On February 15, over 150 community members attended a Welcome Reception hosted by Cultural Exchange Network (CENET) from 5-7 pm. Guests were able to check out CENET’s new office space in the Marquette Tech District, meet and mingle with CENET staff & board of directors, and sample food and drinks from around the world.

Heavy hors d’oeuvres inspired by Asian recipes, European craft beers, and South American & European wine selections were be available to guests; these special selections were provided by CENET and our event sponsors: Cafe n’Me, Tandoor Indian Grill, and Primo Vino.

A highlight of the evening was a brief address given by CENET’s Executive Director, Robyn Walker, where she shared CENET’s vision and mission with attendees.

Special thanks to the Southeast Missourian for attending the event; a photo gallery from the Southeast Missourian may be viewed here.

Moving forward, CENET plans to offer receptions on regular basis. As CENET continues to facilitate our local program, Culture in the Community (CITC), we hope to gain awareness and support from our friends and fellow citizens in the Cape Girardeau area.

For those unfamiliar with CENET or its local program, CITC provides authentic, international education to area schools and groups, with a special focus on under-served schools and communities.

To date, CITC has provided free educational programs for thousands of local students through classroom sessions and summer camps. In As an upcoming initiative, CENET will once again be partnering with Concordia Language Villages (CLV) to provide scholarships for local students to attend the internationally acclaimed language immersion programs offered by CLV.

In 2017, there will be opportunities for community members and companies to contribute tax deductible donations to CENET programs. Funds will support initiatives like Culture in the Community classroom sessions and scholarships for deserving local students to attend Concordia Language Villages.

CENET strives to inspire a safer, more prosperous and compassionate world through international education and cultural exploration. To learn more about CENET or how to get involved in our programs, please contact cenet@cenet.org or 573-335-7111.

For more news and updates about CENET, please visit our Facebook Page.