The Rochester International Association is a non-profit organization engaging in, and promoting, inter-cultural education and exchange, with the aim of enhancing the community in which it operates.

Learn more about our history.

What we do:

World Festival: Allow us take you around the world from China to Latin America, India to Uzbekistan, and all in one weekend. Our World Festival performers represent the many different cultures in our community, expressing themselves through music, dance, poetry and song.  Our World Festival displays are a cornerstone of the festival as participants share their country and culture, through maps and artifacts and interaction. Many non-profit organizations take the opportunity to raise their profiles too.  Add food from around the world, vendors and children’s activities, the World Festival is one of the largest cultural celebrations in the area. However, World Festival could not take place without our volunteers.  If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at World Festival, or at any RIA event, please contact us via the links on this website.

The Rochester International Association, with the Mayor’s International Committee, co-hosst a Thanksgiving Dinner each year to welcome many of our International guests to Rochester and to give them an introduction to a traditional turkey and all the trimmings dinner.  The event brings many people together in a spirit of thankfulness and community.

We also co-host with the Mayor’s International Committee a Summer Picnic, usually at Silver Lake Park.  The emphasis is on fun, friendship and introductions.

International Student Scholarships: RIA supports the Rochester Community & Technical College’s Foundation by awarding two tuition scholarships annually to returning international students from this area. International students at RCTC should apply in Fall of each year for the scholarship at RCTC .

As one of Rochester’s leading community groups, we are often asked if we know people who can talk about certain topics, cultures and life events. Schools, the media and civic organizations are interested in YOUR story, YOUR country and YOUR culture. If you are available to share and would like to be available for requests, please contact us. We would not share your contact details, but give you the request to respond to it as you wish.

Working with the Rochester Public Library, and other organizations, we bring movies to the community which have cultural, social justice, educational themes. For more information, check on our website and Facebook page, as well as on the Rochester Public Library calendar.

Please contact us if you need further information: brian.faloon@ria-minnesota.org

Join our mailing list or, more importantly, become a member of the Rochester International Association by using the links on this website.