It's (Almost) New Year's!

At least three celebrations are planned in Indy for Chinese New Year's. Celebrating the beginning of the Year of the Rat on 2 February are a coalition of groups: Chinese School of Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis and Indianapolis Chinese Performing Arts, Inc. Participants include Confucius Institute Indianapolis, IUPUI Asian Pacific American Faculty and Staff Council, IUPUI Chinese Student & Scholar Association, and Families with Children from China. Special guests are Indiana Ballet Company and the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana. The Asian Art Society of the Indianapolis Museum of Art celebrates on 8 February. The New Year -- and the 35th anniversary of the Indiana Association of Chinese Americans -- wil be feted on 16 February. Check the Nationalities Council's calendar for details these and other international events in and around Indy!

International Education Summit in Indy

The Indiana Department of Education and Eli Lilly and Company will host the state’s first-ever international education summit Friday (1 February) at the Eli Lilly and Company Corporate Center in Indianapolis. More than 250 education, business, government and community leaders from across the globe are coming together at the summit, held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in an effort to position Indiana as a leader in educating a globally-aware and economically competitive workforce. Goals of the summit include raising awareness of the importance of international education, highlighting its current status in Indiana schools and teacher education programs, promoting best practices, providing expanded opportunities for collaboration and encouraging public and private investment to increase access to international content in Indiana schools. For information, contact Jason Bearce, 317:232-6618, or Lynelle A. Miller, 317:232-6614.

Indiana University Business Conference Goes Global

"Building Indiana's Competitive Edge in the Global Economy: Strategies That Work" is the theme for the 2008 Indiana University Business Conference, which begins at 9 a.m. 5 March in the Indiana Convention Center, 100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis. Presenters include Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, I.U. President Michael A. McRobbie (pictured), Indianapolis Motor Speedway President and Chief Executive Officer Anton "Tony" George, Langham Logistics Inc. President Catherine A. Langham, Simon Property Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David E. Simon and FedEx Corp. Chairman, President and CEO Frederick W. Smith. The annual conference is presented by I.U.'s Kelley School of Business, in partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Corp.

India Studies Center Sets Spring Lecture Series

This spring's India Studies lecture series at Indiana University will feature leading political, art and cultural scholars of India and South Asia. All the events will begin at 5:30 p.m. at India Studies House, 825 East 8th Street, Bloomington. The series, which is free and open to the public, begins Friday (1 February) with a presentation by Sumit Guha, professor of history at Rutgers University. Guha will speak on "Language Politics in Pre-modern Western India c.1300-1800." The complete schedule is here.

Indianapolis and Eldoret, "We Are Together"

"We are together" in Kiswahili (a major language of Kenya) is "Tuko Pamoja" -- and that's the title of an evening planned from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday (1 February) in the Harrison Center for the Arts, 1505 North Delaware Street, Indianapolis. Indianapolis has many connections with (especially) Eldoret, Indy's newest Sister City, including the Indiana University School of Medicine's collaborations with Moi University. There'll also be volun-tourists from Ambassadors for Children (who've just returned from Kenya), Indianapolis Rotarians, who are launching a clean water program in Eldoret, OMOJA (a project of Global Interfaith Partnership), and more. Come to learn and enjoy -- sample Kenyan food, listen to African stories and music, and talk to Hoosiers who've been there. For more information, contact John Clark or Gwyneth Sutherlin.

Doing Business in China?

A seminar on China's changing business environment will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 12 February in the Marriott Hotel, 350 West Maryland Street, Indianapolis. Presented by Baker & Daniels LLP, Deloitte & Touche LLP, KeyBank and the United States Patent & Trademark Office, sessions will cover structuring a business in China, adjusting to China's legislative changes, succeeding in mergers and acquisitions, avoiding and responding to product recalls and protecting intellectual property (click here for a complete schedule). Cost is $75 per person, including all educational sessions, continental breakfast, lunch and a post seminar reception. Presenters include Ji-Qing Liu (pictured). Registration is available online. For information, contact Kim Migut, 317:237-1365.

Mariane Pearl To Speak at Butler in March

Mariane Pearl, widow of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl and subject of the film "A Mighty Heart", will speak at Clowes Memorial Hall at 7:30 p.m. 2 March as part of Butler University's Celebration of Diversity Distinguished Lecture Series. The lecture is free and open to the public, but a ticket is required for admission. Tickets may be obtained at the Clowes Hall box office, 317:940-6444. In her talk, "A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband, Daniel Pearl,” Mariane Pearl (pictured at right with their son) will address the kidnapping and brutal murder of her husband by a militant Islamic fundamentalist group in Pakistan. Her speech is a hallmark event of Butler’s Women’s History Celebration.

