Japan America Society Sponsors Sushi Class

"Roll Your Own: Sushi for Beginners" will be offered thrice by the Japan-America Society of Indiana.

The chefs at Ocean World Restaurant will offer the introductory class from 2 to 4 p.m. 11 January, 21 February and, again, 22 March, in the restaurant at 1206 West 86th Street, Indianapolis.

Priority is given to JASI members, but nonmembers are welcomed. Cost for nonmembers is $40, with children under 12 at $20.

There's more information and a registration form here.

"35 Years of Photography"

An exhibition of "35 Years of Photography" by Antonio Turok continues through 9 January in the Galería América of the Institute for Latino Studies in McKenna Hall at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend.

Hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day, and admission is free. (Pictured is his 1994 photo, "La Hormiga landscape".)

Turok is an internationally known documentary photographer who has worked in Central America, Mexico, and the United States covering the human condition of the people of Mexico.

For more information, contact Tom Davis, 574:631-3326.

Dow Mideast Venture Called Off

The Dow Chemical Company, which owns Indianapolis-based Dow Agrosciences, has announced the cancellation of a joint venture in Kuwait, reports Inside INdiana Business.

The company says it has been informed by the Kuwait Supreme Petroleum Council that the council has reversed its decision to approve K-Dow Petrochemicals. The new company would have been a 50-50 joint venture with Petrochemicals Industries Company.

Learn German in 2009

A good place to learn German before heading off to Europe on your next vacation is the Athenaeum (it wasn't named Das Deutsche Haus back in the 1800s for nothing). Two courses begin next month.

The first session of an eight-week course in "Beginning German Conversation" will be held 26 January from 6 to 7:30 p.m. "Intermediate German Conversation", also eight weeks, begins a few days earlier, on 21 January, also from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Classes are held in the Athenaeum, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis; cost is $90 per person or $160 per couple. For information and registration for either course, contact Claudia Grossman, Claudia Grossman, 317:274-3943.

Three Women "On a Mission"

Jayne During, Donna Thomas and Molly Lawton were profiled in December's issue of Indianapolis Woman by managing editor Rebecca R. Bibbs.

During, a native of Ghana, has created Kuaba Humanitarian Foundation to benefit the people of Zimbabwe. Thomas has helped build churches through Christian Vision Ministries of Carmel in Mexico, China and India, and has visited 75 countries. Lawton works with Carmel-based Mission to Ukraine Crisis Pregnancy Ministry.

German-American Day Essay Contest Winners

Julie Martin of Oldenburg (Ind.) Academy took home first prize in this year's German-American Day Essay Contest sponsored by the Indiana German Heritage Society. Other winners were Melissa Riggio, Fishers (Ind.) High School, second prize; Kristen Giesting, Amy Malin and Chris Collins, all of Batesville (Ind.) High School, runners up.

This year, Indiana high school students submitted essays researching and discussing the lives of three to five German-Americans. Each submission was to be in PowerPoint format.

Julie's entry profiled John Peter Zenger, Joseph Pulitzer, Lisel Mueller in her discussion of freedom of speech and the press.

Chinese New Year Spectacular in Indianapolis

Inspired by the spirit of an ancient culture, Divine Performing Arts brings to life classical Chinese dance and music in a gloriously colorful and exhilarating show coming to Indianapolis' Murat Theatre next month.

The New York-based company, including dancers, singers and musicians, performs at 2 and 7:30 p.m. 31 January. You can see video highlights of a performance here.

Tickets range in price from $20 to $120. They're available by phone at 317:239-1000 or 317:239-5151, at the Murat Theatre Box Office or any Ticketmaster outlet. The performance is sponsored locally by the Indiana Falun Dafa Association.

Hansel and Gretel Never Looked Like This!

"Hansel and Gretel: Never Eat a House" is the theme for an exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art, 340 North Senate Avenue, Indianapolis.

In the classic German fairytale from the Brothers Grimm, a hungry Hansel and Gretel are lured to the witch’s house in hopes of a meal.

Until 10 January, iMOCA will feature fresh interpretations of characters from the fairytale from The New Yorker and by contemporary artists including Roz Chast, Ian Falconer, Ana Juan, Ed Koren and William Wegman from a New York show curated by the Gallery Met at the Metropolitan Opera.

The exhibition is part of collaboration with the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library and the Indianapolis Opera. iMOCA’s portion consists of modern takes on the dark tale.

Brazilian-Born Artist Exhibits at Harrison Center

Brazilian-born Emma Overman’s exhibition “Symphonies and Dirges” stages its opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. 2 January in the Harrison Center, 1505 North Delaware Street Indianapolis. (Pictured is her "Chance Encounter".)

She says it's "a collection of works based on life’s highs and lows, from simple pleasures and trivial inconveniences to great successes and hardships", according to Provocate.org.

