Diversity on display at North Central College
Naperville native Henry Layden said he wasn’t surprised to hear that his 8-year-old granddaughter, Katherine, wanted to go to the International Festival held Sunday at North Central College.
“We came last year because one of her friends was performing, and we had a great time, so we’ve been planning to come today for a while now,” he said. “It’s a nice event. I like the different kinds of dancing you see. I like looking at what the various Naperville groups have to offer. It’s fun.”
The 16th annual International Festival ran from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at NCC’s Merner Field House. The day included language demonstrations, ethnic dancing and music, craft displays and a variety of ethnic food offerings, from Swedish meatballs to egg rolls.
The event was started as a way to promote awareness of cultural diversity in and around Naperville. It still does that, but now it also serves as a fundraiser for NCC’s international scholarships, said Bessma Shammas of NCC’s Office of International Programs. “These scholarships help students from abroad to come here to North Central College and students here to go overseas,” she said. “We think that kind of exchange is extremely important, for the college and for the young people involved.”
Shamas predicted that between 800 and 1,000 people would visit the festival by the time it closed on Sunday. “So far, the turnout has been wonderful,” she said. “Naperville is a very supportive community.”