There will be a Parade of Nations to open the fair at 9:45 a.m.
CSCC will also be hosting speaker Paul Rusesabagina to campus on April 17 at 7 p.m. in the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center Theater.
Rusesabagina is the real-life hero portrayed in the movie “Hotel Rwanda.” The film will be shown at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center Theater on April 17, prior to Rusesabagina’s speaking engagement.
The Multicultural fair is designed to celebrate different cultures living in Bradley County.
Admission to the fair is free and the community is invited to attend this event.
Cleveland State Community College was recently awarded an Access and Diversity Grant that totaled $66,325 and is a three-year program enhancement grant that will be used to expand CSCC’s annual Multicultural fair.
This grant will enable more educational programs and displays to be presented on various cultures. It will also involve expanding the fair to include more exhibits, guest presentations, additional food, and more interactive educational presentations with audience participation.
Last year’s fair attracted approximately 450 people, and this year is expected to have an even greater number of participants because it is going to be more of a communitywide event.
“The event will be on Saturday this year to accommodate working adults and school children, along with our campus community,” stated Jana Pankey, associate professor of the Human Services/Social Work program and project director.
“The cultural festival has been a very successful spring event at Cleveland State for the past four years and we hope this year will be even more successful. Cleveland is becoming more diverse, and this is a great way to learn about different cultures and celebrate diversity.”
The fair will feature a colorful parade of nations, culturally based entertainment, international studies information, nationality exhibit booths, and various civic and social service organization displays.
There will be free ethnic cuisine served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. featuring items from various cultures.
There will also be games for children sponsored by the Student Government Association and a free storybook to the first 50 children in attendance.
Door prizes will also be given at the end of the fair.
Dr. Carl Hite, CSCC president, said, “Because we were able to secure grant dollars, this has allowed us to significantly increase the amount of activities we will have for the multicultural fair. We are really looking forward to having the community on our campus. The college realizes the importance of our students and their various cultures, and this event is the opportunity to bring all of these different cultures together.”
