ISWinT

ISWinT is an international festival, dedicated to students from all the corners of the world. The concept was created in 1994, and it started from the daring ideas of enthusiastic students who believed in unity, multiculturality and friendship. It grew bigger and bigger, this year reaching its 30th edition, always animated by a new team, new ideas and an ever increasing number of participants. What ISWinT keeps and passes on from a generation to another is the spirit, enthusiasm and motivation to make an unforgettable edition each year. Overall, during ISWinT, international cultural diversity takes over the city of Timișoara.

The festival is dedicated to all students aged 18 to 30, who are enrolled in an university anywhere in the world. After applying, the students pass through a selection process and, if accepted, they come to Timișoara to develop themselves, get to know new people, learn something new and make the first step to changing the world, making it a better place.

Here, in Timișoara, 8 days of workshops, activities, events and sleepless nights that will never be forgotten await you.

The workshops, which are the main activities for our participants, cover a lot of interest areas, varying from problems, faced by students worldwide to popular hobbies among youth. The public events that are part of the festival are dedicated not only to the international students, but also to people from Timișoara.

These workshops, as the festival itself, have an educational purpose. Participants learn to use their knowledge, talents and learned skills to sustain themselves and help others while pushing the human race forward in areas of equality, equity and harmony.

The festival focuses on multiculturality and exchanging traditions and ideas, its participants interacting with students from all over the world.

The organising team consists entirely of students who are volunteers, who turn every ISWinT edition into an once-in-a-lifetime experience, that holds a special place in the minds and souls of the participants, organisers and everyone who directly or indirectly interacts with the ISWinT phenomenon.

A little history...

ISWinT was born in 1994, enhancing the world with the daring ideas of the enthusiastic students looking to obtain unity, multiculturality and friendship between countries. Over the years, the festival has created an environment for students all over the world to interact, giving them the opportunity to discover new things, to exchange opinions, to have fun and, obviously, to amass multicultural experience.

Every year, the theme of ISWinT defines the general drive of all the activities and workshops. Also, the results of the festival closely reflect the theme of the respective year. Ever since the first edition, the themes have been chosen by the organisers from educational and cultural fields and with the purpose of bringing innovation to the future. Here are the themes from the previous years:

1994: Our Generation, Our Future 

1995: Communication for a New Europe I 

1996: Communication for a New Europe II 

1997: Let’s Build Together the Common European House 

1998: A new Millennium, A new Europe I 

1999: A new Millennium, A new Europe II 

2000: Borders vs. Globalisation 

2001: The 3rd Millennium - Intention Innovation Identity 

2002: Future Education! 

2003: Attitude! Altitude! 

2004: Human Rights: Is or Should? 

2005: Beyond Boundaries >> Fast Forward 

2006: Future foundations for young minds 

2007: Influences

2008: Revolution: real vocation meets virtual education

2009: It’s a new trend: Equilibrium

2010: Closed eyes, Open Mind

2011: Celebrate Innovation. Keep Tradition

2012: Our World Through a New Perspective

2013: Exchanging ideas: Culture snapshot

2014: New way of learning: Applied Imagination

2015: Develop yourself: Design the future

2016: Create. Improve. Apply.

2017: Travel to learn, express yourself! Add a new page to your story!

2018: ReThink!

2019: Learn Today, Change Tomorrow!

2020: Diversity Without Borders (canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic)

2021: Global Challenges, Community Solutions (online edition)

2022: Reunite. Rebuild. Restart

2023: Connecting The Dots

2024: Shine Your Own Light

Over time, ISWinT has evolved from a student conference in neighbouring countries to a genuine international festival. During the 29 editions, a total number of over 2000 students from over 60 countries have participated in ISWinT. Also, the countries that light up the ISWinT map are from the furthest corners of the world, with different cultures and with a rich cultural history.

Thus, ISWinT has become relevant due to its innovation in expression, communication and interaction, but also a well defined tradition through its longevity. The words that would best describe ISWinT would be multiculturality, dreams, innovation, creativity, interaction, development, spirit, friendship and memories.