UC's Worldfest Examines World Issues and Celebrates Diversity

Worldfest, UC's annual celebration of its global connections, exhibits campus diversity from May 2-10.

• A woman forced to flee from Afghanistan will describe the atrocities and the struggle for human rights for women in her home country.
• A UC professor will examine how words helped heal women survivors of the Holocaust.
• A national touring one-person show will portray the many facets of multiculturalism in American society.
• A Barrio Fiesta will celebrate the culture of the Philippines with food and entertainment.

That’s just a small sampling of what’s ahead for the University of Cincinnati Worldfest celebration May 2-10.

Every spring since 1996, UC’s Worldfest has celebrated UC’s global connections. The UC Institute of International Education Report says 641 UC students were studying overseas. The UC campus has approximately 1,900 international students representing 110 countries.

Here’s the schedule of Worldfest events:

Friday, May 2
8 p.m. – Ushindi, at Event Pavilion. Ushindi, a Swahili word for “victory,” is a celebration sponsored by the African American Cultural and Research Center. Ticket information: (513) 556-1177.

8 p.m. – “Fantasia,” the Asian American Association formal at the Radisson Hotel in Covington. Ticket sales are $12 before the event and $15 at the door. Call 556-6014 for information.

Saturday, May 3
7 p.m. – African American Cultural and Research Center Choir reunion concert, at the Event Pavilion. This concert will reunite members who sang in the choir over the past 11 years. For ticket information, call Ewaniki Moore at the African American Cultural and Research Center, (513) 556-1177.

Sunday, May 4

4-8 p.m. - Taste of India at the Old St. George Church, 42 Calhoun St. A showcase of Indian culture and tradition. Admission $1.00; free for UC students.

Monday, May 5

Noon-1:30 p.m. – Lecture, “Unpacking the Heart with Words: Women Survivors of the Holocaust and the Healing Process,” Room 513 of the Geology/Physics Building. UC Judaic Studies Professor Gila Safran-Naveh will explore the courage of women who survived the Holocaust. She will explore first-hand testimonies and discuss how memorializing becomes a tool of survival. The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by Judaic Studies, UC Women’s Studies and the Hebrew Union College’s Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education.

7-9 p.m. – Worldfest kickoff, Event Pavilion. Evelyn Hu-DeHart, professor of history and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University, will present “Race, Civil Rights and Affirmative Action: Which Way, America?” The event is free and open to the public.

Tuesday, May 6

1 -2:30 p.m. – Delphi International Career Forum, Myers Alumni Center. As the world grows smaller, the likelihood of traveling, studying and working abroad is increasingly likely. UC students interested in exploring the challenges and rewards of life abroad can meet with others who have already studied and worked overseas. The event will not only include UC students who have lived abroad or who plan to study abroad in the future, it will also offer guidance for international students seeking work in the U.S.

7-9 p.m. – Faces of America, Zimmer Auditorium. This one-person play is free and open to the public. True stories, researched through workshops with high school and college populations, will be presented and will represent different cultures of American society.

Wednesday, May 7

Noon-2 p.m. – The Global Rhythm Tour, Sigma Sigma Commons. It’s the event described as “bringing about spirit of sharing and community through the roars and rhythms of hundreds of beating drums.” The Global Rhythm Tour will feature 300 drums. People walking by will be invited to join the drum circle.

6-9 p.m. – “Country as Text: Belize,” Room 423B Rieveschl. A group of UC’s Honors Scholars spent their spring break studying the reefs, ruins and rainforests of Belize. Eight Honors Scholars will deliver presentations on their studies. 

7-9 p.m. – Fashion show, Event Pavilion. The Elements of Life Fashion Show will feature student models from each UC ethnic student organization. The students will be modeling color schemes around the themes of earth, air, fire, sky and water. The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by Ethnic Programs and Services, Diversity Education, the African American Cultural and Research Center and UC Student Government. The event will be followed by a reception at the UC Faculty Club.
 
Thursday, May 8
11 a.m. -2 p.m. – International Student Festival, Sigma Sigma Commons. Sponsored by the International Student Services Office, the event will feature foods from around the world, cultural displays and booths and cultural performances. The event is free and open to the public.

7-11 p.m. – Worldfest concert, Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center. Featuring the bands Pay the Girl, ekoostik hookah and Nappy Roots. Tickets can be purchased by the general public for $15 through Ticketmaster locations.

Friday, May 9
11:30 a.m. – “Celebrating Pathways to Student Success,” the formal dedication of University Pavilion

7-9 p.m. – “Don’t Forget Afghanistan” lecture by the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), Event Pavilion. This lecture is free and open to the public and features speaker Tahmeena Faryl, a member of the RAWA foreign affairs committee. The underground organization, formed in 1977, is the oldest women’s humanitarian and political organization in Afghanistan. Faryal is a Pakistan-based member who as a child was forced to flee Afghanistan for a Pakistani refugee camp during the Soviet invasion. She is now traveling across the United States to speak about the current conditions of refugees and the treatment of women, as well as the continued threat of fundamentalism and terrorism in Afghanistan.

Saturday, May 10
10 a.m.-1 p.m. – “Country as Text: Belize,” Room 422E Rieveschl. A group of UC’s Honors Scholars spent their spring break studying the reefs, ruins and rainforests of Belize. Eight Honors Scholars will deliver presentations on their studies.

Noon-9 p.m. – Discover Philippines, Sigma Sigma Commons and Event Pavilion. The Discover Philippines Student Association sponsors Barrio Fiesta, a neighborhood festival featuring authentic Filipino food, games and entertainment. A “Filipino City” exhibition will feature children’s art, and a Sari Sari store exhibit will hold Filipino goods. The finale will be “DP Unplugged” at 7 p.m. in the Event Pavilion. The entire event is free and open to the public. Students invite you to bring used clothing for their Pasko Sa Julyo (Christmas in July) clothing drive for a town in the Philippines.

Worldfest Events at Raymond Walters College