10th annual event teams up with UM, Oxford Green Week
OXFORD,
Miss. – The University of Mississippi’s 10th annual WorldFest offers
more than its usual global entertainment, food samples and games. This
year, the cultural celebration is going green as it is held in
conjunction with Green Week, the UM and Oxford community’s
environmental awareness program.
WorldFest, a daylong festival
sponsored by the Office of International Programs, begins at 9 a.m.
Wednesday (April 22), which is also Earth Day. Activities are free and
open to the public.
All events take place on the Student Union
Plaza and in the Grove, and include FoodFest, WorldStage, WorldGames,
KidZone and MusicFest, along with a global perspective on
sustainability, said Michael Johansson, UM director of international
programs.
“After nearly 40 years of fits and starts, the green movement is coming into its own as an issue of importance for citizens in the U.S. and in other parts of the world,” Johansson said. “With WorldFest focusing on our world and its cultures, I believe a synergy is created in combining respect for the people of our planet in tandem with concern for the planet itself.
“It is my hope that holding WorldFest on Earth Day will provide our students with an opportunity to gain a greater awareness of our world while celebrating its people.”
The WorldStage entertainment will feature a parade of flags and performances from the Bantaba African Dance Company of Memphis, the East St. Peter Sanctuary Choir, the UM Steel Drum Band, and this year’s Ole Miss Idol winner. There will also be Greek step shows and an international fashion show, and local musician Kelley Norris will perform an acoustic show.
WorldFest will offer free food samples of dishes native to Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Mediterranean. Participants also can play global games such as badminton, rattan ball and volleyball.
Educating children is a goal of WorldFest. Local schools are bringing students to the festival on field trips. A KidZone will be set up with snacks and activities for children. Along with learning about other cultures, children can participate in environmental education events, including a recycling-themed race, scavenger hunt and tree tour.
Ending the festival is MusicFest, which begins at 8:30 p.m. with musical guests Silas Reed ‘N’ Da Books, Aaron Hall Band and the Hi-Grade Reggae Band.
The festival is using earth-friendly paper products and utensils provided by International Paper, and a carbon footprint station will allow attendees to calculate their own carbon footprints and compare the footprints of other nations, said Leighton McCool, lead volunteer in charge of Earth Day activities.
Lucas Kuziv, a business graduate student from Ukraine who is also helping to organize the festival, said that international and American students will be on hand all day to discuss sustainability efforts in other countries.
“My goal is to really try to make the two events (WorldFest and Earth Day) seamless,” McCool said.
“World Fest is so aptly named because it’s a festival celebrating all the countries and nations of the world, and our students and faculty who are here from all over the world, including our U.S. students.” Johansson said. “It’s a celebration of all peoples and all cultures from all nations and how wonderful it is to have these students in our midst to enrich our lives, the life of the university and to teach us and show us new things about themselves and their countries and cultures.”
For more information on Green Week and WorldFest, visit http://www.olemiss.edu/green/green?week.html . For assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-7404.