Culture Through Cuisine: Costa Rica
2023-06-06 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Marna’s Eatery, 4154 W Broadway, Minneapolis, 55422
This event is now SOLD OUT. Please reach out to Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org with any questions.
Make your way to Marna’s Eatery for a taste of Costa Rica in the next event from our Culture through Cuisine series. Registration includes dinner, dessert, a soft drink, and a short presentation by Rolando Diaz, owner and head Chef of Marna’s Eatery. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase during the event.
If you’re interested in learning more about Marna’s or seeing photos of their delicious food, take a look at their website here.
Menu
– Gallo Pinto: rice and beans blend
– Shredded Chicken/Carnitas with Pepper Tomato Sauce
– Costa Rican Cabbage Slaw
– Fried Sweet Plantain
– Yuca Frita
– Tres Leches Cake
About Rolando Diaz

Chef Diaz was born in New York City but grew up in the Central American paradise of Costa Rica. It was in his family’s wide love for food in Costa Rica that Chef Diaz learned the native dishes and his signature skills with ingredients and flavor combinations. Diaz’s creative menu reflects his heritage, training and experience and combines it with great American fare.

Meet and Greet with Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch
2023-06-14 15:00 - 16:00 | Ukrainian American Community Center, 301 Main Street NE, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
This free event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
The war in Ukraine has displaced millions of people throughout the world. In response, Minnesotans have stepped up in a remarkable way to support newly arriving Ukrainian families and the Ukrainian American community in Minnesota.
Global Minnesota is extending a special invitation to members of the Ukrainian American community, including those supporting Ukrainian families settling in Minnesota, to visit with former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Visit and engage in conversation with the Ambassador in advance of our public event with her later in the evening. Hosted in partnership with the Ukrainian American Community Center, this event is free and open to the public. Light snacks and drinks will be available with registration.
About Ambassador Yovanovitch:
Marie Yovanovitch is a Canadian-American diplomat and a retired senior member of the United States Foreign Service. She has held numerous posts within the state department, including as Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic (2005-2008), the Republic of Armenia (2008-2011), and Ukraine (2016-2019). She is currently serving as a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She is also a nonresident fellow at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy of Georgetown University. Previously she was the International Advisor and Deputy Commandant at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University. Earlier she served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and before that as the bureau’s Deputy Assistant Secretary responsible for issues related to the Nordic, Baltic, and Central European countries.
A Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ambassador Yovanovitch has been granted the Senior Foreign Service Performance Award six times and the State Department’s Superior Honor Award on five occasions. She is also the recipient of the Presidential Distinguished Service Award and the Secretary’s Diplomacy in Human Rights Award. Ambassador Yovanovitch is a graduate of Princeton University where she earned a BA in History and Russian Studies. She studied at the Pushkin Institute and received an MS from the National Defense University.
She published her first book, Lessons from the Edge, in March of 2022. She will be speaking at a public event later in the evening.

If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org.
Presented in partnership with the Ukrainian American Community Center. Thanks to promotional sponsor International Institute of Minnesota.

Lessons from the Edge with Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch
2023-06-14 18:00 - 19:45 | Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, 301 19th Ave. S, Minneapolis, 55454
This free event is being held in-person and virtually and is open to everyone. The in-person venue is now AT CAPACITY. Please register for the virtual Zoom webinar of the discussion using the form below. Please reach out to Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org with any questions.
As the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine from 2016-2019, Marie “Masha” Yovanovitch played a critical role in anti-corruption efforts and supporting Ukraine in the fight against Russia’s invasion of Crimea and the Donbas region.
Join Global Minnesota for a discussion with Ambassador Yovanovitch at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Hear about her new memoir, her time in Ukraine and diplomatic career, and her takeaways from the first impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions during a Q&A session, led by career Foreign Service Officer Margo Squire.
The program will also be livestreamed and recorded for a remote audience. Following the in-person program, Ambassador Yovanovitch will be available for a book signing. Local bookseller Magers & Quinn will be on-site with a limited number of books for sale. If you’d like to read more about Lessons from the Edge, click here.
About Ambassador Yovanovitch:
Marie Yovanovitch is a Canadian-American diplomat and a retired senior member of the United States Foreign Service. She has held numerous posts within the State Department, including as Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic (2005-2008), the Republic of Armenia (2008-2011), and Ukraine (2016-2019). She is currently serving as a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She is also a nonresident fellow at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Previously she was the International Advisor and Deputy Commandant at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University. Earlier she served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and before that as the bureau’s Deputy Assistant Secretary responsible for issues related to the Nordic, Baltic, and Central European countries.
A Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ambassador Yovanovitch has been granted the Senior Foreign Service Performance Award six times and the State Department’s Superior Honor Award on five occasions. She is also the recipient of the Presidential Distinguished Service Award and the Secretary’s Diplomacy in Human Rights Award. Ambassador Yovanovitch is a graduate of Princeton University where she earned a BA in History and Russian Studies. She studied at the Pushkin Institute and received an MS from the National Defense University.
She published her first book, Lessons from the Edge, in March of 2022.
Thanks to event co-sponsors the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and Magers & Quinn Booksellers. Thanks to promotional sponsors the Minnesota International NGO Network, the United Nations Association of Minnesota, the Ukrainian-American Community Center, the Committee on Foreign Relations Minnesota, and East-West Connections.

If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please go here.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org.

Podcast Episode: Minnesota, the State Department, & World Expos
2023-06-21 - 2023-06-30
On the latest episode of The Global Minnesota Podcast, hear from Elizabeth Horst and Kin Moy, two Senior Foreign Service Officers at the U.S. Department of State who are both originally from Minnesota. They discussed Minnesota’s recent bid to host a World Expo, the role that organizations like Global Minnesota play in citizen diplomacy, and how American foreign policy affects us all right here in America’s heartland.
Special thanks to former Global Minnesota President Mark Ritchie and the entire Minnesota Expo 2027 Committee for their inspiring advocacy to bring the world to Minnesota. Though the 2027 Expo was awarded to Serbia, their incredible efforts have helped raise Minnesota’s global profile.

