A banner hangs over Court Street that reads “International Street Fair 2013” in anticipation of Saturday, and soon the main road will be filled with organizations sharing their cultures with Athens locals.
The street fair ends International Week, which is sponsored by the Student Activities Commission, the International Student Union and the International Week Committee. The event has been running for more than 30 years, said Ming Li, interim executive director of the Center for International Studies.
“The International Week’s focal point is culture and celebration of differences,” Li said. “(This is) a celebration of differences, a celebration of diversity … It’s a platform for (international groups).”
Camila Lemaster, president of the International Student Union and an international student from Chile, said that she has been involved with the street fair since her freshman year. Now a senior, she is part of the committee that plans the event.
“(A lot of organizations) begin planning early,” said Lemaster, who studies political science and history. “(Some members) bring things from their home country … It’s a very long process of preparation.”
Lemaster holds a PACE position with International Student and Faculty Services. She said the International Week Committee begins planning in the fall and works closely with the city. This involves submitting a request to get a permit to close down the street, but she added since the event is long-standing, the group receives a lot of assistance from the city.
Participating groups include student organizations, nonprofits and OU departments, all of which must have an international focus, Lemaster said.
The fair provides the city a chance to experience other cultures that might otherwise not have been available, said Ji-Yeung Jang, the associate director of the Center for International Studies.
“As part of the university community we get to meet and talk with (international students),” said Jang. “It brings (locals) a (chance) to truly appreciate the opportunity and the diversity and interact with them on a more personal level.”
Li said along with a new International Education Week appearing in the fall headed by Jang, the street fair exemplifies the university’s international perspective.
“This event is a way of showing commitment of the university to diversity and globalization,” he said. “(This allows us not) only to internationalize our campus, but also internationalize our community.”
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