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Umoja Buddy Programme celebrates International Friendship Day

31 July 2023 | Story Lerato Lesiu | Photo Supplied

Umoja Buddy Friendship Day — The Umoja Buddy Programme (UBP) in the Office for International Affairs at the University of the Free State (UFS) celebrated International Day of Friendship by visiting students and staff members all over campus and handing out treats with messages of friendship attached.

The Umoja Buddy Programme (UBP) in the Office for International Affairs at the University of the Free State (UFS) celebrated International Day of Friendship – a day proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) for people to celebrate the virtues of friendship and the role it plays in promoting peace across cultures.

This day is celebrated every year on 30 July; the UBP’s ambassadors and buddies participated on Friday 28 July by hosting an event to encourage a sense of togetherness and solidarity among the university community. It emphasised the importance of friendship and how it contributes to the spread of kindness, love, and peace among people from many cultural backgrounds.

Bulelwa Moikwatlhai, who leads the Internationalisation at Home and Incoming Exchange Students portfolios in the Office for International Affairs, says the participants representing different countries in the Umoja Buddy Programme celebrated the day by visiting students and staff members all over campus and handing out treats with messages of friendship attached.

“The goal was to make someone’s day while learning about their understanding of friendship and to encourage people to reach out to their friends, express their appreciation, and engage in acts of kindness.”

“The participants had the opportunity to share their personal stories and experiences of friendship, discussing the challenges they faced and overcame, and the lessons they learned. The event allowed individuals to reflect on the value of friendship and its transformative power in promoting understanding and acceptance,” said Moikwatlhai.

Furthermore, she stated that the UBP has launched a social media campaign to encourage individuals worldwide to celebrate International Day of Friendship. Through inspiring stories, videos, and messages, the campaign aimed to spread the message of friendship and unity across borders.

Overall, the Umoja Buddy Programme’s celebration of International Friendship Day was a testament to the programme’s commitment to fostering lifelong friendships and promoting intercultural understanding. By providing a platform for individuals to connect, learn, and appreciate each other’s background, the UBP continues to create a world where diversity is celebrated, and where friendship knows no boundaries. The UBP recognises that friendship has the power to bridge cultural divides and create meaningful connections. The UBP firmly believes that these interactions can break stereotypes, enhance cultural awareness, and foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity.

The Umoja Buddy Programme is a programme that pairs newly admitted international students with current students at the UFS for social, cultural, and academic integration. It seeks to ensure the smooth transition and integration of international students into student life at the UFS, helping them to integrate into the campus and local communities. The programme aims to connect international and local students through meaningful lifelong friendships and to foster their academic, social, and cultural integration at the UFS.

News Archive

Future Leader’s Award 2017 goes to UFS Quantity Surveying student

2017-08-11

Celebrating big achievements in the construction
sector at the recent Association of South African
Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) conference are, from
the left: Cameron Ferreira, junior lecturer in the
UFS Department of Quantity Surveying,
Jhon Thatcher, former UFS student in the same
department who was the second runner-up for the
Gold Medal Award, Dr Stephan Ramabodu, President
of ASAQS, Gerné Bothma, former student in the
department and winner of the Future Leaders’
Award 2017, and Pierre Oosthuizen, UFS lecturer in
the same department.
Photos: Supplied

The Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the University of the Free State (UFS) made good on its promise to develop independent and critical-thinking graduates who will become leaders in their field. At the recent Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) conference and gala dinner, two students from the department, Gerné Botma and Jhon Thatcher, received awards for their outstanding performance.

Best of the best
Botma received the ASAQS Future Leaders’ Award (2017), an award based on academic achievement in the first three years of study. He competed with nominees from universities across South Africa offering Quantity Surveying programmes, and was the winner in this category.

Thatcher was a second runner-up for the ASAQS Gold Medal Award (being in the top three Quantity Surveying students in South Africa). This is awarded on a number of criteria, including academic achievement. Fourth-year students from all the universities in South Africa offering Quantity Surveying programmes compete for this award, and must display achievement in categories such as academia, leadership, community engagement, and general interests. In 2016, the Gold Medal Award was won by the UFS student, Kamogelo Leeuw.

Keeping abreast of developments
Today, organisations are relying on its members to stay ahead of issues, technologies, innovations and trends. In Quantity Surveying, to keep abreast of developments in the built environment, ASAQS was established as a voluntary association, with one of its goals being advancing and promoting the science and practice of Quantity Surveying. ASAQS works in close collaboration with its member firms, tertiary institutions, and the South African Council for Quantity Surveying Professions (SACQSP), a statutory body that oversees and regulates the profession, and accredit Quantity Surveying programmes in South Africa.

Two staff members from the UFS Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management, Cameron Ferreira and Pierre Oosthuizen, attended the recent ASAQS annual conference. Ferreira, a junior lecturer in the department, is the current Chapter Chairperson of the Free State for ASAQS and Oosthuizen, a lecturer in the department, is the former Chapter Chairperson.

According to Ferreira, they attended the conference to keep abreast of the latest development within the industry. “The event also served as a great networking opportunity for the UFS to build partnerships with other industry pioneers,” she said. Making use of opportunities such as these is in line with the UFS’s pursuit of lifelong learning.

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