International Talent Night Brings the World Home
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 21, 2011) — Spotlighting the ever-popular International Talent Night, the University of Kentucky's Cultural Diversity Festival (CDF) has a wide range of events planned for this coming week.
Striving to promote cultural awareness to the campus and community, the Cultural Diversity Festival is devoted to highlighting the wealth of diversity represented at UK and strives to engage all by encouraging new experiences and promoting unity.
Events associated with CDF from March 21-27 include:
Waseem Touma Gallery Exhibit
Tuesday, March 22
Noon-4:30 p.m. at Rasdall Gallery
Admission: Free
Sponsor: Student Activites Board
Waseem Touma was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. In 2003, Waseem arrived at UK for his MFA. With a Lebanese heritage, Waseem was simultaneously raised in two cultures, learning about history and tradition within his household, while growing up in Sydney. Cultural identity was always an issue within such an environment, and it has become an integral voice in Waseem's artwork.
His artistic focus is on what we have in common, rather than what makes us different, with issues exploring similar characteristics and infrastructures of life forms. His visual ideas about the core of creation and existence itself evoke imaginary possibilities. He has expressed how influential his Australian upbringing has been on his perception of nature.
"Life in any form,” he says, “whether it is microscopic or cosmic, holds three characteristics: complexity, fragility, and visual beauty. It is this idea that I attempt to express. The emphasis of my work is more of an imaginary ideology than a scientific analysis."
International Film Series: Stoning of Soraya M.
Thursday, March 24
7-9 p.m., Worsham Theatre, Student Center
Admission: Free
Sponsor: International Film Series
The International Film Series is a new, progressive approach to film. The purpose of the International Film Series is to present meaningful perspectives on world issues and cultural movements through cinema.
“The Stoning of Soraya M.” is an Iranian film based on a true story about a young Iranian woman in Iran in 1986, the start of Khomeini's reign. The story begins with a French journalist, looking for something to follow and write about, who quickly is pulled into the tragic story of Soraya. Soraya is a young woman who's trapped in an arranged marriage with a tyrannical husband, who sets Soraya up to be accused of adultery so that he can divorce her and marry a younger woman. Stoning awaits Soraya if she is found guilty. What will the verdict be?
International Talent Night
Friday, March 25
7-9:30 p.m. - Memorial Hall
Admission: Canned goods or $2
Sponsor: Cultural Diversity Festival, Office of International Affairs
International Talent Night is a night for UK faculty, staff and students to showcase their talents and explore other cultures in the process. This annual event is put together by International Student Council and the Office of International Affairs, and it is sure to draw a crowd. This is a TallyCats event.
Liberia Post-War Health and Education Initiative
Friday, March 25
6-8 p.m.
Admission: Free
Sponsor: Refuge Place International
This event will showcase the health and educational initiative by Mosoka P. Fallah, a Liberian international doctoral student at UK, as well as other individuals from UK and the Lexington community, for post-war Liberia. There will be a photo gallery of the construction of the clinic, Liberia dishes will be served, and there will be Liberian songs and a Liberian fashion show. There will be brief talk by people from UK who are involved with the project, an older Liberian couple residing in Lexington, and Peace Corps participants who have visited Liberia. This event will also help raise funds for the continued efforts in Liberia.