Quad Cities World Cultures Festival

As the director of St. Ambrose University International Studies program and associate professor of political science, Duk Kim PhD, knows the value of honoring, and celebrating, diversity.

He also makes sure students, faculty and staff, as well as the greater community, have the opportunity to expand their cultural awareness.

Kim is also president of the World Affairs Council of the Quad Cities (WACQC), which has partnered with the Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR), and SAU's International Studies program to host the annual Quad Cities World Cultures Festival.

The event will be held from 5-8 p.m. March 1 in the Rogalski Center Ballroom. The festival is open to the public and free; however, goodwill donations will support the work and efforts of WACQC and QCAIR.

Kim said the festival has grown so large it was moved to the Rogalski Center last year to accommodate the crowd, which speaks to the desire people have to learn about, and honor, cultural diversity.

"This is a great opportunity to bring the community together and it has become one of the largest annual cultural events held in the Quad Cities," Kim said.

The festival usually is held in May. Kim said moving it to March 1 is a good fit, as it falls during SAU's Multicultural Week celebration instead of finals week. "We want to give more students, faculty and staff the opportunity to participate and enjoy the event," he said.

This is one of a number of events that fall within SAU's College of Arts and Sciences 2017-18 academic theme: Faces of Globalization. Ambrosians and the greater community can attend lectures, performances, and events that explore perspectives on globalization by highlighting differences and our worldwide interconnectedness.

This year, the festival will feature more than a dozen performances by individuals and groups representing cultures from China, India, Russia, Mexico, Philippines, Africa, Native Americans, Venezuela and more.

There will be educational displays and the opportunity to talk to 15 hosts from various countries and international states, including Nepal, Pakistan, Syria and India.

The event also includes a fashion show for kids and one for adults, a silent auction, food, and more.