UCSD to Celebrate International
Education Week with Whirlwind of Global Events

November 7, 2007

By Christine Clark

UC San Diego’s third-annual International Education Week (IEW) will be observed Nov. 13-16  with international themed meals, workshops on international careers, a study abroad fair, a film festival, a book fair and more.

Initiated in 2000 by the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Education, IEW emphasizes the importance of increasing student knowledge and awareness of the world’s cultures, peoples and languages.

IEW is chaired this year by Dulce Dorado, International Center and Christi Gilhoi, International House.

“Each year, IEW exhibits a good example of campus-wide collaboration between campus offices, academic departments and student organizations,” Dorado said. “This year, there are a larger number of sponsors and a larger variety of events and activities to meet everyone’s needs.” She added that she is involved with IEW because the event increases campus awareness of the world’s cultures, peoples and languages.

Gilhoi said the event exhibits the international programming UCSD has throughout the year. “This is a great way to highlight our collective events, locations and skills that contribute to the internationalization of the campus,” she said.

IEW begins 9:30 a.m., Nov. 13 with a free film screening of “The Syrian Bride” in room 4301 in the Applied Physics and Mathematics (AP&M) building. The film is a powerful drama about physical, mental, and emotional borders and the courage it takes to cross them.

The official opening reception is from 4 to 7 p.m., Nov. 13 at the Eleanor Roosevelt College Great Hall. The ceremony will feature a Model United Nations reception that includes games, food, films and guest speakers. The night will end with a Model United Nations sponsored dance.

IEW will feature a study abroad fair with more than 30 vendors and several information sessions dedicated to educating students about travel abroad. The sessions will teach students how to live and work overseas and about study abroad opportunities.

Notable guests also will be a part of the week-long celebration. Those guests include Jean-Marc Hachey, author of The Big Guide to Living and Working Overseas. He will give a presentation that teaches about international careers from 10 to 11:45 a.m. and from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m., Nov. 16 at the International House Great Hall.

In addition, Michel Stroot, executive chef from the Golden Door Spa, will prepare a special menu during the IEW closing ceremony from noon to 1:30 p.m., Nov. 16 at the International Café. The closing ceremony also will feature remarks from Chancellor Marye Anne Fox at 12:30 p.m.

Other food-themed events include Global Gourmet which takes place from 4 to 9 p.m., Nov. 15 at the International House Great Hall. Attendees will cook local foods from California to highlight North American cuisine and some of San Diego’s top chefs will join the festivities. This Global Gourmet is a special co-sponsored event with Slow Food San Diego and profits will be donated to local farmers who lost crops in the San Diego wildfires.

Also, there will be a pre-Whirling Dervishes ethnic dinner from 5:30 to 7:30p.m., Nov. 16 at the International Center. Guests will be served with a Turkish meal immediately preceding the energetic show of the Whirling Dervishes, performing at the Mandeville Auditorium at 8 p.m. This event is sponsored by Art!Power.

Student organizations also are an essential part of IEW. The UCSD International Student Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nov. 14 on Library Walk. UCSD’s international student populations will present their cultures to campus in the form of displays, music, dance, fashion, humor, food and more.

For a complete listing of IEW’s events go to http://iew.ucsd.edu/calendar.html

 

Media Contact: Christine Clark, 858-534-7618