Listen below, or subscribe to our podcast on all major podcast apps.

Hear untold stories of international connections with new monthly episodes by subscribing to The Global Minnesota Podcast. Now available on all podcast streaming apps!
Links
U.S. State Department Bureaus
Minnesota Global Stats
Susan Falatko (Diplomat in Residence)
State Department Careers
Global Minnesota Professional Exchanges
Expo 2027
Protez Foundation (MPR Interview)
This interview was recorded on June 20, 2023, and will be available for viewing on our Calendar of Events for several weeks. All interviews are archived on our podcast feed and in our Past Events calendar.

Great Decisions: China & the U.S.
2023-06-28 17:30 - 20:00 | The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis, 55403
This free event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. An optional dinner will start at 7:15 following the presentation. The dinner is $25 for Woman’s Club members and $30 for non-members (plus service fee and taxes).
For the past ten years, the United States and China have been locked in a competition for who has the greatest global influence. One major point of contention is the status of Taiwan, which has become even more relevant recently with the possibility that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may prompt China to take similar action regarding Taiwan. How will the United States engage a China which is increasingly seeking to expand its sphere of influence?
This program is presented by the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis and is open to ALL.
The Great Decisions program addresses several of the most critical foreign policy issues facing the United States each year and serves as the focal text for discussion groups across the country. Global Minnesota facilitates one of the largest statewide Great Decisions programs in the country by providing access to a roster of local foreign policy experts and to discussion materials produced by the Foreign Policy Association. Join Global Minnesota and the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis for an in-depth discussion of the tense relationship between the world’s two largest powers.
Raymond Kuo, presenter
View Raymond’s bio and upcoming Great Decisions programs here.

If you would like to register, please RSVP to the email address in the link below.
Register

Mandela Washington Fellows Meet and Greet
2023-07-12 17:30 - 19:00 | University International Center, 331 SE 17th Ave #100, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, United States
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. Ticket price is $5 for Global Minnesota members and $10 for non-members.
Meet the University of Minnesota’s 2023 cohort of Mandela Washington Fellows! The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a nationwide program that brings young leaders from across Africa to the United States for academic and leadership training. The Fellows enrich their U.S. host communities through public service, cultural exchange, and the lasting personal ties they create during their program. They are working on projects related to aquaculture, disability rights, health and wellness programming, non-profit management, and teaching to name just a few.
Network with the next generation of leaders over light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. We’ll also have fun Minnesota-themed trivia and hear from some of the Fellows regarding their experience in Minnesota and their professional trajectory. This year’s cohort is made up of 25 young leaders from 16 different countries, including Angola, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
Learn more about the Fellowship here. A full list of Fellowship participants is available here.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org.
Presented in partnership with the Mandela Washington Fellows Program. Thanks to promotional sponsors Citizens for Global Solutions Minnesota, Give Us Wings, the Minnesota International NGO Network, United Nations Association of Minnesota, and World without Genocide.

Business Networking: Digital Innovations & the Sustainability Goals "Fast Lane"
2023-07-19 16:30 - 18:30 | MetroNOME Brewery, 385 Broadway St, Saint Paul, 55101
This free event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
Ready to meet your colleagues in Global Minnesota’s corporate membership community and learn how digital innovations power sustainability? Join Global Minnesota at St. Paul’s MetroNOME taproom for corporate networking and a brief presentation by New Boundary Technologies CEO Kim Pearson.
Two global trends all businesses follow are sustainability goals and digitalization, also known as the Internet of Things (IoT). How can companies integrate Artificial Intelligence and machine learning with IoT to accelerate progress achieving their sustainability goals? Kim Pearson will share the potential of merging cutting-edge AI, like ChatGPT, with IoT to propel your company’s journey towards a greener, more sustainable future.
If you’ve never been to the MetroNOME or its Fingal’s Cave events area, you’re going to love it! We’ll have a private space to ourselves in the heart of St. Paul’s Lower Town. There is no charge for the event, but pre-registration is requested.
Not a Global Minnesota corporate member? Please join us! The event is open to all. Global Minnesota President Phil Hansen and Corporate Relations Officer Steve Riedel will be on hand to share how corporate membership can open new doors to greater global access, information, and exposure for your company. Don’t miss this opportunity to get acquainted with some of Minnesota’s most globally-minded companies!
If you require an accessibility accommodation or need more information, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org.

Great Decisions: Iran at a Crossroads
2023-07-19 17:30 - 20:00 | The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis, 55403
This free event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. An optional dinner will start at 7:15 following the presentation. The dinner is $25 for Woman’s Club members and $30 for non-members (plus service fee and taxes).
Recent domestic disturbances highlight the fact that Iran’s totalitarian government has lost the support of many of its citizens. The Supreme Leader is 84 and in bad health. Crippling economic sanctions from the West are driving the country more and more into the arms of Russia and China. What does the future have in store for Iran?
This program is presented by the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis and is open to ALL.
The Great Decisions program addresses several of the most critical foreign policy issues facing the United States each year and serves as the focal text for discussion groups across the country. Global Minnesota facilitates one of the largest statewide Great Decisions programs in the country by providing access to a roster of local foreign policy experts and to discussion materials produced by the Foreign Policy Association. Join Global Minnesota and the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis for an in-depth discussion of this important topic.
Henry Berman, presenter
Henry Berman is a perennially popular speaker at The Woman’s Club. Now retired, he worked at Ecolab for 34 years. Henry has personal ties to the Middle East region and has spent a great deal of time there during the last decade. He is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and is active in a local Great Decisions Group. Henry has a BA from Hamilton College and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
If you would like to register, please RSVP to the email address in the link below.
Register

Finland & NATO at FinnFest 2023
2023-07-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Duluth Convention Center, 350 Harbor Drive, Duluth, MN, 55802, United States
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. Ticket prices vary and are available on the FinnFest website at the link below.
Earlier this year, Finland officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, breaking with a decades-long tradition of relative neutrality towards the military alliance. What does Finland’s NATO membership mean in 2023 and what are the implications of bringing Finland’s military strength to NATO? Join Global Minnesota at FinnFest in Duluth for a discussion with the Ambassador of Finland to the U.S. Mikko Hautala. The conversation will be moderated by Global Minnesota Board Chair Ambassador Ross Wilson and will also include representatives of Finland’s Defense Department.

