If you walk into the Henry Madden Library, looking toward the center of the foyer, a tall dry-erase board will be within view.

Every Tuesday, the board advertises the International Coffee Hour.­ Here, students, staff and faculty, as well as interested community members, have the opportunity to hear the insights of an international student or faculty member.

The weekly event, held every Tuesday from 2 to 3 p.m. in conference room 2206 of the library, offers coffee and snacks for attendees to enjoy while listening to the presentations.

This Tuesday, Samaya Attia gave a presentation on Egypt.­ This nation is both her ancestral home, and the place where she studied for two months in the summer of 2012.

Through Attia’s presentation, the audience is given a window into the nuances of Egyptian culture.­ For example, the hijab, a traditional covering worn by Muslim women, is now considered a pinnacle of fashion and style among Egyptian women.

“When you learn about a culture and a people, you definitely recognize what makes them, them. You can see Egyptian artifacts in a museum, but you don’t know what an Egyptian is until you eat dinner with them,” Attia said.

Standing before a large projector screen upon which the audience could see pictures, Attia leads her audience on a photographic tour of Cairo, Egypt’s capital city.

Mosques, family dinners, Al-Azhar University (the nation’s premiere university) as well as famed Egyptian actresses, are all on display during the presentation.­ She paints a portrait of Egyptian culture and custom.­ While speaking, she touched on topics like religion, food, politics, gender roles and misconceptions, as well as national holidays.

The weekly event is sponsored by the Office of International Student Services and Programs.­ Those presenting at the weekly event provide first-hand accounts of life in a foreign country.­ They discuss topics like food and family dynamics, politics and religion.

Mufeed Alshkhori is an international student majoring in mechanical engineering.­ He is also the coordinator for the International Coffee Hour.­ Alshkhori works with students and faculty members who are interested in presenting, which he said is between 55 and 60 students.

Eric Manela is a staff member with International Student Fellowship, a Christian organization present on Fresno State’s campus.­ He said he enjoys meeting students and learning about different cultures and perspectives.

Fresno State agricultural business major Daniel Baker was at Tuesday’s event.­ He said he has been to the International Coffee Hour once before to listen to a presentation on the nation of Croatia.

“I’ve had so many experiences with foreign students, so I just want to learn about new cultures, geography and people,” Baker said.

Presentations last under an hour and questions may be asked at the end.