Discover how students came together to share cultures, make new connections and celebrate what makes our Queen Mary global community so special.
Since launching in 2024, Cultural Unity Week has become one of Queen Mary Students' Union's flagship liberation initiatives, bringing students from across the world together to celebrate the cultures, identities and experiences that make our community so unique. It is part of our wider liberation calendar that this year has featured Black History Month, Islamic Heritage Month, Disability History Month, Jewish Heritage Fortnight, LGBT+ History Month and Asian Heritage Month.
The initiative was first launched in 2024 by Hassam Naeem, Vice President Liberation, International and Postgraduates, at the beginning of his first term as an Executive Officer. Cultural Unity Week was created to provide meaningful opportunities for students to celebrate their cultures, learn from one another and build connections across our diverse student community.
A fantastic first year
The inaugural Cultural Unity Week introduced not only a fresh visual identity and exclusive merchandise, but also a programme of engaging events that celebrated the incredible diversity of Queen Mary students, this included;
The Cultural Ball
Delivered in collaboration with the Residential Life Team, the Cultural Ball was held in the Octagon and proved a success. The event was sold out, with more than 100 students representing over 40 nationalities coming together to celebrate their cultures.
Students proudly wore traditional cultural attire, enjoyed food from different cultures and spent the evening sharing their traditions, stories and experiences in a vibrant and welcoming environment.
Unconscious Bias Training
Students also took part in an Unconscious Bias Training session delivered by a renowned speaker from the Commonwealth. The session encouraged students to better understand unconscious bias, reflect on their own perspectives and explore how we can all contribute to creating a more inclusive community.
Crafting Culture
The celebrations continued with the Crafting Culture event, where students created pottery pieces inspired by their cultural identities. Participants who best showcased their cultures through their artwork were awarded exclusive Cultural Unity Week merchandise shirts.
The success of the inaugural programme was recognised when Cultural Unity Week won the "Best New Liberation Initiative" Award at the 2024 Students' Union Liberation Awards.
Highlights from 2026
Following such a successful launch, Cultural Unity Week returned in 2026 with further student engagement and participation. The 2026 programme was once again organised by Vice President Liberation, International and Postgraduates Hassam Naeem, this time in collaboration with the newly established and thriving Intercultural Society of QMSU.
Cultural Night
The headline event was the Cultural Night at Drapers and The Lounge, which welcomed hundreds of students from over 50 nationalities. The evening featured cultural food from around the world, a badge-making station, an interactive world map where students pinned their countries and regions of origin, and a cultural fashion show where students proudly showcased traditional clothing and celebrated their heritage.
Watch the highlights reels!
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Murder Mystery
On 6 June, students also enjoyed a Murder Mystery event organised by the Intercultural Society. The interactive event brought students together through a culturally themed mystery game, providing another fun opportunity to meet new people and celebrate diversity.
Continuing the conversation
Cultural Unity Week concluded with the return of the popular Unconscious Bias Training, once again delivered by a renowned Commonwealth speaker. The session encouraged students to recognise and challenge unconscious bias in their everyday lives while continuing important conversations around inclusion, understanding and respect.
A new tradition for Queen Mary
Over the past two years, Cultural Unity Week has created meaningful opportunities for students from a wide range of backgrounds to connect, celebrate their cultures, learn from one another and foster a stronger sense of belonging within the Queen Mary community.
Most importantly, these two successful years have helped establish a new tradition within our liberation work. Cultural Unity Week and our wider liberation programme has seen us celebrate the diversity and unity of our campuses, bringing together students from a wide range of nationalities, cultures and communities to celebrate what unites us while appreciating the diversity that makes Queen Mary such a special place to study.