The 2nd International Sports Festival returns to Aghia Paraskevi Campus on March 20, to celebrate sports and friendship between four countries.

Organized by the Office of Athletics, the three-day festival is one of the biggest athletic events of the academic year. More than 500 students of both sexes will compete in basketball, table tennis, soccer, swimming, tennis and volleyball. The participating schools are the American Universities of Sharjah, Cairo and Beirut, the American Colleges of Thessaloniki and Lebanon and the University of Balamand.

Athletes will not only have the opportunity to experience sports competition at an international level, but to build new friendships as well. “The resulting social interaction will make the festival more pleasurable for everyone,” said Arthur Christopher, executive director of athletics.

Deree students that participated in last year’s International Sports Festival have fond memories. “This sports event is not about winning or losing; it’s about students from different parts of the world getting together,” said Rene Georgiou, a member of the women’s volleyball team.

The festival ends with a dinner party at Pierce Gym, where athletes have a last chance to socialize and have fun. “I still keep in touch with some athletes from last year and it’s great to be having them back on campus,” said Georgiou.