Introduction
In October, there were several different events concerning related topics. The organization of the events differs due to the various ways of presenting the information. However, all events have a common theme of equality between people and their challenges. For example, on October 19, there was an event devoted to discussing the On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous novel by Ocean Vuong. On October 20, an event about a North Korean woman’s journey to the United States took place. These events had similar themes but different arrangements in terms of format, the number of discussion participants, and the material on which the event was based.
Discussion
The event devoted to Ocean Vuong’s novel was accessible to all who wanted to participate. During the event, attendees discussed various themes of the story in groups. A distinctive feature of this event was the provision of breakfast and dinner, including Vietnamese food. Traditional cuisine allowed participants to immerse themselves better in the event’s atmosphere. The North Korean defector’s journey event had significant organizational differences from the previous one. Primarily, the event happened online, impacting the immersion level and overall organization. However, since the event’s theme was the story of a real person, the principal value was the information and discussion rather than the atmosphere. In addition, there were an invited speaker and two panelists. Thus, the two events differed significantly in structure, mode of discussion, and material, as they were characterized by discussing different sources and varied in the number of participants in the discourse.
Throughout both events, some of the most intriguing themes directly related to problems in attitudes toward other people. In On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous, the theme of intolerance regarding people different from the majority is given considerable attention (Vuong, 2019). Group discussions with students and other guests on such topics are highly informative and relevant since it allows one to analyze the novel and share personal views and experiences. The second event has a similar topic, thus also focusing on the problems of discrimination and challenges in the context of equality of people. Such events complement each other to a certain extent, allowing one to approach similar issues from different perspectives. Conducting such events on campus is essential and could be improved in the future by enhancing the quality of the immersive atmosphere and integrating various thematic events to discuss topics more holistically.
Conclusion
The October events featured a variety of formats in the presence of related topics. These events differed in duration, speakers, interaction mode, and structure, including face-to-face and online group conversations. Furthermore, the first event focused primarily on the book discussion, while the second focused on the real story. Nevertheless, they equally addressed relevant topics related to social and cultural issues. Attending such events allows one to analyze a theme from different perspectives, discuss it with peers, and observe experts’ discussions. In this regard, the differences in the organization of the events create additional interest since they provide opportunities to obtain information and share one’s personal opinions.
Reference
Vuong, O. (2019). On Earth we’re briefly gorgeous. Penguin Press.