MAILED: May 14, 2001
EAU CLAIRE—The University of
Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the Hmong Mutual Assistance Association will sponsor
the 12th annual Hmong Community Fellowship Dinner Thursday, May 17, from 5:30 to
8:30 p.m. in the Council Fire Room of Davies Center.
The purpose of the event is for Hmong and
Westerners to exchange cultural and social experiences and build stronger
relationships within the community. Representatives from both the public and
private sectors of the community have been invited, including key Hmong
community members.
Singing and traditional Hmong dancing will
accompany the dinner, which will feature both Hmong and western foods.
"We talk about embracing diversity every
day in our work and community," said Charles Vue, Hmong/Southeast Asian
program coordinator and chair of the fellowship dinner committee. "I
personally feel that one way to approach this challenge is to start with things
that people have in common. Food is one of those things. Eating traditional
foods with an ethnic group can be the first step toward learning about that
culture."
Keynote speaker General Vang Pao, who now lives
in California, will be speaking on the topic of fellowship. Pao was the person
originally responsible for bringing the Hmong and the United States government
together in Laos.
"With his leadership in the past and the
current support of the citizens of the United States, the Hmong are able to be
where they are today," Vue said.
The dinner is free and open to the public but
advance reservations are required. For more information or to make reservations,
contact Vue at (715) 836-3367 or call the Hmong Mutual Assistance Association at
(715) 832-8420.
-30-
JP
[Administrative Offices]
[News Bureau]
Janice B. Wisner
UW-Eau Claire News Bureau
Schofield 201
(715) 836-4741
newsbur@uwec.edu
Updated: May 14, 2001
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