Wan Kamal Wan Napi and Kathy Hollister glowed with pride as they looked up at the 61 colorful flags hanging from the upper track of the Recreation Center Sunday.

More than five years ago, Hollister, assistant director of intramural sports, devised the idea of supporting international students by hanging the flags of all their countries at the Recreation Center. As a result, a dedication ceremony for The International Gallery of Flags was organized Sunday afternoon on the lower track.

Carla Coppi, associate director of Intentional Students and Scholars, John Jackson, vice chancellor of Academic Affairs, and Harvey Welch, vice chancellor of Student Affairs, were among those who spoke at the opening of the gallery.

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International Student Council gave the flags to the Recreation Center as a gift, and in return the Recreation Center staff made the decision to make the flags a permanent display.

Although not all of the 75 flags are hung around the track yet, Hollister and Wan Napi, ISC president, sense the success of the flags.

It has taken so long to happen, and there has been so many barriers, Hollister said. It became so expensive and so hard to obtain the flags, but to make this happen after all this time builds the relationship we have with ISC.

The project endured many complications since the original idea was created. Recreation Center staff tried to obtain flags from various international embassies but had no luck.

Instead of becoming discouraged, Hollister and Wan Napi came up with a plan.

Each international student association was asked to donate $30 to buy their countries’ flags. After the money was collected, 75 flags were purchased. ISC is still trying to raise the money to buy a total of 135 flags.

Hollister has worked closely with Wan Napi to ensure international students feel the support and concern of the Recreation Center.

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One of our mottos at the Recreation is Something for everyone,’ she said. This is a great way to show the relationship between the American and international students.

The gallery is a visual sign of that support, but the flags will do more than represent this symbolic friendship. The flags will also give international students a renewed feeling about their homeland and SIUC.

There is such a sense of pride, Wan Napi said. It makes you feel good about your country and being here.

For the Recreation Center the gallery provides a colorful environment to the students who exercise in the upper track area daily.

It gives a very warm feeling and adds more color, Hollister said. Everywhere you look there is a different color, and it gives it a totally different feeling.

Wan Napi knows the real importance of the Gallery is not what it will do for students now but what it will mean in the future.

The history of this cannot be forgotten, he said. Whenever I come back here, I can show my children what I did.