Emma Overman was born in Sete Lagoas, Brazil, in 1975 and raised in Union City, Tenn. She was graduated from Hanover College in 1997 and completed the Post Baccalaureate program at Maryland Institute College of Art a year later. Now living in Indianapolis, Emma divides her time between illustration and mural painting.

New Sister City in the Works for Indy

The Mayor of Indianapolis is hoping a new sister city in China will create more economic opportunities in Indiana, reports Inside INdiana Business.

Greg Ballard announced the agreement with Hangzhou during a recent trade mission to China. He says it is part of an overall economic development strategy to bring jobs to Indianapolis.

Ballard also plans to look at other areas for similar partnerships. That includes the possibility of cities in Brazil because of energy self sufficiency issues and the United Kingdom for a motorsports relationship.

AP Bureau Chief from Tokyo Heads to IU

Longtime foreign correspondent Joe Coleman (pictured), who is the bureau chief for the Associated Press in Tokyo, will join the faculty of the Indiana University School of Journalism beginning in spring 2009, reports the IU News Bureau.

Coleman, who speaks five languages, has reported from Asia, Latin America, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and most recently has been based in Paris and Tokyo.

Coleman will serve as the Roy W. Howard Professional in Residence, which is named for the longtime leader of Scripps Howard and an ardent believer in the importance of international reporting. (Roy W. Howard grew up in Indianapolis, delivering the Indianapolis Star and Indianapolis News as a boy.)

The School of Journalism has a long-established relationship with the Howard family. It oversees the Roy W. Howard Archives and cosponsors the Roy W. Howard National Collegiate Reporting Competition, which takes top student journalists nationwide to Japan and Korea each year.

Coleman, who has a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University and a bachelor's in English literature from Vassar, began his career by traveling to Bogota, Colombia, in 1989 to cover the drug cartel war against the Colombian government.

Terre Haute 'n' Foreign Trade

Members of the Terre Haute International Airport-Hulman Field Authority Board could decide tonight whether to join the Indianapolis Foreign Trade Zone, reports Inside INdiana Business.

Want to Participate in IU's Latina/o Leadership Conference?

The Indiana Latina/o Leadership Conference committee is inviting Indiana University student organizations and college and high school students across the state to participate in workshops or to submit papers for its 10th annual conference in 2009, reports the IU News Bureau

The committee is seeking proposals for workshops related to the theme, "Sleeping Giant? From Invisible to Invincible." The conference, which will be 28 February in the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Campus Center, is being organized by students at IU Bloomington, IUPUI and Ivy Tech Community College.

Proposals must be postmarked by 24 January. Workshops and presentations must be one hour in length and should be relevant to Latino high school or college students and serve to promote education, leadership, social awareness or culturally relevant information.

Additional information about the requirements for the proposals may be found here.

International Reading Assn. Honors UIndy

The University of Indianapolis’ Elementary Education Program will receive a Certificate of Distinction from the International Reading Association at its conference next May, reports the UIndy news bureau. The certificate honors outstanding preparation of future reading teachers.

In its announcement of the award, the association praised the UIndy program for having “an exemplary commitment to personal and professional support for teacher candidates that continues well after graduation.”

The International Reading Association is a not-for-profit professional organization with 85,000 members and councils and affiliates in more than 100 countries.

Slumdog Millionaire: It's Not What You Think

A gem of a movie is playing in a few Hoosier cities this week. Taking place (mostly) in Mumbai over a period of about 15 years, it recounts the tale of Jamal Malik, an illiterate Muslim "slumdog" who ends up (in 2006) on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire".

It's told in an intricate intercutting of present-day and flashback. The director, Danny Boyle, "uses this extraordinary premise to paint a kaleidoscopic portrait of a society built around survival of the fittest, where betrayal is commonplace and greed and corruption lie just around every corner." (TIFF'08)

To quote from a review in the Los Angeles Times, "As Jamal describes the specific incidents that led to his being able to answer each of the quiz show questions, he is simultaneously telling several stories, tales of the link between brothers, the never-ending battle with poverty, the lure and pitfalls of crime and the rapid modernization of India."

If you want a little insight into the horrific incident in Mumbai a couple of weeks ago, not to mention a glimpse of a vibrant city that one of the lead characters calls "the center of the world", see Slumdog Millionaire now; don't wait to rent it when it comes out on DVD! One of the places it's playing this week is Keystone Landmark Theater in Indianapolis.

UPDATE (11 January 2009):
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – "Slumdog Millionaire" lived up to its underdog theme at Sunday's Golden Globes, sweeping all four of its categories, including best drama and director for Danny Boyle....
"Slumdog Millionaire" also won best screenplay and musical score, firming up its prospects for the Academy Awards. The film features a generally unknown cast in the story of an orphan boy in Mumbai who rises from terrible hardship to become a champ on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," all the while trying to reunite with a lost love from his childhood.

