RADFORD -- The Chinese New Year Festival at Radford University is February 11-14. The weeklong celebration offers a variety of entertaining and informative events, including “A Night in China,” the highlight of the festival offering a variety of cultural activities for every age.

Faculty, students and the local community have worked together to present this celebration of Chinese customs and traditions. All events are free and open to the public. The celebration includes:

Monday, February 11·       

• Authentic Chinese Cuisine! with guest Chef Simon Kwong, 5 – 7 p.m., Dalton Hall Cafeteria. Bring your friends and enjoy the live Chinese cooking of native Chinese chef, Simon Kwong, owner and chef at Radford’s Canton Restaurant.  Come enjoy made-to-order Chinese cuisine – all covered under the RU meal-plan.
• Lecture: "China’s Back! The Dragon Assumes it’s Status in the World Order" presented by John Boyer, professor of geography at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m., Cook Hall 107. Come hear about China’s rise in our global world and how this rise will affect our future and lives.  A career-enhancing lecture you won’t want to miss!

Tuesday, February 12·       

• "Going for the Gold: How the 2008 Beijing Olympics will affect both China's Economy and the World," presented by Dr. Chunmei Yang, 7 p.m., Cook Hall 107. Yang, a native Chinese Fulbright Scholar, will speak about China’s current economy, the effect the Olympics will bring, and what this means for American businesses.

Wednesday, February 13·       

• Chinese Rice Art, Bonnie Food Court, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Come have your name written on rice and preserved in jewelry form.  A great Valentine’s Day gift idea!
• Film: The Painted Veil, 7:00 p.m., Hurlburt Auditorium. Bring your valentine to this deeply moving and inspiring love story about a British couple that move to work in China during the fretful years after the fall of the Emperor.  After the film, enjoy an intriguing discussion of relationships in the context of the Chinese culture by RU professors Kristin Froemling and I-Ping Fu.

Thursday, February 14

• A Night in China: 2008 Chinese New Year Festival Celebration, 6 - 9:30 p.m., Cook Hall 107 and surrounding rooms. Taste the food, see the sights, learn the language, and experience the Chinese New Year! Welcome the Year of the Rat with live martial arts performances by Simon Kwong and traditional Chinese dancing and singing from the Chinese School of VPI. Try your hand at Chinese calligraphy and watercolor, take tai chi or Chinese language lessons, and indulge in a very special Chinese Valentine track that enables you to make and walk away with unique Chinese gifts.

RU’s Chinese New Year Festival is sponsored by the Zylphia Shu-En Kirk Endowment, the McGlothlin Family Endowment, SGA Diversity Council, Dalton Dining Services, Multicultural and International Student Services and the International Education Center. To learn more, contact the International Education Center at (540) 831-6200.