Ambassador Mikko Hautala has served as Ambassador of Finland to the United States since September 2020. Prior to that (2016-2020), he served as Ambassador of Finland to Russia. In 2012-2016 Ambassador Hautala worked as Foreign Policy Adviser to the President of the Republic of Finland. In 2011, he was appointed Deputy Head of Mission to Embassy of Finland to Russia, located in Moscow. Ambassador Hautala has also served as the Diplomatic Advisor the to Minister for Foreign Affairs (2007-2011) as well as the First Secretary at the Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU in Brussels (2002-2007).
Ross Wilson, U.S. Ambassador (ret.), Moderator
This program is presented by FinnFest USA. FinnFest is an annual festival that celebrates the culture and history of Finland. Held in Duluth, Minnesota, the festival runs from July 26-30 and features dozens of exhibits, panel discussions, and concerts celebrating Finland. Global Minnesota is participating in this NATO discussion and a business presentation featuring global environmental and sustainability issues during the festival.
View the complete schedule of events at FinnFest here.

Register

Minnesota and Finland – Leading on Collaborative Innovation
2023-07-29 09:00 - 10:00 | Duluth Convention Center, 350 Harbor Drive, Duluth, MN, 55802, United States
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. Ticket prices vary and are available on the FinnFest website at the link below.
Presenter: Elaine Kumpula, Honorary Consul of Finland; Steve Riedel, Corporate Relations Officer, Global Minnesota
Minnesota is one of only a select group of states designated by Finland for a special trade relationship. In 2021, Finland and Minnesota signed a Letter of Understanding formalizing a new partnership to collaborate on selected topics, to the benefit of both. What’s in the Letter? What’s happened as a result and what new opportunities have emerged? Join this session to learn what both Finland and Minnesota have to gain from the partnership. Come asking the question “What’s in this for me and my business?”
View the complete schedule of events at FinnFest here.

Register

Podcast Episode: The 2023 Mandela Washington Fellows
2023-08-01 - 2023-08-15
This past month, an incredible group of emerging professionals from countries all across Africa have been visiting Minnesota as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship program. This program is part of the U.S. State Department’s Young African Leaders Initiative and over the years has brought thousands of young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States for academic and leadership training.
On this episode, hear from two of these impressive Fellows, Marcellin Tsihoboto and Sylvia Phaphali Adzitey. Marcellin is from Madagascar and serves as the chief officer of fishery and aquaculture at the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy. His work focuses on the coordination of fishery- and aquaculture-related activity; resolution of conflicts between organizations, updating legislation, and fishery development projects. Sylvia is visiting from Ghana and is a senior nursing officer at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. She is also the founder of The FANCoD International, which works to prevent noncommunicable diseases and support persons living with them.

Listen below, or subscribe to our podcast on all major podcast apps.

Hear untold stories of international connections with new monthly episodes by subscribing to The Global Minnesota Podcast. Now available on all podcast streaming apps!
Links
Mandela Washington Fellowship
U.S. Embassy in Madagascar
Global Minnesota Professional Exchanges Program
This interview was recorded on July 26, 2023, and will be available for viewing on our Calendar of Events for several weeks. All interviews are archived on our podcast feed and in our Past Events calendar.

Great Decisions: War Crimes
2023-08-16 17:30 - 20:00 | The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis, 55403
This free event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. An optional dinner will start at 7:15 following the presentation. The dinner is $25 for Woman’s Club members and $30 for non-members (plus service fee and taxes).
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has challenged many international norms, including the prohibition on state aggression and the protection of civilians. Russian forces are not hiding their crimes; they attack civilian targets with missiles and have committed numerous atrocities in occupied areas. How can Russian leaders and forces be held accountable for these offenses? While policymakers are pursuing a number of options to achieve justice, it may be years before we truly understand the gravity of the war and its impact on Ukrainians.
This program is presented by the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis and is open to ALL.
The Great Decisions program addresses several of the most critical foreign policy issues facing the United States each year and serves as the focal text for discussion groups across the country. Global Minnesota facilitates one of the largest statewide Great Decisions programs in the country by providing access to a roster of local foreign policy experts and to discussion materials produced by the Foreign Policy Association. Join Global Minnesota and the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis for an in-depth discussion of this important topic.
Christi Siver, presenter
Christi is a perennially popular speaker at the Woman’s Club and has spoken on topics from Global Warming to Myanmar. She is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the College of St Benedict and St John’s University. She did her undergraduate work at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR, her Masters in International Relations and International Economics at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and her Ph.D. in political science at the University of Washington. She teaches courses on international relations and international security. Her current research interests include international humanitarian law, military technology, and comparative law.
If you would like to register, please RSVP to the email address in the link below.
Register

Culture Through Cuisine: Nepal and Northern India
2023-08-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Everest on Grand, 1278 Grand Ave, Saint Paul, MN, 55105, United States
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
Help us round out the summer with the next event in our Culture through Cuisine series as we head to St. Paul to visit Everest on Grand, a North Indian and Nepali restaurant. We’ll hear the stories behind each dish on the menu from restaurant owner, Roshan Chaudhary
Appetizers, dinner, dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage are included with registration. Additional beverages, appetizers, and desserts are available for individual purchase.

MENU:

Appetizers:
Chicken Momo – Ground chicken with onion, ginger, garlic, cilantro and spices in a wheat flour pastry and steamed. Served with special Momo sauce.
Veggie Samosa – Deliciously spiced mixture of potato, peas stuffed into pyramid shaped pastry and fried.

