Spanish drama, German pop music and French cabaret share the stage at the second annual Foreign Language Festival at Sonoma State University from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Spoken language is a big part of the day as local high school students of French, German, and Spanish work together with the SSU language community.
"A language festival like SSU's reinvests students and teachers in cultural sharing and focuses on world diversity, " says French professor Suzanne Tocynski , one of the organizers of the event.
"Now, more than ever, multi-lingual ability is crucial to the fostering of cultural understanding and world stability, " she says.
"By participating in the language festival, students of all levels demonstrate their commitment to exploring cultures different from their own and their willingness to view difference as a strength rather than as something to be feared."
In the morning, the students will compete in poetry, diction, and public speaking contests in three languages, French, German and Spanish.
After a short brown-bag lunch, many SSU students, faculty and family members will join selected high school groups in a cabaret extravaganza in the Cooperage, including Arabic poetry and drumming, French cabarettunes, German pop music from the '30s, and Spanish drama.
Traditional New Orleans jazz by the Russian River Ramblers is also featured.
The crowning cabaret event garners much enthusiasm all around, says Tocyzski. Attendance was more than 200 people at last year's event and the festival was voted "Best Club Event of the Year" by SSU's Associated Students.
Admission to the festival is free with the exception of the cabaret, which is $3 at the door.
For more information, contact Christine Renaudin, Professor of French, at (707) 664-3159.
