It's Mothers Day in Norway!
It's Mother's Day in Norway! On this occasion, we at ISFiT have been fortunate enough to interview the mother of one of our volunteer students, Katinka Leiner. Katinka was involved in signing the founding documents of the festival, and we have heard a bit about what she thinks about ISFiT, and what she has been able to utilize from her experiences as a volunteer. Happy reading, and happy Mother's Day!
1 What was your role during the first ISFiT festival?
Back then, I was the leader of Stundetersamfundet and became the one who signed the founding documents after the board before us launched the idea. I was also a host family, along with my collective in Fotveita.
2 What is the most prominent difference between ISFIT 90 and ISFiT today?
Today, it is much more professional; it has matured, and my impression is that the cultural offerings are much better! But 2700 applied from abroad already the first time, so we understood that the offering really met a need. But I never thought it would last all the way to today!!
3 What is your best memory from ISFiT?
Having a student from Ghana living with us is probably what I remember best. We were eagerly awaiting an African from a poor country in Africa and got a rich upper-class girl with Indian descent :) That's when we learned A LOT about the African continent and our own prejudices! She was great. Before she left, I remember she asked about the religious significance of all the candles we Norwegians kept lighting all the time... :D
4 Have you found your experiences from ISFiT useful in your professional life?
I have used the experiences from working at Studentersamfundet and on the board A LOT, invaluable to experience what it takes to create an event, attract people, and lead others. The same goes for ISFIT, you get to know your strengths, weaknesses, and interests - and as a boss and employer now, I REALLY appreciate it when young employees know what they're doing!
5 Is there anything specific you feel ISFiT lacks, or do you long for something specific about the festival as it is today?
I am confident that each festival becomes what it needs to be for the participants of that year! As long as students run it and are concerned with the development in the world and being a part of that development, the festival will indeed create development. For individuals and for society. I wish you ENORMOUS good luck with next year's edition and think it's fantastic that the next generation Leiner is involved this time!
We wish to thank Katinka for her contribution, and wish her a good mothers day.
Norsk versjon:
Det er morsdag i Norge! I den anledning har vi i ISFiT vært så heldige å intervjue moren til en av våre frivillige studenter, Katinka Leiner. Katinka var med på å skrive under stiftelsesdokumentene til festivalen, og vi har hørt litt om hva hun tenker om ISFiT, og hva hun har kunnet benytte erfaringene som frivillig til. God lesing, og god morsdag!
1 Hva var din rolle under den første ISFiT festivalen?
Da var jeg leder av Studentersamfundet og ble den som skrev under stiftelsesdokumentene, etter at styret før oss lanserte ideen. Jeg var også vertsfamilie, sammen med bokollektivet mitt i Fotveita.
2 Hva er den mest fremtredende forskjellen mellom ISFIT 90 og ISFiT i dag?
I dag er den mye mer profesjonell, den har fått modne og mitt inntrykk er at kulturtilbudet er vilt mye bedre! Men 2700 søkte fra utlandet allerede første gang, så vi skjønte at tilbudet virkelig traff et behov. Men at det skulle holde helt opp til i dag hadde jeg ikke trodd!!
3 Hva er ditt beste minne fra ISFiT?
Det å ha en student fra Ghana boende er nok det jeg husker best. Vi ventet spent på en afrikaner fra et fattig land i Afrika, og fikk inn en rik overklassejente med indisk avstamning :) Da lærte vi MYE om det afrikanske kontinentet og våre egne fordommer! Hun var flott. Før hun dro husker jeg hun spurte hvilken religiøs betydning alle stearinlysene vi nordmenn hele tiden tente hadde... :D
4 Har du fått bruk for erfaringene dine fra ISFiT i arbeidslivet?
Erfaringene fra å jobbe på Studentersamfundet og i styret har jeg brukt MASSE, gull verdt å erfare hva det krever å lage et arrangement, tiltrekke seg folk og lede andre mennesker. Det samme får man jo gjennom ISFIT, man blir kjent med sine styrker, svakheter og interesser - og det setter jeg som sjef og arbeidsgiver nå VELDIG pris på at unge ansatte har peiling på!
5 Er det noe spesifikt du syns ISFiT mangler, eller etterlengter du noe spesifikt ved festivalen slik den er i dag?
Jeg er trygg på at hver festival blir det den trenger å være for årets deltakere! Så lenge studentene driver den og er opptatt av utviklingen i verden og det å få være en del av denne utviklingen, så vil festivalen skape nettopp utvikling. For enkeltpersoner og for samfunnet. Jeg ønsker dere ENORMT lykke til med neste års utgave og synes det er knallbra at neste generasjon Leiner er med denne gangen!
Vi i ISFiT vil takke Katinka for hennes bidrag, og ønsker henne en fin morsdag videre.
LATEST NEWS
We are proud to officially announce the date for ISFiT23 🎉 From 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟵-𝟭𝟵, we will welcome hundreds of international students in Trondheim to create the world’s largest student festival! 🗺
✌🏻𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿! If you live in Trondheim, join us already now and welcome the international participants together with Hiran and Jenny on the opening day. The next recruitment period for volunteers will open on the 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 😍
Note that the application for international participants is not open yet.
PAST AND PRESENT VOLUNTEERS
Mathilde is former president of ISFiT. In 2021 she launched the digital festival with the theme “Creating Knowledge.”
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗦𝗙𝗶𝗧𝟮𝟯 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀?
This will be an opportunity for me to experience ISFiT from the outside as a participant! And since I am finishing my studies already this summer, it will give me the chance to dip back into student life for a short moment.
Jenny is the Assistant Head of Secretariat and has volunteered in ISFiT already for the third time!
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗦𝗙𝗶𝗧𝟮𝟯 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀?
I will probably be at Trafo organizing and registering participants to make sure they get all the information they need to enjoy the festival to the fullest!
Hiran is Assistant Head of Participants. He has been taken up in the last recruitment period and comes from India.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗦𝗙𝗶𝗧𝟮𝟯 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀?
Since I’m part of the participant section, I will meet the international participants and welcome them all to the festival and Trondheim, making sure to create a wonderful experience!
Tale was Head of Research during ISFiT21, and really enjoyed getting to know the different volunteers.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗦𝗙𝗶𝗧𝟮𝟯 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀?
I will be running through ISFiT-blue Trondheim from event to event to really get the feeling of the festival as a participant. Hopefully I'll be hosting one of the international participants so I'll be spending the day getting to know them!