#97-01-08
For Release: 1-16-97
Contact: Peter Bailley

Knox College to Present 16th Annual
International Fair on January 25

The 16th Annual Crossroads International Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 25 at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois. The festivities, organized under the theme "Embrace the World: Extend Your Arms, Expand Your Mind," will feature international cuisine and entertainment, plus cultural and craft exhibits. Tickets, which include admission to exhibits and entertainment, are $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, $2 for each person in groups of ten or more, and free for children six and under.

Fairgoers can sample international food dishes sold and prepared by students in Seymour Union from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Informational displays and craft booths created by Knox students representing more than 30 countries will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Ford Center for Fine Arts.

This year's guest entertainers, Earthmother's Majimba Band, will perform at 2:45 p.m. in Kresge Recital Hall, Ford Center for Fine Arts. The band is an African-Caribbean rhythm group based in Iowa City, Iowa. In addition two student shows featuring ethnic music and dance will be given at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., also in Kresge Recital Hall.

An international dinner, presented by the Knox College Dining Services, will be served from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Hard Knox Cafe, Seymour Union. The price of the dinner is $6.00 per person. Admission to the Fair is not required to attend the dinner.

Crossroads International Fair is produced by the Knox College International Club. The organization is one of the largest student clubs on the Knox campus.

Founded in 1837, Knox is an independent, four-year, liberal arts college, located in Galesburg, Illinois, with 1,100 students from 42 states and 33 nations. Knox's "Old Main," a National Historic Landmark, is the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.

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Leadership Greater Galesburg Workshop to Take Advantage
 of International Fair Events, Knox's Global Involvement

This year's 16th Annual Crossroads International Fair will do more than bring the world to Galesburg. It also will bring Galesburg to the world, as thirty members of Leadership Greater Galesburg spend the day at the fair and attend a series of special events that show how local communities are enhanced by global interaction and exposure.

According to Sandra Fisk, executive director of Leadership Greater Galesburg, the organization decided to take advantage of the International Fair to enhance its workshop, "The World and Galesburg: Listening to Diverse Voices."

"International Fair provides us with a great way to learn how Galesburg is enriched by residents who came here from other cultures and how global issues are important to local communities," Fisk says.

Leadership Greater Galesburg works with local residents and businesses to develop community leadership skills. Participants in the program are drawn from all fields, and are selected on the basis of written applications and personal interviews.

In addition to attending Fair events, members of Leadership Greater Galesburg will meet with Robert Seibert, professor of political science at Knox College, and with Greg Irwin, vice president of human resources for Maytag. Maytag is collaborating with a Chinese firm, whose engineering staff are staying on the Knox College campus while working at Maytag's facility in Galesburg. They'll also learn about the history of the local Hispanic community and meet with Galesburg residents who have immigrated from other countries.

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