Global Reach

UNC Charlotte’s International Festival enables the greater Charlotte community to experience cultural traditions and foods from around the world. New for this year’s 44th annual festival, Opera Carolina will perform, and the Charlotte Independence soccer team will give demonstrations.

John Kornblum, former U.S. ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, will discuss “Why Europe Matters” at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 12, in the Cone University Center, Room 210, as part of the 2019 International Speaker Series.

Computer science professor Liz Johnson recently returned from a summer vacation in Nepal, where she worked on women’s empowerment projects with the Volunteer Initiative of Nepal to help prevent sex trafficking.She also worked in rural Kavresthali, assisting women to build micro-credit businesses and set up social media accounts to more effectively market their products. Johnson was invited to return in July 2020 to speak on the complexity of approaches to policy research as part of an international conference.

Joël Gallegos, assistant provost for international programs, recently received the Harold P. Josephson Award from the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.

Cato College of Education professor Chuang Wang and student Maria Garcia are the recipients of the International Education Awards (IEA) presented by the Office of International Programs.

The 10th annual Study Abroad Photo Exhibit will be displayed in the Popp Martin Student Union Gallery from Tuesday, April 30, through Friday, May 24. An opening reception celebrating the 10th anniversary of the exhibit will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1.

Audrey Marks, ambassador of Jamaica to the United States, will be the keynote speaker for this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, scheduled for 3:30 p.m., Thursday, March 28, in the Popp Martin Student Union Multipurpose Room.

The Office of International Programs is sponsoring the webinar “Global Learning Beyond the Classroom,” which is part of the NAFSA: Association of International Educators’ Architecture for Global Learning series. It is scheduled for 2 to 3 p.m., Thursday, March 14, in the College of Health and Human Services, Room 207.

This webinar will explore examples of how to stimulate global learning in higher education spaces outside of the classroom. These spaces include international student orientations, education abroad pre-departure trainings and campus multicultural center events.

UNC Charlotte will hold its International Women’s Day reception from 3:30 to 5 p.m., Thursday, March 28, in the Popp Martin Student Union Multipurpose Room.

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women while also making a call to action for accelerating gender balance. It is recognized by the United Nations and has been celebrated annually since 1911.

Imdat Ozen, a lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, will discuss “The Rise of Populism in Europe” as the final speaker of the 2019 Great Decisions Lecture Series. This free, public presentation is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 25, at Charlotte Country Day School.