But wait, the amazement is not finished. Bride and groom already knew one another when they were kids. They had been playing together in the streets of their village. Later their destinies took different ways as the war started to wage in their country and around. She left, when her father got a new job abroad, he stayed. She built up a new life in a new cultural environment, a different climate. He stayed, survived all kinds of atrocities as the war was developing more and more, and finally ended up as a refugee, ultimately with a status to study here.

Diverse lives, diverse fates, and yet they were bound to meet again: Unity through diversity. They indeed met again some years ago, now as young adults and fate brought them together and closer again: their diverse life paths had become one and only again. Unity forever.

Let me tell you that for me, as an interculturalist, but also as a teacher who has helped the groom in his new academic context, it was quite an experience. The wedding ceremony involving bride and groom, those relatives who could come (mostly refugees themselves), their old friends, but also new local ones, was a wonderful ritual with lots of beautiful dancing, joyful singing and a mix of Arabic and Western (loud) music. Not to forget traditional food too.

Words like unusual, original, impressive, inspiring, enriching popped up in my mind and have been engraved in my memory ever since. From diversity to unity. Their new lives now are not easy as they have to start a new life, both as refugees or foreigners, and build up new routines, continue or start new studies and ultimately develop new careers in a new cultural environment. Any help is welcome. Their unity is our diversity!

This column was written for the Cursor Diversity special.