Iraqi Scouting Initiative to Benefit from Indiana Popcorn

DHL and Trail's End Popcorn Company of Indiana have joined forces to help raise money for the Iraqi Scouting Initiative, according to Inside INdiana Business. DHL is donating its shipping services to transport 2.5 tons of Trail's End popcorn to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. The sale of the popcorn will raise as much as $25,000 for the purchase of supplies for youth scouting activities across Iraq. Iraq’s youth scouting program reemerged in 2004 through the efforts of the Green Zone Council, a volunteer group of U.S. civilian and military personnel in Iraq. From DHL’s facility in Indianapolis, hundreds of cases of microwave popcorn, caramel corn, and kernels, donated by Trail’s End Popcorn Company of Indiana, will be transported via a 53-foot tractor-trailer to DHL’s primary air and ground hub in Wilmington, Ohio, where it will be flown to JFK airport and onwards to the Middle East.

Indy Says "Hello Kitty"

Ken Belson, author of Hello Kitty: The Global Brand with Nine Lives will talk about his book during a 6:30 p.m. lecture in the DeBoest Lecture Hall of the Indianapolis Museum of Art on 27 March. The presentation is sponsored by the IMA's Asian Art Society and the Japan-America Society of Indiana. Hello Kitty was Japan’s brilliant answer to Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse. Belson will discuss how Japan’s most famous cartoon kitten and other Sanrio characters have become a global cultural phenomenon, beginning in the 1970s with the Japanese concept of kawaii or "cute".

Two Events on Kenya Scheduled in Indy

Kenyan social scientists, local members of the Kenyan community, and Hoosiers from the Indiana University Medical School, the Rotary Club of Indianapolis and others will explore the causes of the Kenyan crisis in a community forum at 6 p.m. Friday (25 January) at Christian Theological Seminary, 1000 West 42nd Street, Indianapolis. For more information, email Carol Darst or call 317:849-0133.

The second event, "Tuko Pamoja", is from 6 to 9 p.m. 1 February in the Harrison Center for the Arts, 15th and Delaware streets, Indianapolis. Sponsored by Provocate and other local groups, it will be a celebration of Kenyan culture, art, food and music. ("Tuko Pamoja" is Swahili for "We Stand Together"). For more information, contact John Clark.

Grand Opening Set for Confucius Institute

Confucius Institute Indianapolis will hold its grand opening at 8 p.m. 24 April in its Cavanaugh Hall offices on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, 425 University Boulevard. The institute will work with local businesses, government, and arts organizations, and other educational institutions to offer Central Indiana residents instruction in Chinese language, culture, and history. The Confucius Institute will be supported by resources from IUPUI, Butler University and IU-Bloomington. The Confucius Institute in Indianapolis is an apolitical, non-profit organization. It was established at IUPUI in 2007 to promote the teaching of Chinese language and culture in central Indiana and facilitate mutual understanding between the peoples of China and United States. The executive director is Dr. Zao C. Xu (above, left).

UPDATE:
The opening has been moved to 25 April. See the complete schedule here.

DePauw to Host Tony Blair in March

Tony Blair, who served as prime minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from May 1997 through June 2007, will come to the campus of DePauw University on March 3, 2008, to deliver a Timothy and Sharon Ubben Lecture. Blair's speech will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Lilly Center's Neal Fieldhouse (702 S. College Avenue). Like all Ubben Lectures, the event will be free and open to all. Seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and no tickets will be distributed. Mr. Blair becomes the fifth former prime minister of Britain to speak at DePauw. Harold Macmillan, whose grandfather was a graduate of Indiana Asbury, provided the 1958 commencement address as the sitting prime minister. Harold Wilson presented a 1981 talk. The Ubben Lecture Series presented Margaret Thatcher in 1992 and John Major in 2001.

Samuel Pieh to Speak at University of Indianapolis

Samuel Pieh (left), a alumnus of the University of Indianapolis who served as a dialect coach and played a small role in the Steven Spielberg movie based on the 1839 incident when slaves on board a Spanish schooner off the coast of North America rebelled, will discuss "The Amistad: Timeless Values in the Footprints of History" during a program beginning at noon 21 January. Pieh is a descendant of Sengbe Pieh (also known as Joseph Cinqué) whose actions led his fellow captives to freedom in a landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Open to the public, the free event will be in UIndy’s Ransburg Auditorium, 1400 East Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis. The program also will include music by the university’s "Voices of Worship" gospel choir. A reception follows in the Schwitzer Student Center atrium. Pieh, who graduated from UIndy in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, is the executive director of the Christian Health Association of Sierra Leone.

