Marching to the sounds of a drum Wednesday, international students prepared for the end of International Festival ’98 with a short parade around campus.

Fifteen student associations participated in the International Parade of Flags, as the Zydeco Crawdaddies, sponsored by the International Student Council, performed in the Roman Room of the Student Center.

The parade featured ethnic costumes, sounds of different countries and several SIUC administrators. Chancellor Donald Beggs, and his wife, Shirley, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Harvey Welch and Vice Chancellor of Administration James Tweedy all were carried on an ISC wooden elephant.

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An elephant is part of Southeast Asian culture and represents dignity. Accordingly, Beggs says the dignity of International Festival ’98, a celebration of 50 years of international strident enrollment at SIUC, should not end when February is over.

I see the end of the festival as showing the students can have a month-long celebration of respecting others, Beggs said. There is no reason to why this respect has to end with the month.

Beggs and his wife also shared in the celebration by hitting a gong when they arrived at the Student Center after the parade to symbolize the beginning of the end of the International Festival 98.

The last days of the international festival feature several events. At 11 a.m. Thursday, ISC is sponsoring an International Bazaar in the Student Center Hall of Fame and a Food Fair in the Student Center Ballrooms. The Food Fair will feature foods from around the world and will be prepared by international students.

Friday is the grand finale of International Festival ’98. There will be an international buffet commemorating 50 years of international students at SIUC at 5 p.m. in the Student Center Renaissance Room and the International Cultural Show at 8 p.m. in the Student Center Ballrooms.

Another goal of International Festival ’98 is for international students to be able to showcase their cultures and make the community more aware of the cultural diversity on campus.

Ruth Saborio, vice president of ISC, said the festival has gone beyond its mission.

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We were able to show the vast diversity that we have on campus, she said. The parade and all the onlookers made it a wonderful display of all our cultures.