Main Course:
Palak Paneer with Rice – Spinach and paneer (cheese) cooked with ghee in homemade special tomato-cream sauce.
Chicken Tikka Masala – Marinated chicken breast meat cooked in homemade special tikka-cream sauce.

Dessert:
Kheer – Rice slowly cooked in milk and seasoned with sugar, raisins, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.

Drink:
One juice or soda per person

Please reach out to Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org with any questions, dietary restrictions, or accessibility accommodations.

Learning from Germany: Countering Intolerance
2023-08-31 17:00 - 18:15 | Ramsey County Library – Roseville, 2180 Hamline Ave. N, Roseville, MN, 55113, United States
This event is now SOLD OUT. Please email our office at info@globalminnesota.org with any questions or to cancel your registration.
How do countries create societies that promote tolerance, resist extremism and protect minority populations? Join us for an important discussion on countering hate. Our panel brings together experts from Germany to provide a vital case study on the combination of policy and community-based action to address problems of the past and stem rising intolerance in the present. What lessons or approaches can the United States and other countries take from these examples?
Hosted by the Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies and Global Minnesota, this special program will feature the work of German experts, each with decades of study and service in confronting extremism. They will explore approaches to strengthening civil society, building resilient communities, creating alternatives for at-risk youth, countering extremist narratives, protecting minorities, and helping partners around the world build their capacity to do the same. Our presenters from across the public sector are visiting Minnesota for a professional exchange program as part of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet exceptional professionals and learn from their unique perspectives as they discuss this critical issue.
The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Sheer Ganor, University of Minnesota History Professor.

Panelists

Mr. Maximilian FELDMANN
Public Affairs & Project Manager, European Janusz Korczak Academy
Mr. Onur U ÖZATA
Lawyer, Rechtsanwalt Onur U. Özata
Ms. Anna STAROSELSKI
Spokesperson, WerteInitiative e.V.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org.
Presented in partnership with University of Minnesota Holocaust and Genocide Studies . Panelists are visiting Minnesota as part of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
Thanks to promotional sponsors the Center for German & European Studies, Department of German, Nordic, Slavic, and Dutch, Germanic-American Institute, Human Rights Program – University of Minnesota, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, and the United Nations Association of Minnesota.

The New China Playbook: Beyond Socialism and Capitalism
2023-09-11 08:00 - 09:00
PLEASE NOTE: This virtual event has been rescheduled for September 11 (originally scheduled for September 8). If you have already registered under the previous time, there is no need to re-register.
This free event is being held virtually and is open to everyone.
China is an economic powerhouse which has recently supplanted the United States as the world’s largest exporter of goods. What are the key steps to promoting successful relationships between Minnesota-based companies and China?
Join Global Minnesota and The U.S. Heartland China Association for a virtual conversation with economist and professor at the London School of Economics Dr. Keyu Jin. She will discuss the complex economic relationships between the U.S. and China. Dr. Jin recently released her first book, The New China Playbook, in which she details the economic history and development of China, the decisions that led them to a booming economy, and lays out a roadmap for future relations between the West and China. An audience Q&A will take place after the presentation moderated by Amy Xu, a partner at Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson P.C.
Dr. Keyu Jin, presenter
Dr. Keyu Jin is an associate professor (with tenure) of Economics at the London school of Economics. She is from Beijing, China, and holds a B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University.
Her research is on international economics— such as why capital flows from poor to rich countries, how the global implications of U.S. monetary and fiscal policies have changed; and on how the rise of China impacts the global economy, from several perspectives —trade, capital flows, global interest rates and saving, demographics, productivity and technology.
This event is presented in partnership with the U.S. Heartland China Association and the China-United States Exchange Foundation.

If you require an accessibility accommodation or need more information, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org. Please note, your registration information (including name and email address) may be shared with our event partner organizations.
Thanks to promotional sponsors the Committee on Foreign Relations Minnesota, the Minnesota China Business Council, the South Dakota World Affairs Council, the United Nations Association of Minnesota, and the University of Minnesota China Center.
If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please go here.

Building Bridges to Global Markets
2023-09-12 12:00 - 15:30 | Metro State University, 700 7th Street, Saint Paul, 55106, United States
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
This program is presented by the U.S. Commercial Service.
Building Bridges to Global Markets is a series designed to connect SMEs within underserved communities with global business opportunities through events taking place in major cities throughout the U.S. This program brings no-cost, in-person exporting expertise to your community. Addressing issues most common to diverse businesses seeking international sales expansion, this event will introduce reliable contacts, accurate information, and ready-to-use resources that will place you firmly on the road to exporting success. Join the conversation with Global Minnesota hosted by the U.S. Commercial Service at Metro State University at noon on September 12. There will also be a separate international trade networking event later in the day at Lake Monster Brewing.
Topics Include
• Trade finance & access to capital
• Exporting essentials and available local resources/contacts
• Networking with trade experts and supporting organizations
Featured Speaker
Marisa Lago, Undersecretary, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

LEARN MORE

Global Minnesota is proud to be a promotional supporter of this event.

International Trade Networking Reception
2023-09-12 17:30 - 19:00 | Lake Monster Brewing, 550 Vandalia St #160, Saint Paul, 55114
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
Looking for a chance to gain exclusive insight into Biden Administration priorities for international trade and to network with leading business executives? This networking event at Lake Monster Brewing is hosted by the Minnesota District Export Council and the U.S. Commercial Service – Minnesota in partnership with Global Minnesota. This event follows shortly after a formal presentation, “Building Bridges to Global Markets,” earlier in the day at Metro State University.
The reception will feature a discussion with a senior U.S. Department of Commerce trade official, Marisa Lago, Under Secretary, International Trade Administration/U.S. Department of Commerce (expected). Her conversation will focus on the strategic priorities of the ITA and how they impact and support local communities, businesses and entrepreneurs to compete in the global marketplace. Ticket price includes admission, one free drink ticket, and light appetizers.

