Thursday night’s Human Relations Commission meeting discussed plans for February and March events to celebrate character, diversity and understanding.

The CHARACTER COUNTS! program, which emphasizes six pillars of good character, will hold a recognition ceremony in Ames this March. This is the first time the event will be in Ames, said commission member Mary Jo Mattila.

“The event [is held] to recognize and honor young people and adults . associated with positive character traits,” Mattila said.

Former Governor Robert D. Ray will be the keynote speaker at the recognition ceremony.

The CHARACTER COUNTS! program has also been incorporated into the Ames Community School District. Ames schools incorporate a pillar of character into its calendar each month to remind students of the importance of character.

“[We’re] trying to build this language,” Mattila said.

The ceremony will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on March 22 in the Knapp Storm Dining Complex.

Also discussed by the commission was a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Black Cultural Center, 517 Welch Ave.

The ceremony, which will also be held at the Knapp Storm Dining Complex depending on the weather, will include tours of the new facility.

“The remodeling has been phenomenal,” assistant city manager Sheila Lundt said. “Students have worked really hard to get historical information and some displays together.”

The Black Cultural Center is a private, nonprofit organization created in 1969 to promote cross-cultural understanding and provide programs of benefit to ISU students and employees.

The commission also discussed a new meeting time for next month’s meeting.

“[The] February [meeting] will be the 22nd in a different room,” Lundt said.

The meeting will also be at 5:30 p.m. instead of the regularly scheduled 7 p.m. start.