ITHACA, N.Y. -- The annual Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) community program to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. will be Monday, Jan. 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.

The 11th annual event will include a buffet luncheon, performances by local choirs and a keynote speech by Cornell President Jeffrey Lehman.

The luncheon and keynote-speaker portion of the program will take place in the second-floor gymnasium of Beverly J. Martin Elementary School, 302 W. Buffalo St.

Following the luncheon, the program will continue with workshops, including children's workshops presented by Cornell's Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art and the History Center in Tompkins County. There also will be a panel discussion titled "Do You Know Who I Am?" to challenge participants to be aware of, and embrace, diversity and inclusiveness, and a special presentation by Ithaca College's MLK Scholars on their recent civil rights tour. The day will conclude with dessert and additional performances by area choirs.

The workshops and dessert will be presented in the GIAC portion of the building, with the entrance at 318 N. Albany St.

The celebration is organized by GIAC; the Multicultural Resource Center; the Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy at Cornell; the Cornell Public Service Center; Ithaca College's Center for Student Leadership and Involvement; Campus Life at Cornell; and Ithaca College's Office of Multicultural Affairs. It is co-sponsored by Greenstar Cooperative Market, the city of Ithaca and On Site Volunteer Services.

Volunteers are needed to provide assistance throughout the day. Those interested in volunteering should contact Reneé Farkas at rcf1@cornell.edu or (607) 255-1107. For general information about the day's activities, contact GIAC at (607) 272-3622 or Cornell's Public Service Center at (607) 255-1148.