Interactive programs informing and inspiring students to think about the stories that are important to the world are common in large cities, but rare outside of urban areas. Geographic and historic isolation should not be barriers to communities and schools wishing to explore, appreciate, and develop real connections to the larger world that lies outside our boundaries. We passionately believe that South Georgia's students and community members deserve the same opportunities and access to knowledge and activities as those who live in large metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Savannah and Orlando.

Developing such programs and opportunities has become the driving force and goal of all the activities of the Azalea International Folk Fair. The primary goal of the Azalea International Folk Fair is to serve as a helpful, meaningful enrichment to the local middle schools' social studies curriculum.

As a part of their coursework, students study Latin America, Europe and Russia throughout their 6th-grade year. Then, in 7th grade, they study Asia, the Middle East and Africa. (In the 8th grade, they study Georgia state history.) However, the images and illustrations portrayed in school textbooks are frequently limited, abstract and/or remote. That's why we created the Azalea International Folk Fair programs to provide concrete expressions of world's rich diverse cultures and traditions to supplement the school textbooks.

With these unique and exciting international explorations, we wish to build global perspectives for South Georgia's students. We hope to prepare them not only for global careers in the future, but also for good citizenship -- of the world as well as of this country.

We bridge gaps of understanding in order to create a harmonious and colorful quilt of diversity to help South Georgia as it continues to grow as a welcoming, pleasant home with richly vibrant cultural connections with the rest of the world.

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