FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2005
Contact: Michael Corby
904.632.3310

Annual Downtown Campus International Festival features film, fashion, food, art, music, poetry and dance October 31-November 3

A wide sampling of international art, food, film, music, and dance highlight the Sixth Annual International Festival at Florida Community College's Downtown Campus, home campus to more than 2,000 international students from virtually every corner of the world. The festival takes place Oct. 31-Nov. 3. Featured events include an international fashion show, African and flamenco dance and live music, ranging from gospel to Spanish song.

All events are free and open to the public.

Also included in the festival will be viewings of several documentary films. "The Lost Boys of Sudan" is about the multitude of Sudanese orphans, their parents murdered in violent civil wars, who made their way to the United States. A group from Jacksonville will participate in a panel discussion at an 11:30 a.m. showing on Oct. 31. "On Tip Toe: Gentle Steps To Freedom," is a documentary film about South Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a cappella singers of international renown. It can be viewed Nov. 1 at 12:30 p.m.

Downtown Campus is located at 101 W. State St. For more information call 904 633-5895 or e-mail lmontalv@fccj.edu.

A current schedule of the festival's events and times:

Monday, Oct. 31
Opening ceremony, lobby, 10 a.m.
Gospel and Concert Choral, lobby, 10:15-10:40 a.m.
African Dance, lobby, 10:45-11:15 a.m.
Documentary: "Lost Boys of Sudan," auditorium, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 1
International coffees/pastries, lobby, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Poetry reading & performances, lobby, 10 a.m.-noon
Live Spanish music, "Los Latinos," lobby, 11 a.m.-noon
Ladysmith Black Mambazo documentary: "On Tip Toe: Gentle Steps to Freedom," auditorium, 12:30-2 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 2
International film, auditorium, 10 a.m.-noon.
World music, cafeteria, noon-1 p.m.
Faculty and student art exhibit, art gallery, 5-8 p.m.
Live dance, Flamenco De La Costa Group, lobby, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 3
Dances from the South, lobby, 10-10:30 a.m.
International fashion show, large auditorium, 10:30-11:45 a.m.
CASS Program closing dance, 11:45 a.m.-noon.