Year six pupils from three primary schools were invited to the Britannia Royal Naval College for the international students to showcase their countries cultures and traditions.

Children from Dartmouth Academy, Blackawton Primary School and Stoke Fleming Primary School joined BRNC staff and cadets for the annual International Day at the naval college.

The day is an opportunity for cadets to wear their country’s military uniform or traditional clothing.

Attendees were able to sample traditional food including Arabic coffee, dates and cooked meats from around the world.

This was a chance for the schools to learn about the different countries and cultures and the training provided at the BRNC itself.

The international cadets showed the children DVDs, wrote their names in Arabic calligraphy and demonstrated traditional dancing which culminated in a school dance off.

Stoke Fleming primary school was so impressed by the international cadets that the school invited the cadets to watch their end of year performance.

The school said: “The children had such a fantastic time they were buzzing when they returned back to school and wanted to do something as a way of thanking them.”

Chief Petty officer, Jason Wallace, BRNC’s international student liaison officer said: “International Day has become an important day in the college calendar, and is vital to develop cultural understanding within the college community, which results in a better learning environment and helps everyone to get along with each other.

“The international cadets put a lot of effort into making the day a huge success; the International Training Department is very proud of them.”

International Training is part of the BRNC’s core output and places the College at the forefront of UK government foreign policy, supporting Defence diplomacy and the Royal Navy International Defence Engagement Strategy.

Presently there are 46 cadets from 23 nations undergoing initial naval training alongside those destined for careers as officers in the Royal Navy. They come from Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahamas, Bahrain, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Kenya, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, UAE and Ukraine.

Of the other 66, a group of 25 from Qatar and Saudi Arabia are receiving English language training, while 41 from these countries are studying for degrees accredited by Plymouth University.