UPEI celebrates International Development Week February 4-8
The University of Prince Edward Island celebrates diversity and multiculturalism during its seventh annual International Development Week from February 4 to 8.
The week begins on Monday, February 4, with two showings of the award-winning 1997 Iranian movie, Children of Heaven, the first at 1:30 p.m. in Room 211 in the Robertson Library and the second at 4 p.m. in Room 104 of the K.C. Irving Building. A discussion hosted by University 100 and psychology students will follow.
On Wednesday, February 6, students will discuss global issues affecting children and possibilities for youth action during a student symposium on global change in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre’s McMillan Hall. Participants will include high school and first-year UPEI students, with education students as facilitators.
Nigel Fisher, president and CEO of UNICEF Canada, will give the keynote address at the symposium. Fisher has considerable experience in advocacy for the protection of civilians, especially children, in zones of conflict, and has worked extensively in basic education and child development. He worked with UNICEF for over 20 years in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, as well as at UNICEF headquarters in New York.
Diana Youdell, special advisor to the Director General of the Afghanistan Task Force, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, will give a talk called “Canada … Making a Difference in Afghanistan” on Thursday, February 7, at 10 a.m. in the Atlantic Veterinary College’s Lecture Theatre C. Her presentation will be followed by a question and answer period.
Youdell recently returned from Afghanistan where she served as Head of Development Programs for CIDA from August 2006 to September 2007. She is currently on temporary assignment from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Under her guidance, more than $100 million of CIDA funds was disbursed to support national programs run by the Afghanistan government, including microfinance, sustainable livelihood, gender equality and girls’ education.
The week wraps up on Friday, February 8, with the annual UPEI International Development Scholarship Luncheon at the Rodd Royalty Inn, starting at noon. Nigel Fisher will be the guest speaker at this event.
Members of the public are invited to take part in the week’s activities. All events are free except the luncheon, which costs $30 per person or $270 for a table of 10. People may also sponsor a UPEI international student to attend the luncheon. Proceeds from the fundraising luncheon go toward an international student scholarship at UPEI. For information and tickets, please contact Beverly Gerg at (902) 894-2842 or bgerg@upei.ca by February 1, 2008.
In conjunction with International Development Week, an exhibition called International EXPOsure 2008 will be held on February 5 and 6 in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre’s concourse. The expo will include informative displays about the many cultures that are part of the UPEI community.