See the whole story here.

UPDATE (23 February 2009):
A ‘Slumdog’ Kind of Night at the Oscar Ceremony
By MICHAEL CIEPLY and DAVID CARR
The New York Times
Published: February 23, 2009
“Slumdog Millionaire” won eight Academy Awards, including the prizes for best picture and director.

Ningbo Staff Visits Purdue

A group of nine professors and administrators from Ningbo University in China are visiting Purdue University through Sunday (14 December) for a training program in university administration, reports the Purdue News Bureau.

Purdue and Ningbo have nurtured a relationship since 2005 through an endowment from Purdue alumna Anna Pao Sohmen, who received her bachelor's degree in liberal arts in 1966.

Sohmen's endowment has enabled 80 students from Purdue's colleges of Liberal Arts and Engineering to visit Ningbo University for study abroad programs since 2005. At the same time, Purdue has had 11 students from Ningbo University for one-semester exchange programs.

Ningbo University, which was established in 1986 by funds donated by shipping magnate Yue-Kong Pao, father of Sohmen, consists of 19 departments and colleges and offers 65 bachelor's programs and 56 master's programs. The university has 23,000 full-time undergraduate students, 700 postgraduates and a teaching and administrative staff of 2,400.

Indiana's Toyotas Headed Overseas

As reported by Inside INdiana Business, Toyota Motor Corporation has announced that it will export the Sequoia SUV made at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Princeton to the Middle East and South America.

Corporate Social Responsibility in the Middle East

Barbara Ibrahim will discuss "Corporate Social Responsibility in the Middle East: Citizen Business Leaders" during a 4 p.m. presentation today (10 December) in the Lilly Auditorium of the University Library at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

The event is sponsored by the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy at IUPUI. Ibrahim, Director of the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at American University in Cairo, has spent the fall semester with the Center on Philanthropy as a visiting scholar.

An Indiana University alumna and former program officer with the Ford Foundation in Cairo, Ibrahim is an expert on international philanthropy, especially philanthropy in Arab nations, nations with strong Islamic communities, and diaspora philanthropy among Muslims in the United States and elsewhere.

International Science Technology Events

Some of the world's leading experts in scientific computing are in Indianapolis this week for two international e-Science events, reports Inside INdiana Business.

The Microsoft e-Science workshop and the International Conference on e-Science are being held at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

And, Speaking of the French...

Indianapolis-based Liberty Fund publishes Considerations on the Principal Events of the French Revolution by Germaine de Stael this month.

De Stael (1766-1817) was a novelist, critic, political thinker, sociologist of literature and autobiographer. She experienced first-hand much of the French Revolution. Her work is edited by Aurelian Craiutu, associate professor of political science at Indiana University Bloomington, who also provides an introduction.

Liberty Fund is a private educational foundation established in 1960 to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.

Indy Events à la Française

Butler University students will sing Christmas carols in French during the annual party sponsored by the Alliance Française d'Indianapolis from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. tomorrow (7 December).

Guests are welcome to join in the fun in the Diversity Center, Atherton Hall, Butler campus in Indianapolis. Cost for non-members is $5. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Eloise Sureau, 317-924-3878.

"A Christmas Tale", one of the standout hits of the Cannes, Toronto and New York Film Festivals,opens 19 December at Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis (it's in French with English subtitles).

"A Christmas Tale" is Arnaud Desplechin's dazzling, big-hearted and brilliantly black comedy. In the role that garnered her the Special Prize at Cannes, Catherine Deneuve is Junon, the family matriarch, who greets the news of her life-threatening illness with calm equanimity.

Desplechin regular Mathieu Amalric gives one of the best performances of the year as the black sheep of the family who returns home after being banished for six years. Crowded under the same roof again, solidarity quickly, and hilariously, devolves into feuding, drunkenness and bed-hopping, as everyone struggles to make sense of the mysteries of family, life and what lies ahead. Desplechin's masterful narrative has the breadth of a sprawling novel and the nimble wordplay of a classic comedy.

Then, in January, the Alliance Française d'Indianapolis stages its annual Galette des Rois Celebration 11 January. It'll be held from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at the International School of Indianapolis. Tickets range in price from $4 to 12, depending on age and whether one is a member of the Alliance Française d'Indianapolis. Children under 10, however, get in free.

The invitation form is here, or send an email for more information.

Valpo President Headed to China

Valparaiso University President Mark Heckler (pictured) will travel to China 6-11 December at the invitation of the Chinese government, according to the Valpo News Bureau.

He will participate in the third annual Confucius Institute Conference, a gathering of hundreds of international delegates and Chinese officials who will examine global education and building relationships with China. Heckler’s travel expenses are being paid for by the Chinese government.

During his time in China, Heckler also will meet with representatives of China Agricultural University, Beijing Jiaotong University and North China University of Technology.

