Georgia Southern Hosts Tenth Annual International Festival

November 3, 2015

The Georgia Southern University Office of International Programs & Services will host the 10th Annual International Festival on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mill Creek Regional Park.

During the festival, students from elementary, middle and high schools in the area can show off their work in the Global Village – a series of booths inspired by different countries. Georgia Southern Global Ambassadors help to make the booths educational and interesting for everyone. Germany, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago and Vietnam will be the countries that will be represented in the village.

Visitors can also enjoy World Stage performances throughout the day. Marcel Portilla Band, Bollywood & Classical Fusion Dance presented by the South Asian Student Organization (SASO), Grupo Folklórico Uruguayo Cimmarrón, Conjunto Orgullo Panameño and Confucius Institute Dance Troupe will perform dances and music from their cultures. Performances will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m.

An International Food Court will offer a variety of dishes from around the globe. Guests can purchase foods from Argentina, Greece, India, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Mexico. The World Craft Bazaar will feature unique items for purchase from Haiti, Ghana, China, Taiwan, Kenya, Korea, Trinidad and the Philippines.

Everyone can participate in the “It’s a Small World” international arts and craft area as well. This is a free area where children can learn to make Chinese drums, Ancient Egyptian necklaces, Spanish fans, Thailand lotuses, Mexican Dia de los Muertos, Brazilian carnival masks and crowns. Children can also participate in face painting and henna hand prints.

The festival is the result of a collaboration with the Bulloch County Board of Education, the Bulloch County Parks and Recreation Department, the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.georgiasouthern.edu/intfest.

Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers more than 125-degree programs serving more than 20,500 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement. Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered and hands-on approach to education.