Speaker (expected)
Marisa Lago is the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade. She was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and sworn in on Dec. 28, 2021. She leads the federal government’s efforts to assist American businesses entering or expanding into international markets, enforce fair trade policies, promote travel and tourism to the United States and U.S. products and services overseas, provide in-depth trade analyses, develop strategies that will shape the future of international trade, and engage in commercial diplomacy across the globe.
Under Secretary Lago has a distinguished career in public service with expertise in international markets, trade, financial regulation and enforcement. Before joining the International Trade Administration, she led the New York City Department of City Planning and the City Planning Commission. In the Obama-Biden Administration, she served in the Department of the Treasury as Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Development.
Lago has also served as the Director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority and Chief Economic Development Officer for the City of Boston, President and CEO of the Empire State Development Corporation, Director of the Office of International Affairs for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and Global Head of Compliance for a major investment bank.
She received a Bachelor of Science in physics from The Cooper Union and her juris doctorate cum laude from Harvard Law School.

If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org.
Presented in partnership with the Minnesota District Export Council and the U.S. Commercial Service – Minnesota.

Podcast Episode: Crisis Negotiation & Improving Diplomacy
2023-09-19 - 2023-09-30
In October, some of Global Minnesota’s staff will be participating in the International Strategic Crisis Negotiation Exercise (also known as ISCNE) at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. This is a diplomacy simulation designed to help college students learn about the negotiation process. To help the students prepare and to bring the discussion of critical issues to all Minnesotans, Global Minnesota will host two free public events featuring former U.S. Ambassadors. The first will include former Ambassador to Cyprus, Kathleen Doherty, on October 19, while the second will feature former Ambassador and Deputy Assistance Secretary of State Ron Neumann on October 30.
On this episode, hear from the local organizer for the ISCNE event, retired U.S. Navy Commander Jon Olson and Diplomat-in-Residence for the University of Minnesota – Duluth Tom Hanson. They’ve provide an exclusive preview of these two upcoming diplomacy events, the situation in Cyprus, and how Global Minnesota and the ISNCE program inform and engage the next generation of leaders.

Listen below, or subscribe to our podcast on all major podcast apps.

Hear untold stories of international connections with new monthly episodes by subscribing to The Global Minnesota Podcast. Now available on all podcast streaming apps!
Links
Event Page: Cyprus in Context with Ambassador Doherty
Event Page: Modernizing Diplomacy with Ambassador Neumann
National Security this Week on KYMN Radio
Article on Cyprus and Money Laundering by Kathleen Doherty

This interview was recorded on September 13, 2023, and will be available for viewing on our Calendar of Events for several weeks. All interviews are archived on our podcast feed and in our Past Events calendar.

SDG Roundtable: Smart Grid Innovations from Germany
2023-09-19 09:00 - 10:30 | Apex Conference Center, 40 S 7th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55402, United States
This free event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
Electrical grids around the world have seen a shift toward a complicated mix of traditional plus an increasing share of renewable energy sources. Smart grid and energy storage technologies are seeing great growth. And a more efficient and cleaner grid is better for all of us.
Join us for the latest in our Sustainable Development Goals roundtable series to learn about Smart Grid Innovations from Germany. Global Minnesota is pleased to partner with the German American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) in Chicago as well as the GACC Minnesota chapter in welcoming to Minnesota a delegation of German smart grid and energy storage companies. Germany is a global leader in smart grid technology and these companies represent some of the latest innovative thinking on how to make the world’s electricity grids smarter, cleaner and better at energy storage.
Global Minnesota corporate member Cozen O’Connor, a leading Minneapolis business law firm with offices across the country, will be our venue partner in Minneapolis. Barbara Mueller, Minnesota’s Honorary Consul for Germany and a Partner at Cozen O’Connor, will be available to welcome the delegation.
While the event is open to all companies, especially those companies active in energy, smart grid and storage technology will benefit from a chance to learn from and possibly partner with these German firms looking at the U.S. market.
Following briefings by the German company representatives, participants will have an opportunity to network with our visitors.
Click here for a flyer about the companies visiting along with their websites.
If you require any accommodations, please contact our Corporate Relations Officer Steve Riedel at sriedel@globalminnesota.org.
Presented in partnership with Cozen O’Connor and the German American Chamber of Commerce.

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows Welcome Reception
2023-09-19 16:30 - 18:30 | Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Humphrey Forum, 301 19th Ave. S, Rm 105, Minneapolis, 55454
This free event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
On behalf of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, we are delighted to extend this special invitation to you! We cordially invite you to join us as we welcome the exceptional 2023-24 cohort of Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program has been instrumental in fostering global leadership and promoting positive change in communities worldwide. We are proud to introduce you to this year’s Fellows, a group of outstanding professionals who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public service and are currently in prominent leadership positions in their respective countries.
The Fellows, through their dedication and expertise, have made substantial contributions to advancing the well-being of their communities, nations, and the world. Their diverse areas of expertise encompass public administration, governance, education, public health, environmental sustainability, and many others.
To gain insights into the impactful work of the incoming Fellows, we encourage you to explore their bios and learn more about their initiatives in their respective home countries. The Fellows home countries span the globe – Armenia, Honduras, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, the Slovak Republic, Togo, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Vietnam. You can find all the details on their backgrounds and bios here.
This event will provide an excellent opportunity for networking and fostering meaningful connections with this year’s cohort of Fellows, who will be working and studying in Minnesota for nine months. Join us and help to expand our collective commitment to creating a brighter future through public service and cross-cultural collaboration. Light appetizers and drinks will be served.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org.
Presented in partnership with the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Thanks to promotional sponsors Books for Africa, Citizens for Global Solutions Minnesota, the Minnesota International NGO Network, and the United Nations Association of Minnesota.