Valparaiso’s Confucius Institute focuses on the development of exchanges between northern Indiana and the province of Zhejiang – which became Indiana's sister province in 1989.

Dow AgroSciences Partners with Swiss Company

Indianapolis-based Dow AgroSciences has entered into a new research and development agreement with Switzerland's Syngenta, reports Inside INdiana Business.

The companies will work together to evaluate current and future Dow AgroSciences compounds for incorporation into Syngenta's seed treatment portfolio.

Ganguly to Observe Elections in Bangladesh

Sumit Ganguly (pictured), director of the India Studies Institute, professor of political science and holder of the Rabindranath Tagore Professorship in Indian Cultures and Civilizations at Indiana University, will be an official observer of parliamentary elections for the People's Republic of Bangladesh on 29 December.

According to the IU News Bureau, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), an organization chaired by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, invited Ganguly to be among 36 election experts, regional specialists and political leaders from Asia, Europe and North America.

Wildlife and Oceans Benefit from Chocolate

Indy-based Endangered Species Chocolate, which donates 10% of its net profits to help support species, habitat and humanity, will partner with African Wildlife Foundation and Ocean Conservancy next year.

IU Prof to Study Amazon Deforestation

The effects of Amazon deforestation where agriculture production has been ramped up through increased mechanization will receive further study by an Indiana University anthropology professor thanks to a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, reports the IU News Bureau.

Emilio Moran (pictured), an IU distinguished professor of anthropology and director of the university's Anthropological Center for Training and Research on Global Environmental Change, said the funding will allow researchers to hopefully answer the controversial question over what are the best types of economic development in certain environmental settings.

The five-year study will follow small scale farm owners and focus on how they are impacted when externally-capitalized, large scale farm owners bring highly-mechanized processes to the region.

President Without Borders

Indy resident Ruth Van Reken (pictured), an expert on "Third Culture Kids", notes that President-Elect Barack Obama spent some of his childhood living abroad, as have many of his appointments so far.

In "President Without Borders" on the blog Daily Beast she talks about the broadened perspective of Americans raised in foreign cultures.

"This is more than a trivial coincidence," she writes. "So-called 'Third Culture Kids' -- and the adults they become – share certain emotional and psychological traits that may exert great influence in the new administration. According to a body of sociological literature devoted to children who spend a portion of their developmental years outside their 'passport country', the classic profile of a 'TCK' is someone with a global perspective who is socially adaptable and intellectually flexible. He or she is quick to think outside the box and can appreciate and reconcile different points of view. Beyond whatever diversity in background or appearance a TCK may bring to the party, there is a diversity of thought as well."

Van Reken is co-founder of Families in Global Transition. In addition to other writing, Ruth is co-editor of Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds.

Ballard Heads Overseas

Indy Mayor Greg Ballard, his wife and several of his administration's economic advisers are on their way to Japan and China for 10 days.

Their goal is to drum up investment and trade opportunities for Indianapolis.

Twenty Tons of Textbooks!

A project organized by two University of Indianapolis students has collected nearly 900 boxes - about 20 tons - of textbooks for use by impoverished students in West Africa, reports UIndy's news bureau.

The book drive is the latest venture by senior Lydia Fischer and junior Lyndsay McBride (pictured), whose interest in African education began with a 2007 UIndy service trip to build a schoolhouse in rural Liberia.

Inspired upon their return, they launched their own aid group, Inches International, to further support education in Africa. The two students designed and marketed colorful aluminum bracelets at $5 each, selling more than 3,000 so far to generate scholarship funds for students in war-torn Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Like the bracelet revenue, the books are being delivered through Operation Classroom, a not-for-profit organization that supports United Methodist-affiliated schools and healthcare efforts in Africa.

Fischer, McBride and other volunteers inside and outside the university had been collecting, sorting and boxing used textbooks for about a year, storing them in a vacant building near the UIndy campus. On 21 November, the volunteers loaded the books into a semitrailer for delivery to an Operation Classroom warehouse in Lapel.

Now the Inches International volunteers are trying to raise the $12,000 necessary to ship a 40-foot container of books to West Africa. Email 'em to donate!

Our Thoughts are Concentrated on Mumbai

Here in Indiana we're anxiously awaiting good news from our friends in Mumbai.

One place to monitor the news is here.

International Education Leaders in Indy

Delegations from six South American countries and Mexico are visiting Indiana as part of the U.S. Department of State International Visitors Leadership Program this month, reports the Indiana Department of Education.

Indiana is one of five stops for the delegates to learn more about K-12 education in the United States. Starting 17 November, they also visited Iowa, Georgia, Utah and Washington, D.C.They'll be in the U.S. through 5 December.

The visitors from Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Venezuela, Peru and Mexico are meeting with DOE officials in Indianapolis to learn more about the state’s role in education policy, curriculum development, testing and accountability and funding of public education.

