The 14th edition of the long awaited American International School of Bucharest International Festival brought together around 500 families from over 50 countries in a celebration of internationality, community and friendship on Saturday, May 24, 2014. Students, parents, family and friends came together to showcase traditional costumes, dishes, music, art and games and feel proud of their own country as part of a great international community such as the AISB.

Students were invited to get a passport and work hard to obtain visas from all countries represented: knock cans with a tennis ball to get a visa for the Netherlands, match towns with regions to get a visa for Italy, shoot a goal to get a visa for Brasil, answer questions in a quiz to get a visa for Romania. And if this was not fun enough, all present were enchanted by a national costumes parade where they were transported from the flip-flops of Australia to the intricate costumes of Indonesia, Morocco or Korea, through the beautiful Romanian and Moldavian “ie” and the colorful Korean dresses.

Proud and cheerful, the members of the AISB community paraded down the lanes of the campus waving their countries’ flags in the traditional parade and took part in traditional dances and songs. Everything was filled with the smells and mouthwatering tastes of traditional dishes and everyone enjoyed a perfect day in the sun.

“Every year, the AISB community comes together at the end of spring to celebrate a wonderful community and our spirit of respect and tolerance. We were so happy to see so many families join in this celebration and participate as best they could to an atmosphere of joy,” said Dr. David Ottaviano, AISB Director.

“This is a beautiful tradition at AISB and we are all proud to come and show students and parents alike all of the special things that our countries have to offer. The AISB Parent and Teacher Organization has been putting this event together every year for the past 14 years and more and more members of the international community in Bucharest join and enjoy the day together with us,” said Fabiana Papastefani-Pezzoni, President of the AISB Parent and Teacher Organization.

“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community” says Anthony J. D’Angelo
Following another great tradition of the AISB, that of always reaching out to those in need, the entire community came together in this day of celebration not only to have fun and enjoy each other but also to reach out and help the ones who should never be forgotten. Many of the stands carried a message and were in fact fundraising projects for the ones less fortunate. During the day funds were raised to help support Serbia, buy wood for the winter for orphan children in Valea Plopului, Prahova, help children of P.A.V.E.L., support charities such as Second Chance and so many others. The day could not have been a complete success without this.

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