CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A 10-day “celebration of all things international” is being planned Feb. 25 through March 6 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Though billed as International Education Week, the annual program of academic and cultural events is longer this year, with events spilling out over two weekends as well.
“This is our third International Education Week, and our most substantive to date,” said Allison Walter, the chair of the interdisciplinary university committee that organized the series. “I think that this year’s calendar is a great reflection of the increase in international activities across campus. We’ve also involved the Champaign-Urbana community, which we have not done in the past.”
Events planned around this year’s theme – “Exploring a World of Opportunities Through the Illinois Lens” – range from informal gatherings, lectures, workshops and conferences to concerts and films, festivals and exhibits. Sponsors include campus and community groups.
Among the highlights: a Global Studies Forum on Feb. 25, sponsored by the International High School Initiative; a conference, “Exploring and Challenging Fronteras in the Midwest and Beyond” on Feb. 25-27, sponsored by Latina/Latino Studies; an international festival at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 26, sponsored by the center’s student association; and an International Careers Workshop featuring speakers from the government and private-business sectors, Feb. 28 through March 4, sponsored by the International Outreach Coordinators Council.
