Coffee hour bridges cultures

As the week winds down Friday, the Leo R. Dowling Center plays host to an International Coffee Hour each week, providing an informal gathering to learn about the world's different cultures.\nThe international coffee hours, held from 4-6 p.m., are hosted by different international student groups. With 48 different international student groups on campus, Ken Rogers, director of international programs, said "this provides an opportunity for international and American students to come together in an informal way."\nGroups organize a 15-30 minute program representing the culture and life of their native countries. After the presentations, audience members are encouraged to socialize and talk with the host groups over coffee and refreshments. According to the Coffee Hour Web site, the presentations "provide a way to celebrate the variety of cultures in the IU community and to bring individuals from diverse backgrounds together."\nRogers said the events are open to all people and are meant to be an entertaining and lighthearted way for people to learn about cultures and relax on a Friday afternoon.\nFriday's presentation was given by IU's Amnesty International, an advocacy group for human rights around the world.\n"We wanted a way to reach out to the international community at IU," said Amnesty coordinator and senior Kirsten Eamon. "It's important that people who represent human rights violations are known in the world and we help the world see this."\nTwo Burmese refugees spoke about their country's problems.\n"The government (in Burma) does not like educated people, and people do not like the government," said one of the men, who wrote the book, "Oh Burma" that focuses on the plight of people of Burma and the repression of the government. "How many people run away from this country every day? But what can we can we do? Keep this country in mind to help."\nAmnesty also showed a short video called "Universal Declaration of Human Rights," which represented many of the rights they said all people should have.\nInternational coffee hours date back to 1980, when a former international student, who was the center coordinator at the time, had the idea. Student groups are given first preference and are the majority of presenters, but other groups, such as academic departments, are welcome to participate.\n"This is primarily a low key social time and we advise organizations to keep the programs light and not lengthy or heavy," Rogers said. "In this there comes an interaction we hope will lead to understanding and longer term kinds of friendships and relationships between international and American students."\nRogers said there is no hidden agenda to the coffee hours, and the three points that are usually good for bringing students together for a program are food, music and some type of entertainment.\nAttendance at the coffee is averages 40 people, with many nations represented. Culture is shown through language, dress and the native foods groups sometimes choose to bring.\n"The original rationale (of the program) was that it would be neat to have some event at the end of the week which would be a time for people to relax, unwind and enjoy themselves," Rogers said.