Great Decisions: Famine in the 21st Century
2023-09-20 17:30 - 20:00 | The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis, 55403
This free event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. An optional dinner will start at 7:15 following the presentation. The dinner is $25 for Woman’s Club members and $30 for non-members (plus service fee and taxes).
Fears of global food shortages have followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has disrupted grain shipments from the major grain producer. But what about countries and regions that were suffering before this impending shortage? How is famine defined, and how is it different from simple food shortages? What, if any, remedies are there?
This program is presented by the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis and is open to ALL.
The Great Decisions program addresses several of the most critical foreign policy issues facing the United States each year and serves as the focal text for discussion groups across the country. Global Minnesota facilitates one of the largest statewide Great Decisions programs in the country by providing access to a roster of local foreign policy experts and to discussion materials produced by the Foreign Policy Association. Join Global Minnesota and the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis for an in-depth discussion of this important topic.
Emily Miller, presenter
Emily Miller is an experienced international development and humanitarian practitioner. She served as Senior Program Coordinator of a two year study in Karamoja, Uganda led by the Feinstein International Center (with funding from the World Bank); and Program Manager for Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL) with Catholic Relief Services as part of their emergency recovery efforts in response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. She’s also held roles at The Alliance to End Hunger and Bread for the World in Washington, DC.
Emily holds a Master’s degree from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, specializing in Human Security and Humanitarian Studies, and a BA in Political Science with a minor in International Studies and Human Rights from the University of Dayton where she earned the Truman Scholarship. She has studied in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Bangladesh and lived and worked in Uganda and the Philippines. She and her husband relocated to the Twin Cities right in 2020.
If you would like to register, please RSVP to frontdesk@womansclub.org or click the link below.
Register

International Student Day at Mall of America
2023-09-23 11:00 - 14:00 | The Lounge at Mall of America, 60 E Broadway, Bloomington, MN, 55425, United States
This event is being held in-person and is open to international students.
Welcome to Minnesota! Join Global Minnesota and Study Minnesota for a scavenger hunt at the Mall of America. Take the opportunity to connect with other international students from around the Twin Cities while you check out one of the state’s biggest attractions and learn more about programs to support your study abroad experience.
Meet in the Lounge on the second floor to get signed up for our student newsletter, pick up some free gifts, and grab instructions on how to complete the scavenger hunt. Study Minnesota will be handing out free t-shirts to the first students that arrive while supplies last.
Snacks, drinks, and prizes will be provided. We hope to see you there!

Event Highlights

Free snacks and drinks
Free shirts and Mall of America coupon books while supplies last
Scavenger hunt competition for a chance to win Mall of America gift card prizes
Connect with Global Minnesota & other international students

Information about transportation to Mall of America can be found here.
Thanks to partners Mall of America and Study Minnesota for their support for this event.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org.

U.S. Policy Toward Latin America with Ambassador Ayalde
2023-10-03 16:30 - 18:00 | Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Humphrey Forum, 301 19th Ave. S, Rm 105, Minneapolis, 55454
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
Join the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and Global Minnesota for a conversation with former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil and Paraguay, Liliana Ayalde. Ambassador Ayalde will delve into critical topics concerning U.S. policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean. Ambassador Ayalde has held senior leadership positions at the U.S. State Department and USAID, and at the United States Southern Command, and will provide insights into the region’s challenges and opportunities. These include migration and the U.S. southern border, human rights, economic and political development, and Chinese involvement in Latin America.

About Ambassador Ayalde
Ambassador Ayalde retired from the U.S. Foreign Service following a distinguished 38-year career. She held senior positions in the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), dedicating her diplomatic service to foreign affairs, development, defense, and security in Latin America and the Caribbean. Ambassador Ayalde served as the Civilian Deputy to the Commander and Foreign Policy Advisor at the United States Southern Command in Miami until September 2019 and was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil between 2013-2016. Prior to this appointment she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs in the Department of State. She was also the Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Latin American and Caribbean Bureau for USAID. Following her assignment as USAID Mission Director in Colombia, where she had responsibility for the development assistance portfolio under Plan Colombia, she was confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Paraguay. She also held assignments in Bangladesh, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Bolivia.
Ambassador Ayalde is currently a senior advisor for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and serves on several boards such as the Wilson Center’s Latin American Program, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and IREX, a non-profit organization focused on development, governance and education. She is a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy and serves on the International Advisory Group of Global Americans. She is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including USAID’s Distinguished Career Award, the Department of State’s Distinguished Service Honor Award, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the highest award given to a civilian by the Department of Defense. She was also honored with recognitions by governments in countries she served, including the Order of San Carlos by the Government of Colombia, the Order for Gran Cruz by the Government of Paraguay, and received several recognitions by the Government of Brazil. Ambassador Ayalde earned her B.A. from the School of International Studies at American University in Washington, D.C. and a M.P.H. from Tulane University in Louisiana. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and has a working knowledge of French.
Presented in partnership with Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Learn More

Global Social with Women Leaders
2023-10-05 17:30 - 19:00 | Wood+Paddle at the Royal Sonesta, 31 S 7th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55402, United States
This event is SOLD OUT. Please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org for any questions.
Don’t miss this special opportunity to meet two impressive delegations of international women leaders: one promoting peace and security and another focused on protecting women and children. These professionals will be meeting with organizations across Minnesota to share their knowledge and experiences. Connect with emerging leaders from over 25 different countries and hear how their examples can inspire women around the world. Network with members of Parliament, media editors, non-profit managers, police commissioners, political party leaders, and academics at Wood+Paddle in the Royal Sonesta Hotel.
Light appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks will be served with alcoholic beverages also available for purchase. Limited free parking is available beneath the hotel.
These groups are visiting Minnesota as part of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
International Visitor Leadership Program
The International Visitor Leadership Program is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. Through short-term visits to the United States, current and emerging foreign leaders in a variety of fields experience this country firsthand and cultivate lasting relationships with their American counterparts. Professional meetings reflect the participants’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the United States.
Be a part of this special event for Global Minnesota members and their guests to meet these international visitors and learn about their cultures, countries, and professional work. Space is limited, so secure your registration now.
Want to attend but not yet a member? Check out the many benefits of membership and join today!
Thanks to the Royal Sonesta Hotel for their partnership on this program.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org.

