International Development Week, January 31 to February 4
During the first week in February, the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) will celebrate International Development Week, which is held each year to increase Canadians' awareness of their role in international development, and to learn more about life in developing countries. UPEI has chosen to highlight issues in Africa, and has organized several events for the week.
On Monday, January 31, there will be an information display in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre. Representatives will be available from the Faculty of Education, School of Business, and Student Services, as well as NGOs such as CUSO, PEI Association for Newcomers, Canada World Youth, WUSC, and Canadian Crossroads International. This information display will be held from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm.
A panel presentation entitled "Perspectives on Development in Africa: Lessons from the Tsunami and Beyond," will be held on Wednesday, February 2. Sponsored by the Dean of Science, the event is scheduled to start at 6:30pm. The panelists include Winston Johnston (Chair of Farmers Helping Farmers), Donna Malone (CUSO), and Momo Kanneh (UPEI graduate student and former Liberian journalist). The panel will be moderated by Karen Mair, from CBC's Island Morning. Following the panel, at approximately 8:30pm, there will be a cultural presentation (including a fashion show and trivia) organized by the Society of International Students. Light refreshments will be available. Both of these events take place in the AVC Lecture Theatre C.
At 10:15am on February 4, the Faculty of Education presents a video-conference between various NGOs on PEI and NGOs in Africa. The focus of the video-conference is AIDS. The conference will take place in ITEC Theatre and will last for approximately an hour.
International Development Week concludes with the Fourth Annual Fundraising Luncheon at the Rodd Royalty Inn on February 4. Alexis MacDonald, Acting Executive Director of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, will be the guest speaker and will speak on the AIDS crisis in Africa. The luncheon begins at noon, and tickets are $30 each or $270 for a table of ten. A portion of every luncheon ticket sold is donated to a UPEI International Student Scholarship. For tickets please contact Rose Barbour at 566-0615 or rbarbour@upei.ca. Individuals, businesses, or organizations may also sponsor a UPEI international student to attend. During the luncheon, international student awards will be presented.
All activities and presentations are open to the public and, with the exception of the Fundraising Luncheon, are free. For more information regarding any of these events, please call Christine Gordon at 566-0417 or cgordon@upei.ca.
