The Office of Global Programs hosts annual 2017 Multicultural Day
The Office of Global Programs will host its 11th annual Multicultural Day Tuesday, April 11. The all-day event will begin at 9:30 a.m. with a Multicultural Educational Workshop, followed by the International Flag Parade at 12:45 p.m., and will conclude with the Multicultural Festival from 1 -4 p.m. Both the workshop and festival will be held in the James L. Bolden Campus Union Ballroom.
The theme, “Diversity=Beauty and Strength,” was inspired by the following quote from Maya Angelou; “It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity, there is beauty and there is strength. We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of that tapestry are equal in value no matter their color.”
“Multicultural Day is an annual event that allows the University community to come together to celebrate diversity and the many countries and cultures represented on campus,” said Dr. Dovi Alipoe, director, Office of Global Programs. “International students, faculty and staff proudly display the many facets of their country of origin. For domestic students, faculty and staff, it is an excellent opportunity to get a glimpse of the countries represented through cultural presentations, music and food.”
A Multicultural Educational Workshop will provide the opportunity for attendees to learn the significance of music and various dances in the Ivory Coast culture. The music and dances will seek to transmit and explain the village traditions of 60 ethnic groups in the country of the Ivory Coast. Following the discussion, the presenters will engage the audience in a practical experiential learning activity.
The Multicultural Day Festival will highlight 26 countries represented among Alcorn students, in addition to the United States, and will feature performances by Kotchegna Dance Company, a multi-ethnic corps specializing in the dance and drum traditions of the Ivory Coast. Also, featured will be multimedia displays, an international food tasting and faculty, staff, and students in an international fashion show.
In addition to the workshop and festival, an International Flag Parade will begin at 12:45 p.m. in the front of the Office of Global Programs/Multicultural and International Affairs Building and end at the Campus Union. The parade will be led by members of the acclaimed Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite Marching Band. In case of inclement weather, the flag parade will be held in the Campus Union Ballroom.
Peggi Wolfe, specialist, Office of Global Programs, is the event coordinator. The Multicultural Festival is funded by a grant from the Center for Undergraduate Experiential Learning, Title III. The grant is directed by Dr. Alipoe and Dr. Thomas Sturgis, director, Honors and Pre-Professional Programs.
For more information, please contact Dr. Dovi Alipoe at (601) 877-6543 or [email protected].
