From the 26th of February to the 2nd of March, our UNIS students will be travelling to Pattaya, Thailand, to attend this year’s MRISA Arts Festival, which will be held at the International School of Eastern Seaboard (ISE). 7 other international schools will be participating in this event.

So you may be curious and wondering about why the festival has attracted many UNIS students. Well, the festival is a chance for participants, ranging from students to teachers, to participate in various creative workshops and develop new skills. Whether these skills may be dance or graffiti art, (From working with Mix Craft to working with games in the gaming studio, there is always something for the adventurous participants.)

So why did the students decide to join MRISA? Emily (9) replied,

“I joined because last year I went to MRISA Arts, and I made a lot of friends and worked with a lot of teachers, and met other friends from other school.”

Another artistic student from grade 10 said that it is the “one place” to get away from her life. The students agreed that the atmosphere was friendly, inviting and that the festival is another opportunity to socialize with other members about various interesting topics such as culture, dance, food and well…. even more food. Overall, it is a non-competitive event and also unique as it is not sport-focused

This year, each school will be preparing their own workshop to direct for others to participate in. The workshop would have to connect back to the theme of hybrid. Additionally, the workshop would further enrich the participant’s knowledge on the topic of Vietnamese culture. But wait a minute… what makes our school standout from the other 3 international schools in Vietnam?

Well… Little Hanoi (The workshop’s title) offers a range of activities such as the bamboo dance, đá cầu (shuttlecock kicking), conical hat decorating and traditional wood block printing. That’s not all! There will also be “tour guides” that act as leaders who would guide the participants around the different activities and eventually join in the fun. To further enhance the experience, the UNIS MRISA team recreates the Hanoian scene using various sound loops and traditional music, as well as dressing up in costumes such as police officers or wearing the traditional áo dài. Now you know how much effort has been placed in this event? Don’t you wish your girlfriend was hot like me, don’t cha!

In conclusion, MRISA Arts is described as DIVERSE, CHALLENGING, UNIQUE and SURREAL, as said by the UNIS team. Why not seize the moment, socialize with others, and let your inner virtuoso shine.