“Protecting the Earth and Our Future”

April 2 - April 6, 2007

The theme of the 23rd Annual International Festival is “Protecting the Earth and Our Future.”

“For those who have seen the Earth from space, and for the hundreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience most certainly changes your perspective. The things that we share in our world are far more valuable than those which divide us.”
- Donald Williams, astronaut

“Civility costs nothing and buys everything.”
- Mary Wortley Montagu, 1689-1762, English aristocrat and writer

There is a broad consensus among scientists and the general population, in this country and in the world, that global warming is happening, is a serious problem, and that humans bear significant responsibility for climate change. The proliferation of nuclear weapons, the challenge of combating global disease and providing adequate health care and the problem of sustainability of resources are other key challenges facing the world in the 21st century. It is becoming clear that our lifestyles and our decisions have consequences for the environment and for life on this planet. As former Vice President Al Gore states in the Academy Award winning film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” “What changed in the United States with events like Hurricane Katrina was a feeling that we have entered an age of consequences.”

The organizers of this year’s festival hope that the events and performances will entertain and delight. But we hope they will also challenge the members of the College community to consider how, as individuals, as a community and as a College, we can act in a responsible manner to protect the earth and our future.

Thank you, and enjoy!

Sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs, Student Life Center, Division of Liberal Studies, the Office of Human Resources and the President’s Diversity Council