Parade of Nations kicks off International Week

A wide range of cultural and education events will again be offered as the Council of International Student Organizations at Virginia Tech host the university’s 47th Annual International Week beginning Friday, April 7. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

With more than 110 countries represented in Virginia Tech’s student body, International Week celebrates the diverse campus community and raises awareness of various cultures found in the New River Valley. The theme to this year’s celebration is “Passport to the World.”

The week-long celebration began April 7 with the “Parade of Nations” at 2 p.m. on the Drillfield. The traditional opening night ceremony, sponsored this year by the African Students Association, was held at 8 p.m. in the auditorium of the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown.

The highlight of International Week--the International Street Fair--was moved to Sunday, April 9, due to poor weather on the originally scheduled Saturday date. Theevent, held on College Avenue and Draper Road, will began at noon and lasted until 5 p.m. It provided an opportunity for adults and children of all ages to learn about different customs and cultures. Exotic dishes were offered and a variety of performers were on hand. Arts and crafts from countries around the world were displayed and sold.

Following the street fair, international alumni were invited to gather at the Cranwell International Center for the third annual International Reunion.

Throughout the week following Street Fair, events will include daily luncheons at Cranwell International Center sponsored by the French Circle, Pakistani Student Alliance, Palestinian Awareness at Virginia Tech, Turkish Student Association, and the Bangladeshi Student Organization. Other events include an International Film Festival and an Eastern Medicine and Martial Arts Expo.

The week-long celebration will close with a dance party on the Drillfield on Thursday, April 13.

For a complete schedule and more information, contact the Council of International Student Organizations at ciso@vt.edu.