Ferrum College to Host a Weeklong Celebration of Culture

March 12, 2003

     For its annual International Focus Week, Ferrum College will have entertaining and educational programs from around the world, daily, from April 7-12. In honor of the event, the Franklin County Board of Supervisors designated the period International Focus Week.

     To kick the celebration off, Yayoi Nakagawa, a freshman international student from Japan, will give a piano recital at 7:30 p.m. in Sigmon Recital Hall, Grousbeck Music Center. She will play selections from Beethoven and Chopin, as well as traditional Japanese melodies.

     On Tuesday, the international Afghan-American journalist Tamim Ansary will speak on “Afghanistan After the Taliban: Prospects for the Future” at 7:30 p.m. in the Panther’s Den. Ansary was vital in helping Mina Ayob, a young woman from Kabul, come to study at Ferrum College.

     The main event of this weeklong celebration is the International Festival on Wednesday from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Student, faculty, and staff arranged exhibits will be on display and international foods will be available for a culinary trip around the world. Entertainment will include a martial arts demonstration and Hawaiian dancing. The international students will be available for questions at this time, representing countries such as Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom, Russia, Afghanistan, and Spain.

     For lighthearted entertainment, the college will host International BINGO at 9:00 p.m. on Thursday in the Panther’s Den.

     The week will culminate in a beach party, featuring “Steel Away,” a steel drum band from Florida. The music and dancing will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Panther’s Den.

     All events are free and open to the public. For more information on International Focus Week or International Studies at Ferrum College, contact Sasha Saari at (540) 365-4331.

     Ferrum College is a four-year, private, co-educational, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. For more information on Ferrum, visit www.ferrum.edu. # # #

Photos from Wednesday's main event, The International Festival:

Traditional Karate Research Institute Virginia held a demonstration:
Visit TKRIva.com

Photos from Tuesday evening's event featuring Afghan-American journalist Tamim Ansary: