Happy 2011!

Happy New Year!

For 2011, there'll be a new Ethnic Hoosier.

Yep, this EH is bowing out after a decade in the role.

Watch this space for the debut posting by the next EH -- and, as always, Welcome to the World in Indiana!

(If you can't wait, email Marlon Alfonso, NCI president, and ask him when postings will return: president@nationalitiescouncil.org.)

Psst: don't forget to mark your calendars for the next International Festival! We'll be back at the Indiana State Fairgrounds 17-20 November 2011!

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The Perfect Holiday Gift!

Have you been wondering what to get a friend or business associate for New Year's? What about a Nationalities Council of Indiana calendar for 2011!

It's filled with photos of the ethnic organizations that make up the council (and stage the annual International Festival in the Indiana State Fairgrounds).

If one of them represents your ethnic heritage, great! If not, it's a reminder of the world in Indiana!

Groups featured are:
January: Barangay Club of Indiana (Filipino)
February: ATA-IN (Turkish)
March: Italian Heritage Society of Indiana
April: Indiana Partners of the Americas (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)
May: Estonian Society of Indianapolis
June: American Indian Center of Indiana (Native American)
July: Society for the Promotion of Persian Culture (Iranian)
August: Indiana State Association of Middle Eastern Teachers and Dancers
September: Indianapolis Latvian Community Center
October: Circle City Lodge of Sons of Norway
November: Czech and Slovak Society of Indiana
December: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis

(Yes, there are more than 30 other groups -- those selected for the 2011 calendar were drawn in a lottery!)

There are a few calendars left for holiday giving! Just send a check for $12 (payable to the Nationalities Council of Indiana) to NCI, PO Box 1623, Indianapolis, IN 46206, and we'll wing one out to you -- or to whomever you'd prefer it be delivered! If you enclose a gift card, we'll send that on as well.

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Festival Award Winners Announced

Here are the award winners for this year's International Festival, hosted by the Nationalities Council of Indiana.

Cultural Booths of NCI Group Members are judged in the following four categories:

1. THEME: Include in cultural booth historical, geographical, culinary, social or educational aspects of the particular culture. 2010 theme: Food for Thought - Tradition, Culture and Cuisine.
2. EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Provide relevant information about the culture.
3. CREATIVITY: Demonstrate an effective and enjoyable method to attract visitors.
4. QUALITY: Overall excellence. Examples would be people in native costumes and friendly approach to visitors.

First and second place winners for theme:
Society for Promotion of Persian Culture and Swedish American Order of VASA

First and second place winners for educational value:
Sons of Norway and German Heritage Society

First and second place winners for creativity:
Korean American Women’s Association and Hungarian Club of Indianapolis

First and second place winners for quality:
Camp Mabuhay (Filipino) and Swiss Club of Central Indiana

In addition, the Best Overall Cultural Booth, recipient of “The Betty” trophy for 2010:
Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis

Food Booths of NCI Group Members are evaluated for quality and authenticity of ethnic food, appearance and sanitary conditions and overall assessment.
First Place: Indonesian Association of Indianapolis
Second Place: German American Klub

Finally (but not insignificantly), the NCI's Volunteer Service award (also known as “The Steve” trophy) is presented to the individual(s) who have demonstrated commitment to the goals of NCI and have actively worked toward their achievement. This year, for the first time, three volunteers were honored:
Josef Laposa and Frances Russell (pictured), and Charles Lindgren (deceased).

Mark your calendars for next year's festival, to be held 17-20 November.

(Photo courtesy of Ming Russell)

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More Views of the 2010 International Festival

Be sure to mark your calendars for next year's International Festival, to be held November 17-20, 2011, in the West Pavilion of the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis!

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This Weekend: Indy's International Festival

Yes, the annual International Festival is underway in the West Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 East 38th Street, Indianapolis. It's open today (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and tomorrow (noon to 6 p.m.). Come join the fun!

(Photos taken Friday, 19 November, by Susan McKee)

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Today! The International Festival Starts Today!

School buses will be lined up along the West Pavilion of the Indiana State Fairgrounds this morning for the opening of the International Festival in Indianapolis!

Today's just for student groups, but the festival opens to the public tomorrow through Sunday. There's lots more information online.

Y'all come!

Indy's International Festival is This Weekend!

This year's International Festival opens for student groups on Thursday, and for the general public Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Check the website for details!

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It's International Festival Time!

Make plans to head to the Indiana State Fairgrounds this weekend for Indy's International Festival! It's open to the public Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For details, go online. Don't miss it!

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International Education Week at DePauw

DePauw University, Greencastle, will celebrate International Education Week 15-20 November with events that feature the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide, reports the DePauw News Bureau.

The week culminates with the International Bazaar. DePauw’s 240 international students, representing 41 countries, will share their culinary specialties, in addition to performing cultural songs and dances. The Bazaar begins at 5:30 p.m. 20 November in the ballroom of the Memorial Student Union Building on campus. Admission is $3 per person, and the bazaar is open to the public.

A detailed schedule of events is online.

International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Education.

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It's Almost International Festival Time in Indy!

Plans are well underway for the next International Festival. It's set for 18-21 November in the West Pavilion of the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 East 38th Street, Indianapolis.

Hours for school groups and other student tours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both 18 and 19 November. The festival's open to the public from 2 to 9 p.m. 19 November, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 20 November and noon to 6 p.m. 21 November.

Come see the world without leaving home (and bring your appetite: there'll be authentic, traditional cuisine from around the globe).

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It's Almost International Festival Time in Indy!

Plans are well underway for the next International Festival. It's set for 18-21 November in the West Pavilion of the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 East 38th Street, Indianapolis.

Hours for school groups and other student tours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both 18 and 19 November. The festival's open to the public from 2 to 9 p.m. 19 November, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 20 November and noon to 6 p.m. 21 November.

Come see the world without leaving home (and bring your appetite: there'll be authentic, traditional cuisine from around the globe).

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Native American Heritage Days in Indy

Native American Heritage Days are 28 and 29 August 2010 in Garfield Park, 2345 Pagoda Drive, Indianapolis.

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The American way: tolerance for diversity

The American way: tolerance for diversity

Posted: August 22, 2010
The Indianapolis Star
Letter to the Editor

The rancor over a building project in lower Manhattan is troubling on many levels. It seems nonsensical that the Cordoba House, which has met all city requirements and has received all necessary permits, should be prevented from building on property it has owned for years. There's nothing sacred about a former Burlington Coat Factory.

Sure, the project will be a Muslim community center, and it's a couple of blocks from the World Trade Center, largest of the Sept. 11 attack sites. However, the United States is not at war with Islam.

Al-Qaida masterminded the 9/11 attacks, not Cordoba House. A mosque is just part of a planned community center. In any case, what's wrong with organized prayer at that location?

We in the Nationalities Council of Indiana know that our state is a better place because of "the sheer creative energy that comes when you mix all our diverse people and cultures together," as Thomas L. Friedman noted in The New York Times recently.

Indy's International Festival each fall highlights the fact that Indianapolis is composed of many different ethnic groups, some of which include Muslims.

Tolerance is an American value, right up there with freedom of religion and freedom of speech. It's part of the American way of life that has attracted immigrants for centuries.

Susan McKee
Past president
Nationalities Council of Indiana
Past president, International
Center of Indianapolis


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Why Is There a Nationalities Council of Indiana?

"America’s most important competitive advantage: the sheer creative energy that comes when you mix all our diverse people and cultures together."

(from Thomas L. Friedman's column in today's New York Times)

Join us at the International Festival (19-21 November) and see what we mean when we say, Welcome to the World in Indiana!

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Open Letter to Bill Benner

In last week's Indianapolis Business Journal, Bill Benner (who's director of communications for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Bureau) admitted, "I'm more interested in soccer all of a sudden." As part of his "conversion", he mentions that "soccer is the world's game" and Indianapolis is among the 18 finalist cities as part of the bid to bring the World Cup to the U.S. in 2018 or 2022.

But then, he goes on to say that Indy is a "mostly homogenous community", and he'd like "a little spice to add to our mostly salt-and-pepper population". Yikes!

OK, Benner: consider this an invitation. Come to the next meeting of the Nationalities Council of Indiana (7 p.m. Monday 8 February in the Max Kade Room of the Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis). All of our meetings always are open to everyone! You don't need to wait for the next International Festival (it's 18-21 November). Just look out over the faces of the NCI membership. Check out the ethnic diversity already present in the Hoosier state's capital city and reflect on your somewhat naive assertion! One would think an officer of the ICVA would know better!

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A Benediction from Thomas Friedman

In a deviation from our usual presentation of evidence of "the world in Indiana", here's a quote from The New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman:

"America — with its open, free, no-limits, immigrant-friendly society — is still the world’s greatest dream machine."

Indy's International Festival shows our multicultural "face" to the world. Our diversity is a source of strength in central Indiana. This year's celebration may be over, but you can make plans to participate in 2010: the dates are 18-21 November.

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The Award Winners are Announced

Awards for the just-completed 2009 International Festival have been announced. First and second place awards are given to Nationalities Council of Indiana member-groups in each of five categories: theme, educational value, creativity, quality and food. In addition, the best overall culture booth received the grand prize trophy, nicknamed "The Betty".

Winners are as follows:

Creativity: 1st - Confucius Institute at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis; 2nd - India Association of Indianapolis.
Educational value: 1st - Indiana Association of Chinese Americans; 2nd - Italian Heritage Society of Indiana.
Quality: 1st - Sons of Norway; 2nd - Scottish Society of Indianapolis.
Theme: 1st - Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; 2nd - Swiss Club Of Central Indiana.
Food: 1st - Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; 2nd - German American Klub.
Best Overall Cultural Booth Trophy: Indiana German Heritage Society (pictured).

This year's Volunteer Service award (nicknamed "The Steve") went to Dan and Sophia Anderson.

The outside judges for the awards came from IUPUI.

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Sunday's the Last Day of the 2009 International Festival

The Parade of Nations always is a highlight of Saturdays at Indy's International Festival. Sunday's the last day for the 2009 festival, so head to the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1201 East 38th Street, Indianapolis, between noon and 6 p.m. today!

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Indy's International Festival Underway at State Fairgrounds

Here are some pictures of "real dolls" taking part in Indy's International Festival, now through Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1201 East 38th Street, Indianapolis. Come see for yourself!

Indy's International Festival Underway at State Fairgrounds

Some pictures from Thursday's Student Day at Indy's International Festival, taking place through Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1201 East 38th Street, Indianapolis. Y'all come!

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