BOURNEMOUTH and Poole will aim to show how warmly they welcome overseas visitors during a festival organised by the international education industry.

The three-day One World by the Sea Festival, running from Thursday October 26 to Saturday 28, will celebrate the diversity of the local community.

It is being organised by the International Education Forum (IEF) of Bournemouth and Poole, which brings together the area’s key international education institutions, including its universities, further education college and many language schools.

The festival begins with a free World Discovery Day event on Thursday, October 26, 12noon-3pm, at Bournemouth University International College, Holdenhurst Road.

It will provide an opportunity to learn about the 20 countries that Bournemouth and Poole have a geographical connection with along their lines of longitude and latitude.

The event will include a talk by the endurance runner Peter Thompson, who ran 44 marathons in 44 countries on 44 consecutive days. There will be some 15-minute, internationally-themed challenges such as testing chopstick skills, learning to say hello in 10 languages and writing your name in Arabic and Chinese. There will be a selection of international foods, a ‘world rhythms’ drumming workshop, and face painting for youngsters.

The rest of the events include:

* A One World, Many Voices world music show on Thursday, October 26, 7pm, at Eden Cafe Bar. Entry is free to over-18s but spaces are limited.

* A Carnival Club Night, following the above event, from 9.30pm until late.

* An international film night on Friday, October 27, 8-10.30pm, at Poole’s Lighthouse, including a screening of the award-winning Icelandic film Born and a talk from its director Ragnar Bragason.

* An international family day on Saturday, October 28, 11am-4pm, at Bournemouth’s Triangle, with live music, a Chinese lion dance, and international food and crafts.

Event organiser Rachel Woodward-Carrick, director of Bournemouth University International College, said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer a varied programme of events that for this inaugural festival and hope there is something for everyone to enjoy.”

A series of fringe events will include two organised by Chinese fashion house Jiang Chi Pao to celebrate 100 years of the Qipao style of dress. There will be a talk and demonstration on Friday, October 27, 2pm, at Bournemouth University International College, and a fashion show on the Sunday, 1.30pm, at the Kings Hall Theatre at the Royal Bath Hotel. Tickets cost £12.

Details are at oneworldbythesea.co.uk and the festival is on Twitter @1WorldByTheSea, Instagram @1WorldByTheSea and the Facebook page One World By The Sea.