloomed from the entrance of Hood College late Monday afternoon, as dozens of students and employees stood together, each one clutching a flag pole.

The Frederick school hosted its annual Parade of Flags to kick off International Education Week, a joint venture between the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Education to highlight the value of international education and exchange worldwide.

The parade, which featured flags from more than 100 countries, represented the diversity of the school's graduate and undergraduate student bodies, said Amani Al-Dajane, Hood's director of international services.

"I always tell the students," she said. "The whole week, we are bringing the world to Hood College."

As of the fall semester, there were around 100 international students at the college, hailing from 15 countries, Al-Dajane said. This year, a little less than two-thirds are from India, she said.

But the school wanted to make sure each student's nation was represented in the parade.

When employees struggled to track down the flag of the Cook Islands — a nation in the South Pacific with a population of about 17,600 — they put out a special order for one, Al-Dajane said.

Near the end of the parade on Monday, Danielle Bolden waved the Kenyan flag.

Although Bolden graduated in 1994, she returned to Hood to participate in the parade at the encouragement of her family. She hopes to visit the country when she visits Africa next year, she said.

Other participants had more direct ties to the flags they carried.

Anna Bezmen, a 13-year-old student at West Frederick Middle School, held the Ukrainian flag as she and her brother, Andrii Bezmen, waited for the parade to begin.

Although Andrii — now a computer science graduate student at Hood — has been at the school since he was a freshman, Anna arrived in Frederick more recently. She and her mother were evacuated from the country after it was invaded by Russia in late February.

Their father, a military police officer, remains in Ukraine, Andrii said. So do many of his friends, some of whom are fighting Russian soldiers. At 23, Andrii would have been required to join the military if he had stayed in Ukraine.

But, he said, he determined that he would be more useful to the cause if he stayed in Frederick, rather than return to his home country.

Kayy Monroe and Adam Bartice, two freshmen participating in the parade, were eager to talk about their heritage.

Monroe waved the flag for Jamaica, the country where her mother's side of the family is from.

Her dad is from Cuba, but she didn't think he'd be upset that she chose to march with the Jamaican flag instead of the Cuban one, she said with a laugh. He loves the food of his wife's country.

So does Monroe. She also loves the country's music — everyone knows Bob Marley, she said — and the spirituality of its culture.

In front of Monroe, Bartice held the flag for Nicaragua, the country where he spent his early childhood and where his family is from. He loves the food of the country and how vibrant the culture is, he said.

After the parade, he posed with the flag in front of the dining hall as Monroe took his picture.

When the parade reached the dining hall, a small group of students shared poems in their native languages, then translated them to English.

Afterward, Andrea Chapdelaine — president of Hood College — encouraged students to take advantage of the opportunities they have while at the school to engage with people from all over the world.

During those conversations, students are obligated to treat each other with respect and love, Chapdelaine said. In doing so, they will be strengthening democracy — not just on Hood's campus or in America, but throughout the whole world.

"I know that puts a lot on you," she said, "but you are our hope for the world. And I have great faith that you will do exactly that."

Al-Dajane encouraged students to attend other International Education Week events that will take place from Tuesday through Friday. To see the week's agenda, visit tinyurl.com/3derkw25.

Follow Angela Roberts on Twitter: @24_angier