Gen. Powell Makes Return Visit to Indiana

Gen. Colin L. Powell, United States Army (Retired), will speak about "Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust and Values" at 7:30 p.m. 18 February in Clowes Memorial Hall on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis, an event that will mark the 20th anniversary of the university's Celebration of Diversity Distinguished Lecture Series, according to the university. Tickets will be distributed to Butler students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents on 23 January at the Clowes Hall Box Office. Any tickets that remain will be offered to the general public on a date to be announced.

"Bamako" Featured at Film Series

"Bamako", a 2006 film (in French with English subtitles) and directed by Abderrahmane Sissako of Mali (115 minutes) will be shown at 7 p.m. 7 February as part of the "Africa: Challenge & Hope" film series. The film shows how the private struggles of a Malian couple are paralleled by the public proceedings of an African civil society taking action against the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The film is an official selection of the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. A discussion with Michael Martin, director of the Indiana University Black Film Center/Archive will follow the screening on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis. Email for more information.

Chinese Classes in Carmel

Continuing Studies at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis has scheduled two Chinese language classes at the Community Life and Learning Center, 515 East Main Street, Carmel. "Beginning Chinese" starts a series of eight lessons from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursdays on 17 January. "Beginning Chinese Level II" starts a series of eight lessons from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, starting 16 January. Instructor for both classes (each of which is $139) is Lisu Kwong. For information, call 317:278-7600.

Hats from Africa on Display at IMA

More than 50 traditional head coverings representing 30 ethnic groups from across Africa show the great cultural diversity of the continent. The exhibit, Hats of Africa: From Asante to Zulu, includes hats made for a variety of purposes and composed of a variety of materials, including cloth, leather, feathers, shells and hair. Take a virtual tour of the exhibit here.

Skillman Sets Off for Mexico Next Month

Indiana Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman will lead a trade delegation to Mexico in February, according to Inside Indiana Business. Indiana food and agribusiness leaders will accompany her on this agricultural economic development mission. Mexico is the number two export destination for both Indiana and U.S. agricultural products.

Finding the NCI Website

The School of Liberal Arts at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, host for the website of the Nationalities Council of Indiana, is migrating to a new server. In the meantime, try this to access our website. Sorry for the problems, but we at NCI had no idea a change was in the works!

Is Indiana Like Arizona?

Indiana might be one of the next states to consider legislation that places the burden of screening illegal immigrants on business, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. At least one such bill is likely to be introduced in the General Assembly, said George Raymond, an Indiana Chamber of Commerce lobbyist specializing in labor relations.

"Wounded Knee" Series at Eiteljorg

The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art has a film series this month on the Wounded Knee massacre in 1890. First up is "The Ride to Wounded Knee", described as a searing documentary on the last armed conflict between the Dakota Sioux and the United States, which resulted in the deaths of more than 146 men, women and children. You can see it at 2 p.m. Saturday (5 January) at the museum, 500 West Washington Street, Indianapolis. Charge for the film only is $5, or you can attend as part of the museum admission price. Other films are 12 and 19 January, with a symposium on the topic scheduled for 26 January.

Lilly Part of UK Government Probe

A United Kingdom government probe into whether GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca Plc, and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly & Co. bribed the administration of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein may expand to other companies, the Serious Fraud Office said, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Eldoret Caught Up in Kenyan Violence

"The Eldoret area has become a killing zone." That's the bottom line in a news article in The New York Times on the mayhem in Kenya following the disputed election last week. Unfortunately for many Hoosiers, Indiana has a strong presence in Eldoret with the Indiana University School of Medicine's partnership with Moi University.

UPDATE:
A community prayer service has been organized by the Global Interfaith Partnership, a coalition of 10 churches and synagogues that are addressing the problems of orphans resulting from HIV/AIDS in Kenya. It starts at 4 p.m. Sunday (6 January) in North United Methodist Church, 38th and Meridian streets, Indianapolis.

Indy's New Mayor

Greg Ballard and his wife are featured in "Indy Sunday" 30 December 2007 as an "@ Home" article. The Ballards, according to The Star, "have filled their home with furniture and accessories from around the world".