The International Visitors Leadership Program annually brings to the U.S. approximately 5,000 foreign nationals from all over the world to meet and confer with their professional counterparts. The visitors, who are selected by American Foreign Service Officers overseas, are current or potential leaders in government, politics, the media, education, the arts, business and other fields.

To learn more about Indiana’s international education initiatives, click here.

International Festival 2008 is History

It's all over for 2008 -- and the award winners have been announced for Indy's International Festival.

First and second place awards are given to cultural booths of Nationalities Council of Indiana Group members. In addition, the best overall culture booth wins "The Betty" trophy for 2008.

1. THEME: Include in cultural booth historical, geographical, culinary, social or educational aspects of the particular culture.
First: Russian-Speaking Students at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis; second: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis.

2. EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Provide relevant information to visitors about the culture.
First: International Tibet Independence Movement; second: Barangay Club of Indiana.

3. CREATIVITY: Demonstrate an effective and enjoyable method to attract visitors.
First: Scottish Society of Indianapolis; second: Indonesian Community of Indianapolis

4. QUALITY: Overall excellence. Examples would be people in native costumes and friendly approach to visitors.
First: Indiana Okinawa Kenjinkai; second: Swiss Club Of Central Indiana.

The Betty was awarded to Society for Promotion of Persian Culture (see photo).

Food Booths of NCI Group Members are evaluated for 1) quality and authenticity of food and 2) appearance and sanitary conditions of the booth.
First: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; second, German American Klub,

Volunteer Service award (“The Steve”) is presented to the individual who has demonstrated commitment to the goals of NCI and has actively worked toward their achievement. It was awarded to Susan McKee.

IUPUI Partnered with International Festival

A community partnership with the 2008 International Festival fits with many growing international programs at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

IUPUI is home to the new Confucius Institute in Indianapolis, which serves local business, government and education by providing information and instruction on Chinese language and culture. The Institute is the hub of IUPUI's partnership with Sun Yat Sen University in Guangzhou, China.

Additionally, IUPUI has a comprehensive, strategic partnership with Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya.

The university's Binational/Cross Cultural Health Enhancement Center is the driving force of IUPUI's partnership with the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo in Pachuca, Mexico.

Last year, IUPUI ran 36 study-abroad programs with nearly 400 students participating which represented a significant increase from previous years.

IUPUI head basketball coach Ron Hunter made world news through his efforts to raise public awareness and over 100,000 pairs of shoes by coaching a game barefoot for Samaritans Feet. Coach Hunter and team members traveled to Peru with ESPN this summer to distribute the shoes.

2008 marks the second consecutive year that IUPUI has stepped up its involvement with the International Festival as a full community partner.

Ricardo Laranja, 35, formerly of Brazil, is one of the immigrants set to become a naturalized citizen at the International Festival ceremony. Laranja is a professor at IUPUI, music composer and a professional pianist. As a pianist he has performed for two U.S. Presidents. He has lived in the U.S. for 22 years. Larnaja will perform the National Anthem at the ceremony with singer, Lynda Sayyah. She is the daughter of a Palestinian father and German mother.

Laranja says, "...at the age of 35, being naturalized is the final stamp for me. It gives me a true sense of belonging and pride. Usually when asked about what I think of naturalized citizens, I respond that unlike naturally born citizens, everyone who is being naturalized made the choice to become a citizen of this country and that counts as a lot."

You'd Better Hurry to Catch the Festival!

Today (Sunday, 23 November) is the last day of the 2008 International Festival in Indianapolis, hosted by the Nationalities Council. Get over to the Indiana State Fairgrounds (1201 East 38th Street, Indianapolis) before it closes at 6 p.m.!

Check it out here!

Taquitos! Gelato! Egg Rolls! Gyros! It's All at the Festival!

Bring your appetites to Indy's International Festival today (22 November) and tomorrow (23 November). Otherwise, you'll have to wait a whole year to eat your way around the world!

It's all at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1201 East 38th Street, Indianapolis (check the website if you need to know more).

Indy's International Festival is NOW!

(These photos were taken yesterday (left to right, top to bottom): some of the crowd; Persian ethnic costumed doll, miniature Chinese lions, Japanese origami flowers, Polish ethnic costume.)

The International Festival is open in Indianapolis today (21 November) through Sunday (23 November) at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1201 East 38th Street, Indianapolis.

Great food, entertainment and shopping plus more than you ever knew was possible to learn about international Indy, including how to sign up to study abroad.

See more here, a video shot by The Indianapolis Star.

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It's International Festival Time in Indianapolis!

(Pix from today's edition of the festival -- African mask, Chinese calligraphy, Russian doll.)

Get over to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for the 2008 edition of Indy's International Festival! It opens to the public at 2 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, 21 November). The day's highlight is the Naturalization Ceremony at 3 p.m., when more than 300 new United States citizens will be sworn in.

