A weeklong celebration of UC Davis' Principles of Community will start Monday, putting the focus on the campus's ideals and expectations for academic and social interaction.

The second annual event, "A Kaleido-scope of Cultures," will feature a cultural showcase, a film festival, a resource fair and workshops to celebrate diversity and foster a respectful community. All events are free and open to the public.

"It's highlighting something very important to our campus," said Pam Palpallatoc, student assistant to Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef.

The Office of Campus and Community Re-lations teamed with Palpallatoc and the chancellor's other student assistant, LeVale Simp-son, to encourage more student participation.

Simpson said establishing the week as an annual event is one of the efforts to build awareness of the ideals and make them a given in the everyday life of the campus.

The Principles of Community is a statement of UC Davis' commitment to being a community that values diversity and is characterized by understanding and acceptance. They uphold respect for personal dignity, affirm rights of personal expression within standards of civility and decency, and stand against discrimination.

The principles conclude with this statement: "We recognize that each of us has an obligation to the community of which we have chosen to be a part. We will strive to build a true community of spirit and purpose based on mutual respect and caring." Endorsed by campus leaders in 1990, the principles were reaffirmed in 1996 and 2001. They've been printed in many campus documents, including the General Catalog, but recent efforts have sought to build greater awareness.

During the past few years, Simpson said, the campus has created a Web site about the principles and printed them on the back of student identification cards.

"Some of the challenges confronting our community in 1990 are still evident today," said Rahim Reed, associate executive vice chancellor for campus community relations. "But our commitment to these principles remains strong and is essential to the success of our diverse and multi-cultural community."

In a written directive, Reed encouraged participation in the week. "We hope to provide members of our campus and the surrounding communities with a chance to appreciate our diversity and foster a sense of one inclusive community."

To promote the week, the chancellor's student assistants said they would distribute T-shirts. The shirt front asks "Do UCDiversity?" and the back shows the symbols of diverse faiths, ethnic groups and sexual orientations.

The kick-off celebration will begin at noon Monday on the Quad. Student speakers will encourage people to learn more about the principles and to get involved. "Everyone can benefit from things going on during the week," said Palpallatoc.

The first of two evening workshops, titled Safe Zone, aims to raise awareness of and develop sensitivity to issues confronting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. It will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday in the Mee Room of the Memorial Union.

During the second workshop, participants will discuss homophobia and heterosexism more in depth. Those who complete the training will receive a "Safe Zone" sign to display as an indication of their support for those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The session will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday in the Fielder Room of the Memorial Union.

A Community Organization Festival will showcase the resources of ethnic, political, academic, social and service organizations on the campus and beyond from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Freeborn Hall event will also include music and dance.

Student performers will draw on their heritage in a showcase of song, dance and the spoken word at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Freeborn Hall. And in another event, a panel of students will highlight the achievements of people of color in California and the nation from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Fielder Room of the Memorial Union.

The Cultural Film Festival will screen four movies:

• The Hurricane" tells the true story of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, who served 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. It shows at 8 p.m. Friday, March 4.
• "El Crimen del Padre Amaro" will portray how politics and sexual passions threaten to corrupt a newly ordained priest in a Mexican town. It shows at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 5.
• "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is the tale of two friends on a perilous quest that's a spin on the buddy-movie genre. It shows at 5:20 p.m. March 5.
• "The Business of Fancy Dancing" follows the conflict that arises when a gay, urban author returns to an American Indian reservation and is accused of stealing someone else's stories. It shows at 7:10 p.m. March 5.

All the films will be shown in Chemistry 194. For more details about the week's events, see http://occr.ucdavis.edu/kaleidoscope/.