Students of the African international community at Széchenyi István University in Győr, making up a group of 124 people, originate from 20 African countries. Four African students were invited to share their thoughts in a video message created by the institution on the occasion of the International Day for People of African Descent, related to the United Nations’ fifth sustainable development goal, gender equality.

As a higher education institution featured in global rankings and exerting a significant impact on its region, Széchenyi István University is committed to sustainability and to shaping future generations, aligning with the United Nations' sustainable development goals. Goal number 5 focuses on promoting gender equality, in support of which the University has been organizing a series of panel discussions titled Women in Family, Society and Science at the Budapest Innovation and Training Centre as well as producing two video messages marking international observances. These discussions and messages feature women, including international students and alumnae from the University, who, through their personal experiences and professional dedication, serve as inspirational role models.

As part of this series, in August, the University created a video message to mark the International Day for People of African Descent, highlighting the valuable contribution of the African diaspora to global development, culture and diversity. In the video, Ashley Kawera, a Kenyan international student pursuing a Master's degree in Supply Chain Management at the University, says to all Africans: “Take pride in your culture. I'm grateful to Széchenyi University for giving me the opportunity to conquer every milestone, while meeting people from different cultures”.

Her fellow student, Valeen Wanyara from Kenya, stresses that Africans can do more than their predecessors did, as long as they learn, build themselves up and always strive to remain united. She also expresses her gratitude to Széchenyi University, where she has met many young people from all over Africa.

Esther Amofa-Adade, from Ghana, has been attending Széchenyi István University for several years and now, as a Széchenyi alumna, she is part of the institution's Economics and Management doctoral programme. Recently, she has also been accepted into the Catalyst Europe programme, based on the LinQ methodology of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, based on the strategic collaboration between GE Healthcare and Széchenyi István University. "It is a great privilege to study in the EU. At Széchenyi University, I made excellent academic connections and experienced how things are done in Europe, which helped me broaden my knowledge of peace," she noted, encouraging all Africans to open up to opportunities and new academic goals.

Felicity Thomas Tizhe, a Nigerian student pursuing a Master's degree in International Economics and Management at the Faculty of Economics, is very proud of her African identity, which for her means the unique culture, food, clothes and the unity itself. She added that as a student at Széchenyi István University, she has managed to broaden her intellectual horizons and acquire new qualities such as self-confidence and self-reliance. "What I like most about Széchenyi University is that African students are treated with respect, love and care for their individuality," she said.

You can see the video here.