See all the information here. The annual festival is hosted by the Nationalities Council of Indiana.

Native American Heritage Month Film Screening at IUPUI

The Right to Be will be screened at 4 p.m. in the Lower Level of Taylor Hall on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Thursday (20 November) as part of the celebration of Native American Heritage Month at IUPUI.

The film is a documentary of a Lakota woman's combating the media's misrepresentation of her tribe. In the film, she visits United Tribes Community College where students learn about their traditions, a Sioux Tribe Council's discussion on high unemployment rates, and a very private Sweat Ceremony held in her honor.

Mayor Meets Consular Corps of Indy

Mayor Greg Ballard will host the Consular Corps of Indianapolis and dignitaries from 13 countries at a 5:30 p.m. reception in the Allison Mansion at Marian College this evening.

Justice in Ethiopia and Air Pollution in China

Two Valparaiso University faculty members have been named University Research Professors and will receive support for projects on traditions of restorative justice in Ethiopia and assessing the impact of Chinese air pollution.

Selected by the University's Committee on Creative Work and Research were Dr. Charles Schaefer, associate professor of history, and Dr. Gary Morris, associate professor of physics and astronomy. Each receives a $4,000 grant to support his scholarly work along with one semester of full-time leave or two semesters of half-time leave to focus on his research projects.

Dr. Schaefer will research various methods of restorative justice employed by Ethiopia’s emperor and imperial court to resolve conflict and bring about peace and reconciliation.

Dr. Morris will use his grant and leave to review measurements of air pollution being carried by wind currents from China to Japan.

It's Purdue's International Week!

A series of events showcasing a variety of languages, cuisine and cultures will take place at Purdue University during Purdue International Week today through Saturday (22 November).

The kickoff event, called The Amazing Race, was at 1 p.m. today. International Week also will feature one-hour sessions of different languages including German, Hindi, Urdu, Japanese, Russian, Italian, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic. Food from these countries will be served during the sessions, which are free and open to the public.

The Singapore Food Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (22 November)at the University Church Fellowship Hall, 320 North Street, West Lafayette.

The complete list of the times, dates and venues of all the events taking place during the Purdue International Week is here

Purdue International Week coincides with the International Education Week, which promotes educational programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and seeks to attract scholars from abroad to study in the United States.

International Education Tied to Our Future

Commentary by
By Dr. Suellen Reed, Superintendent of Public Instruction

Gone are the days when our neighbors were our sole competition. Today’s Hoosier workforce must compete – not just with other cities and states – but in a diverse and rapidly changing global marketplace. That ability begins with a solid educational foundation.

Indiana has stronger global ties than most Hoosiers realize. For the second consecutive year, our state leads the nation in attracting new jobs through international investment, according to a report from IBM Global Business Services. Moreover, Indiana’s population is becoming more diverse with our public schools now ranking third in the nation for the increase in limited English proficient students.

Indiana already loses many of its best and brightest graduates to other states, a brain drain that could increase as the global economy expands. This was never more apparent than when I met a summer intern here at the Indiana Department of Education, a college student from Butler University. She speaks three languages fluently and is learning her fourth while studying international issues in politics and religion. If Indiana doesn’t offer job prospects that fit her interests and skill set, she surely will find those opportunities elsewhere.

The bottom line: If we are to maintain and increase our position as a global player, Indiana must provide its citizenry with a greater understanding of other languages and cultures through international education.

These realities underscore the significance of our upcoming observance of International Education Week, held from November 17-21. With that in mind, I strongly urge Indiana’s leaders at the state and local levels to work together to:

* Increase access for students to learn a world language starting in elementary school and continuing through high school,
* Integrate technology and international education across subject areas and align with standards consistent with 21st Century skills,
* Provide professional development and international exchange opportunities for Indiana teachers through exchange agreements with partner countries around the world, and
* Boost participation in international student exchange as participants and hosts.

Indiana citizens distinguish themselves on a global scale in all fields of endeavor, from space exploration and medical discoveries to artistic expression. To ensure this record persists well into the future, I urge Hoosiers to get involved. If you can offer our students a cultural experience, contact your local school. If you speak a second language, volunteer to help young children learn these skills. If your company does business outside this country, help students and decision-makers in your community understand the importance of international competence.

How well we meet the challenges of the 21st Century will depend on all of us. Let those in leadership know your shared concerns, do your part to make a difference and together we will secure a prosperous future for our children. Learn more here.

Indy's International Festival is Next Week!

Thursday is for schools and other groups, but the International Festival is open to the public next Friday through 23 November! Don't miss the best party in Central Indiana. All the details are here!

Former Child Soldier from Sierra Leone to Speak

Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier and author from Sierra Leone will speak on ""A Long Way Gone: A Story of Redemption and Hope" at 7:30 p.m. 26 January 2009 in Clowes Memorial Hall on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis.

