17th International Day at Bahcesehir University (BAU)!

A Day When the World Came to Bahcesehir University in Istanbul

Held on 14 June 2026 at Bahçeşehir University (BAU)’s campus on the Bosphorus, BAU International Day returned for its 17th edition with more than 4,000 participants. As the university’s biggest international festival, the event brought together country booths, traditional food and coffee from around the world, cultural performances, games, live music and a full day of celebration in one of Istanbul’s most beautiful locations.

This year, we asked one of our BISC (BAU International Student Committee) leaders, who are the organizers of the event, to take us to BAU International Day 2026 and tell us what the day felt like!

When we arrived at the festival area, the main campus in Besiktas, early in the morning, it was still quiet. The tables were ready, the country booths were slowly taking shape, flags were being hung and everyone was carrying boxes, costumes, decorations and food from one place to another.

After months of preparation, the day we had been waiting for was finally here: the 17th BAU International Day!

There was excitement everywhere. Some students were making the final touches to their booths, some were rehearsing their performances one last time and others were already taking photos in their traditional clothes. We were tired, of course, but mostly we were excited to finally share our cultures with the whole BAU community.

Then the festival truly began.

Country representatives arrived at the campus by gliding along the Bosphorus on the BAU Boat, with one of Istanbul’s most iconic views surrounding them,and stepped into the festival with a colourful parade. Flags from around the world filled the area as students walked together, danced and celebrated their cultures. It was one of those moments when you looked around and realized how many different cultures had come together in the same place.

As the booths opened, the festival area became louder, brighter and more crowded. Each country had its own story to tell and we had 116 countries represented. There were traditional clothes to discover, music to listen to and students proudly introducing the places they called home.

And then there was the food! Oh, the food!

Everywhere we turned, there was something new to taste. Students had prepared traditional dishes, desserts, snacks and drinks from different parts of the world. One of the highlights was the Uzbek pilaf, freshly prepared right by the Bosphorus and shared with hundreds of guestsThe smell of fresh food filled the festival area, and visiting the booths quickly became a food tour around the world. From homemade specialties to traditional coffees, every table offered a different flavour and a new story.

The coffee stands became some of the busiest meeting points of the day. Students stopped for a cup, stayed for a conversation and then continued exploring the festival together. Sharing food and coffee made the whole experience feel even warmer, more personal and more connected.

The stage performances brought even more energy to the day. Traditional dances, songs and cultural shows gave us the chance to experience different parts of the world without leaving the BAU campus. Between the performances, students joined the games and activities around the festival area, visited the booths and took hundreds of photos together.

And of course, the music never stopped.

For the first time ever an international student band, BISC Band, performed on stage, Pandami Music brought everyone together for an unforgettable concert and the DJ performance kept us dancing until the end of the festival. It felt like one huge celebration shared by everyone.

BAU International Day is known as the university’s biggest international festival, but for us, it was much more than that. It was the result of months of teamwork, excitement and preparation. It was a day to represent where we came from, learn about one another and celebrate the diversity that makes Bahcesehir University (BAU) feel like home.

By the end of the day, we were exhausted, our voices were almost gone and the festival area was slowly becoming quiet again.

But we were already talking about next year!

Don’t worry if you could not come this year. Click here or to the picture below to watch the highlights and experience a little of the joy and energy we felt throughout the day!