Podcast Episode: Global Business Outlook
2023-10-10 - 2023-10-25
Global Minnesota is launching the inaugural event in a new annual event series designed to provide a snapshot of international business megatrends and insights for Minnesota companies in search of strategies in response. The Global Business Outlook promises to be the premier event for tracking and adapting to global business megatrends and for understanding the risks and opportunities they present. The event will include a keynote presentation about business megatrends, a panel of major Minnesota multinational corporations, and networking with over 100 Minnesota business professionals. Confirmed guests include leadership officials from the US Commercial Service, Greater MSP, the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Consular Corps.
On this episode, hear from the keynote speaker for the Global Business Outlook, John Pournoor, CEO and founder of Government Analytica. His has 35 years of experience working at the intersection of governments and industry. Most recently, he was the VP of Government Affairs for a Fortune 100 multinational, where he engaged policymakers at the federal level, in 29 states and in 37 countries. He has served on numerous boards and has been appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the Minnesota District Export Council. John launched Government Analytica out of a passion to unlock the public value of government proposals to inspire policymakers to improve lives. He helps his clients shape the conversation through thought leadership content. He unlocks the policymaker impasse by using his company’s access to data and analytics to show the public value and the greater good of these proposals. Government Analytica has helped companies, advocates, associations, coalitions, commissions, and councils to unlock the public value behind their proposals and receive or save millions of dollars. He is a tireless advocate and volunteer for community-based organizations, including Global Minnesota. He divides his time between Washington DC and Minnesota.

Listen below, or subscribe to our podcast on all major podcast apps.

Hear untold stories of international connections with new monthly episodes by subscribing to The Global Minnesota Podcast. Now available on all podcast streaming apps!
Links
Event Page: Global Business Outlook
Government Analytica
Global Minnesota Corporate Membership

This interview was recorded on September 14, 2023, and will be available for viewing on our Calendar of Events for several weeks. All interviews are archived on our podcast feed and in our Past Events calendar.

2023 China Town Hall
2023-10-11 17:45 - 19:30 | Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Cowles Auditorium, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, 55455
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
Join us for the 2023 China Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections, organized by the National Committee on United States-China Relations and locally hosted by the University of Minnesota China Center and Global Minnesota.
The program will feature a live webcast with Nicholas Burns, current U.S. ambassador to China, followed by an on-site discussion with Duncan J. McCampbell, Associate Professor of International Business and Law at Metropolitan State University. Guests can submit questions for Ambassador Burns in advance using this form.
Program
5:45 p.m. — Welcome and recognition of sponsors
6:00 p.m. — Live webcast featuring Nicholas Burns, U.S. ambassador to China
7:00 p.m. — Local speaker Duncan J. McCampbell, associate professor of international business and law at Metropolitan State University

Speakers
Nicholas Burns
Nicholas Burns is U.S. Ambassador to China. Nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate, he was sworn into office on December 22, 2021.
As Ambassador, he leads a team of experienced, dedicated, and diverse public servants from 47 U.S. government agencies and sub-agencies at the U.S. Mission in China, including at the Embassy in Beijing and at the American Consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Shenyang. He oversees the Mission’s interaction with the PRC on the full range of political, security, economic, commercial, consular, and many other issues that shape this critical relationship.
Ambassador Burns has had a distinguished career in American diplomacy, serving six U.S. Presidents and nine Secretaries of State over 27 years. His State Department roles have included Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the State Department’s third-ranking official and most senior career diplomat (2005-2008); U.S. Ambassador to NATO (2001-2005); U.S. Ambassador to Greece (1997-2001); and State Department spokesman (1995-1997). Before that, he worked at the National Security Council at the White House (1990-1995) where he served as Special Assistant to President Clinton and Senior Director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia Affairs and as Director for Soviet Affairs for President George H.W. Bush during the collapse of the USSR.
Duncan J. McCampbell
Duncan J. McCampbell is an American lawyer and associate professor of international business and law at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis. Following a career in private law practice, Prof. McCampbell joined West Publishing (now Thomson Reuters Legal), the world’s largest legal publisher. His work—much of it overseas—involved building new legal publishing businesses in the UK, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, Hong Kong, and Australia. In his last overseas assignment, he was posted to Beijing in 2007 as managing director of TR’s China start-up, Westlaw China.
Leaving business for academia, Prof. McCampbell became a tenured associate professor in the College of Management at Metropolitan State, where he teaches undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in law, international business, and marketing, while serving as department chair. He teaches regularly in China, holding visiting scholar appointments at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, and at Huaihua University and Hunan Institute of Science and Technology in Hunan Province, PRC.
Presented in partnership with The China Center.
Register Here

International Business Roundtable: U.S.-China Relations, De-Risking, and its Impact on Corporate Strategy
2023-10-12 08:30 - 10:00 | Dorsey & Whitney LLP, 50 South Sixth St., Suite 1500, Minneapolis, 55402
Registration now open! This event is being held virtually and in-person and is geared towards those with a business interest in China.
Join Global Minnesota for a discussion about U.S.-China relations and how they are impacting corporate strategy for U.S. and multinational companies. The program will feature a keynote from Amy Celico at Dentons Global Advisors-Albright Stonebridge Group followed by a panel of business and legal leaders discussing how recent developments in U.S.-China relations are driving corporate strategy decisions. The event is offered in partnership with Global Minnesota corporate members Dorsey & Whitney and KPMG.
Topics will include:

Developments in U.S.-China relations, including recent actions taken by both governments that could impact business strategies.
Steps companies are taking to diversify and/or localize China sourcing to stabilize operations, ensure continuity, and minimize the impact of U.S. actions against China.
Legal considerations associated with due diligence limitations in China, as well as restrictions associated with Chinese business activities.