His presentation is part of Butler's 21st annual Celebration of Diversity Distinguished Lecture Series.

IU Strengthens Ties with Universities in China and Korea

An Indiana University delegation to Korea and China has returned home after establishing new partnership agreements with several of the region's premier research universities, strengthening ties with IU alumni and friends, and participating in a major conference on globalization in higher education, among other activities, reports the IU News Bureau.

During the week-long trip, which began on 31 October, IU reached agreements with Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul National University and Peking University , and discussed future partnership opportunities with officials at Yonsei University, with which IU has had an agreement since 1986.

Valpo Visits Nigeria

Two Valparaiso University academic administrators will travel to Africa next week, reports Inside INdiana Business.

During their 12 day stay, they'll meet with Nigeria's first lady and a number of education and government officials. The goal of the trip is to explore opportunities to build connections between Valparaiso and the African nation.

IU Bloomington Celebrates International Education Week

Indiana University will join with colleges and universities nationally to celebrate its students and scholars from around the world during International Education Week Thursday through 16 November.

Receptions, lectures and other events throughout the week will feature the important contribution that the international community makes to education in Indiana. The complete schedule is here.

IU Union Board and the Office of International Services will kick off International Education Week with the World's Fare, highlighting the more than 4,000 international students and 1,500 international scholars at the university. It opens at 5 p.m. on Thursday (6 November) in Alumni Hall at the Indiana Memorial Union, 900 East Seventh Street, Bloomington with 22 international student organizations sharing their culture, food and history. There is no charge for admission. A ticket to sample eight food items will be free to IU students with a valid campus ID, and available at $4 to non-students.

Children's Lantern Festival at Athenaeum

The annual St. Martin's Children's Lantern Festival steps off at 5 p.m. from the Athenaeum/Das Deutsche Haus, 401 East Michigan Street, Indianapolis, next Saturday (8 November).

St. Martin on his white horse leads the annual children's lantern parade into Lockerbie Square - the original Germantown.

Bishop Martin of Tours (whose Saint's Day is 11 November) was a Roman soldier, turned Christian cleric, who shared his cape with a beggar. To mark this good deed, children process in lantern parades as beggars on St. Martin's day. They sing the traditional "Ich geh mit meiner Laterne," beg for a treats and are rewarded with candy.

The traditional treat of potato pancakes with apple sauce will be served back at the Athenaeum. Cost is $5 per individual or $15 per family. For more information, contact Jim Gould, 317:655-2755 ext 149.

Partnerships in India, China are Purdue's Goal

Purdue University President France A. Córdova embarked on a two-week trip today (1 November) to build partnerships in India and China, reports the Purdue News Bureau.

Córdova's trip, a year in the planning, will include time in Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Hong Kong, and will feature visits to educational institutions and businesses as well as meetings with alumni, parents and major donors.

Purdue has the second-largest number of international students (5,479) of any public university in the United States. Purdue's students come from more than 120 countries, and the largest number of those students - 1,256 - come from India. Students from China are Purdue's second-largest population, with 975 on campus this fall.

In Bangalore, Córdova will meet with key city and country leaders at the Indian Institute of Science and with officials at Infosys Technologies. She also will travel to the General Electric Technology Research Center to review a nanomaterials partnership opportunity and other projects in General Electric's global research division.

At Cummins India in Mumbai, a five-year memorandum of understanding will be signed between Purdue, Cummins Inc. and the Cummins College of Engineering for Women. The college and company, which has its main headquarters in Columbus, Ind., have partnered with Purdue since 2003 to send Indian graduates to the West Lafayette campus for master's and doctoral studies. The memorandum calls on the three to expand these efforts, particularly with research and development; student and faculty exchange; a fellowship program; and support for mechanical engineering curriculum at the Indian campus.

In addition, Córdova will meet with officials at IIT Bombay, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the University Institute of Chemical Technology and the S.P. Jain Institute. Córdova will visit a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Hyderabad and a cellular and molecular biology research facility.

In Hong Kong, Córdova will discuss joint research efforts, student internships and research fellowships with officials at the Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Inc. She also will discuss partnerships and research with Alexander Tzang, deputy president of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Paul Chu, president of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Alumni receptions will be held in Bangalore, Mumbai and Hong Kong, providing opportunities for alumni as well as parents of current students to meet Córdova.

Afro-Brazilian Women Entrepreneurs

Dr. Andrea Smith-Hunter, Associate Professor of Management at Siena College, New York, will speak on "Women Entrepreneurs in Brazil: With a Special Look at Afro-Brazilian Women Entrepreneurs" at noon 6 November in Room 409 of the Campus Center at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

For more information, contact Alicia S. Anino.

IU President to Lead Delegation to Asia

Indiana University President Michael McRobbie will lead a delegation to South Korea and China later this week, according to Inside INdiana Business.

