The Passport to Culture campaign was created to celebrate the diverse cultures that international students bring to Leeds.
Reinforcing that both home and international students share a global identity shaped by cultural exchange.
The campaign brought student communities together, strengthening shared understanding and connection.
Exploring & Connecting
As a part of the campaign, we distributed more than 250 ‘passports,’ which encouraged students to reflect on their own personal journeys and experiences in Leeds.
Students shared their own stories surrounding Leeds as an important part of their life.
We also launched a photo challenge to encourage students to explore Leeds in a ‘scavenger hunt’ style activity.
Through this, students were not only participating but actively engaging with the city and therefore building a stronger sense of belonging.
Celebrating Our Global Community
On 11 May, we held an exciting celebration event.
In collaboration with Global Café, we set up a large interactive map of the city that allowed students to showcase their experiences, reflecting on selected ‘student favourite’ locations as voted by you, highlighting the spaces that matter most to them.
Despite the event taking place during the busy exam period, we loved to see so many students take part! We’re excited to hold another Passport to Culture session following the end of exam season.
Zi di Li – Hyde Park Picture House
Ye Swan Yee – Kirkgate Market
One student said:
“I really like this campaign idea. I can’t believe I’ve been in Leeds this long, and when I saw the prompt questions in the passport it reminded me of different stories I have in Leeds in the past three years. It is beautiful.”
Another student added:
“It is important that we talk about inclusivity and diversity right now, and you are right, this is not only a university issue, students experience racism and hate outside campus, and we should talk about the issue. We want everyone to feel safe and feel like this is a place for all of us.”
The Impact
This campaign not only celebrated diversity, but also highlighted the real impact that students have on Leeds through their presence, stories, and cultural contributions.
During a time of increasing anti-immigrant/international student narratives, it emphasised that these issues extend beyond universities and into wider communities.
Through storytelling, participation, and allyship, the campaign helped to build stronger connections between students, encouraging a collective response against discrimination and division.
Words by Katrina Liu, your International & Postgraduate Officer and the Passport to Culture campaign lead.
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