On Monday, 4 May, an international gathering of University of Ostrava students took place in front of the City Campus, building on last year’s successful NEOLAiA Picnic format. The organisers, Linda Šubertová and Natália Tomčíková, prepared an outdoor programme aimed at opening discussions on topics that are essential for today’s university environment.

The afternoon focused on diversity and inclusion. Participants first took part in an ice‑breaker bingo activity and then split into smaller teams to rotate through stations with tasks designed to encourage cooperation and communication. Each participant was also assigned a small handicap simulating various barriers people may face in everyday life. The relaxed atmosphere was complemented by refreshments, NEOLAiA merchandise, and picnic blankets.

For many Czech students, the picnic offered a unique opportunity to step outside their usual routines and view diversity through the eyes of people coming from different cultural backgrounds. Among the participants were students from countries such as India, Vietnam, Korea, and Spain. Group discussions revealed that what some may consider completely ordinary can be perceived as a challenge by students from other countries—whether due to language, customs, communication styles, or the way the university operates. Sharing experiences of how diversity and inclusion are approached in different parts of the world encouraged participants to reflect on how they themselves can contribute to making the University of Ostrava an even more open, accessible, and welcoming place for everyone.

During the final reflection, participants clearly expressed their support for organising similar events in the future. According to them, such activities are key to ensuring that international students do not feel isolated and that local students can gain valuable international perspectives directly on campus without needing to travel abroad.

Thank you to everyone who took part, and we look forward to seeing you again in the winter semester! If you would like to become part of the NEOLAiA student community, follow us on Instagram (@neolaia_ou) or join our WhatsApp skupiny.