Institute of Texan Cultures hosts 'Culture Quest' with students from 17 nations
(April 26, 2011)--Visitors to the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures will have a rare opportunity Saturday, April 30, to learn about other cultures by directly interacting with people from those cultures. From 1 to 4 p.m., the museum will host "Culture Quest," featuring 21 foreign exchange students representing 17 countries.
"Part of UTSA's vision is to prepare our students for a global environment," said Lupita Barrera, ITC director of education and interpretation at the museum. "How better to pursue that mission than to open dialogue with young people from all over the world?"
While many of the high school-aged foreign exchange students represent countries with long histories in Texas and the United States, some students come from developing and younger nations such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Sierra Leone, Suriname and Turkmenistan.
Each student will speak on an aspect of his or her culture including subjects such as food, education, clothing, traditions, music, holidays, games, economics, language and life at home.
"Culture Quest" will be presented under the museum's dome with tables set up for each country. In addition to the presentations, the students' impressions of life in Texas have been integrated into a multimedia production that will be projected on the 26-screen Dome Show Theater.
"Culture Quest" is made possible through a partnership with Academic Year in the U.S.A., a leading nonprofit organization promoting global learning and leadership through foreign exchange programs and study abroad opportunities. Since 1980, AYUSA has arranged for more than 40,000 students from more than 75 countries to spend a semester or academic year living with American host families.
The event is included with regular admission, free for UTSA faculty, staff and students.
The Institute of Texan Cultures is on the UTSA HemisFair Park Campus, 801 E. Durango Blvd., a short distance from the Alamo and the River Walk. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday; noon-5 p.m., Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults (ages 12-64); $7 for seniors (ages 65+); $6 for children (ages 3-11); free with membership, UTSA or Alamo Colleges identification. For more information, call 210-458-2300 or visit TexanCultures.com.
The UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures serves as the forum for the understanding and appreciation of Texas and Texans through research, collections, exhibits and programs. The museum strives to become the nation's premier institution of contemporary cultural and ethnic studies focusing on Texans and the diverse cultural communities that make Texas what it is.
An agency of the UTSA Office of the Vice President for Community Services and a Smithsonian affiliate, the 182,000-square-foot complex features 45,000 square feet of exhibit space and five recreational Texas frontier period structures. The museum is on the UTSA HemisFair Park Campus in downtown San Antonio.
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