The group hopes to form new partnerships with several leading research universities during its six day visit in South Korea. Some will continue on to Beijing, where McRobbie will visit Peking University and speak at the Fifth Beijing Forum about IU's International Strategic Plan.

Pakistan Joins IU Global Research Network

Pakistan has joined a global research community through a new high-speed network, managed by Indiana University, according to Inside INdiana Business.

The connection enables Pakistani scientists from 60 universities and institutes to work with their international peers on research projects that require fast data transfers.

IU Delegation in China

Indiana University School of Education Dean Gerardo Gonzalez is leading a delegation in China this week, reports Inside INdiana Business. The purpose is to explore new possibilities for collaboration with Chinese universities and providing professional development to its higher education leaders.

Five IU faculty members and a higher education policy studies student from China are visiting six Chinese universities.

USI to Hold Discussion on Global Economy

The global economic crisis will be examined next month by an international panel of experts from the University of Southern Indiana, reports Inside INdiana Business.

The open discussion, set for 3 November, is designed to answer people's questions about the possibility of a global recession and the impact of the financial downturn on the Evansville area.

A Celebration of the Life of Nelson Mandela

A Celebration of the Life of Nelson Mandela is planned Monday (27 October) at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

A film festival runs from noon to 5 p.m. in Taylor Hall 115. At 6:30 p.m., there's a reception (featuring African food) with filmmaker Peter Davis in Herron Auditorium H101, followed at 7 p.m. by Davis' lecture and screening.

Davis, a citizen of the United Kingdom, is a well-known documentarian of the South African Apartheid era and is a personal friend of the Mandela family. His lecture, entitled “Madiba and Me,” will be followed by a showing of his latest film release called “Nelson Mandela: From Prisoner to President.”

Davis’ presentation will be proceeded by a short introduction by Professor Bessie House-Soremekun on fighting Apartheid abroad and at home.

The afternoon's film festival includes Davis' films on South Africa, including “Generations of Resistance,” “The White Laager,” “Winnie Mandela,” “In Darkest Hollywood,” and others. The film festival also will feature posters developed by Davis in his long fight against Apartheid.

All events are open to the public at no charge. For more information, contact Ian McIntosh, 317:274-3776.

IEDC Awards Go to Purdue Research Foundation

The Purdue Research Foundation has won three International Economic Development Council Excellence (IEDC) in Economic Development Awards, reports Inside INdiana Business.

It has been honored in the categories of entrepreneurship, partnerships with educational institutions and technology-based economic development. The IEDC is the largest group of economic development practitioners in the world with members in several nations including the U.S. Canada and Australia.

Dow AgroSciences Buys Brazilian Firm

Dow AgroSciences is adding hundreds of employees, the majority at its global headquarters in Indianapolis, reports Inside INdiana Business.

The company recently completed its seventh acquisition, in the past 18 months, with the purchase of a corn seed production facility in Brazil. President and Chief Executive Office Jerome Peribere says South America is a critical component in its global corn seeds strategy to reach $1 billion in sales. He says the agricultural industry is in the midst of a major revolution, with the methods of farming changing rapidly and creating new growth.

Music From the End of The Andes

"Music from the End of the Andes" is a celebration of Latin America at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, 3000 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis.

Paula Monsalve (pictured) and musicians from the Latin American group, NAN, will highlight songs from Paula's new album, Reina Mia (Queen of Mine) in performances at noon, 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the Lilly Theater on 31 October.

For more information, call the museum, 317:334-3322.

Ann Katz Festival of Books

This year's Ann Katz Festival of Books at the JCC Indianapolis includes a special exhibit of artwork from Israeli children, a film, book sale and (of course) a terrific mix of authors.

The three-week-long event runs 29 October through 20 November at the JCC, 6701 Hoover Road, Indianapolis.

The complete schedule is here, but of special note to this website are these two:

* The 7 p.m. presentation 12 November by Andrei Cherny, author of The Candy Bombers: The Untold Story of the Berlin Airlift and America's Finest Hour.

* The 7 p.m. presentation 13 November by Jennifer 8. Lee, author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food (did you know there are more Chinese restaurants in the U.S. than McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's combined?).

It's Not Too Late to Catch Musica Latina

Dance Kaleidoscope's "Musica Latina," a family-friendly fiesta of Latin and Hispanic music and contemporary dance choreographed by artistic director David Hochoy continues at 8 p.m. tomorrow (18 October) and 2:30 p.m. Sunday (19 October) in the Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 West Washington Street, Indianapolis.

Featured are Concierto de Aranjuez (concerto for classical Spanish guitar); Canciones (set to Mexican Mariachi-style songs); and Fire (a Cuban "salsa-style" dance variation)

Tickets are $35 -- but for the Sunday Family Matinee, all tickets are $10 each if purchased day of show. For more information, call 317:940-6555 or go online for tickets.