REGISTER
SPEAKERS / PANELISTS
KEYNOTE
Amy Celico,
Partner, Dentons Global Advisors-Albright Stonebridge Group

PANEL DISCUSSION
Lori Riley,
SVP, People, Communication & Legal, Northern Tool + Equipment
Valentin Povarchuk
Sr. Corporate Counsel, Seagate Technology

Nelson Dong,
Of Counsel, Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Jessica Libby, Moderator
Principal, KPMG LLP

Presented in partnership with Dorsey & Whitney LLP, KPMG LLP, the U.S. Commercial Service, and the Minnesota Trade Office.

Great Decisions: Global Economic Warfare
2023-10-18 17:30 - 20:00 | The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis, 55403
This free event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. An optional dinner will start at 7:15 following the presentation. The dinner is $25 for Woman’s Club members and $30 for non-members (plus service fee and taxes).
How useful are sanctions and economic coercion in today’s financial environment? Hear about specific examples of economic warfare measures (i.e., sanctions, trade embargoes, travel restrictions, cyber attacks) taken by the U.S. and other countries, their effectiveness, and their impacts on the lives of citizens in targeted countries. This presentation will explore the theory behind implementing sanctions and will examine the decision-making process used in adopting economic warfare in the U.S. It will also encourage discussion around the question: Should countries always be left with the choice between outright war or the adoption of sanctions, or are other policy alternatives worth considering?
This program is presented by the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis and is open to ALL.
The Great Decisions program addresses several of the most critical foreign policy issues facing the United States each year and serves as the focal text for discussion groups across the country. Global Minnesota facilitates one of the largest statewide Great Decisions programs in the country by providing access to a roster of local foreign policy experts and to discussion materials produced by the Foreign Policy Association. Join Global Minnesota and the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis for an in-depth discussion of this important topic.
Rob Scarlett, presenter
Rob Scarlett has had a 40-year career in international sales and manufacturing; and although still active in business, has shifted more of his time into service as a director and/or advisor to several small and medium-size companies and philanthropic organizations. Shortly after graduating from Carleton College in 1966, he became part of a private NGO team that created some of Latin America’s first microfinance institutions. Building on that experience, he began a decades-long business career that kept him active throughout Latin America, Central America, Mexico,
and the Caribbean.
In recent years, Rob has served on many boards including serving as Board Chair for Global Minnesota and President of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners of the Americas. He grew up in Germany and acquired German as his second language. He later acquired fluency in Spanish and Portuguese and has also lived and worked throughout Europe, South Africa, and most countries in Latin America.
If you would like to register, please RSVP to frontdesk@womansclub.org or click the link below.
Register

Cyprus in Context with Ambassador Doherty
2023-10-19 17:30 - 18:45 | Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Humphrey Forum, 301 19th Ave. S, Rm 105, Minneapolis, 55454
This event is AT CAPACITY. Please reach out to our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org with any questions.
In 1960, Cyprus became independent from the United Kingdom, but its early years were marked by violence between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. The United Nations established a buffer zone in 1964 to diffuse rising tensions. Ten years later, after a Greece-sponsored coup in Cyprus, Turkey sent thousands of troops to the island, citing its right as a guarantor power to do so. Nearly 200,000 Greek Cypriots living in the northern part of the island were forced or fled to the south; 60,000 Turkish Cypriots living in the south did the same to the north. The island and the capital city of Nicosia have been divided since then, despite international attempts to reunify Cyprus. U.N. troops remain to protect the peace, but periodic flare-ups of violence have occurred as recently as August 2023. Join Global Minnesota for a conversation with former U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus, Kathleen Doherty.
Due to its location in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey, Greece, the United Kingdom, Russia, the United States and increasingly Israel and China see Cyprus as having strategic geopolitical importance. The island is also known as a favored investment spot, including illicit finance of Russia, China, and others; and now has the highest percentage per capita of refugees in Europe. Given all of these dimensions, is there a diplomatic path forward for a long-term solution? Ambassador Doherty will outline the current status of the Cyprus issue, the obstacles to establishing a permanent solution, and how diplomacy can play a critical role in mediating these tensions.
About Ambassador Doherty:
Ambassador Doherty served in Cyprus from 2015-2019. Before her appointment as Ambassador, Kathleen Doherty, a member of the Senior Foreign Service, served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Rome between September 2013 and September 2015. She previously spent two years as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, where she had responsibility for managing relations with the European Union and Western Europe. Prior to that, she was the Director for the Office of European Union and Regional Affairs.
Before returning to Washington D.C. in 2010, she was Counselor for Economic Affairs in the U.S. Embassy in London. Her other overseas assignments include Moscow, Rome and the Dominican Republic.
Ambassador Doherty speaks Italian and Spanish and previously Portuguese and Russian, and received one of the Department’s highest honors for her work on U.S.-EU relations. She has a M.Sc from the London School of Economics and a B.A. from Colgate University. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Affairs, a board member of the American Academy of Diplomacy, and a board member of the Women’s Foreign Policy Group.
Presented in partnership with the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Thanks to promotional sponsors the Minnesota International NGO Network, and the United Nations Association of Minnesota.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Katie Kelley at kkelley@globalminnesota.org two weeks ahead of the event.
Listen below to our latest podcast episode to learn more about this event!

Film Screening: Finding Her Beat
2023-10-25 19:15 | Main Cinema, 115 Main St., Minneapolis, MN, 55414, United States
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
Join Global Minnesota, the MSP Film Society, and TaikoArts Midwest for a special screening of the award-winning local film Finding Her Beat on October 25 at The Main Cinema. Bring your friends for this documentary exploration connecting a traditional Japanese musical style with local Minnesota artists. A portion of ticket sales will also go to support Global Minnesota’s programs connecting Minnesota with the world.**
FINDING HER BEAT is a story of a master Japanese drummer and a Korean adoptee from Minnesota who boldly convene an all-female troupe to perform Taiko, the Japanese drumming art that has been off-limits to women for centuries. The group faces down hurdles to prepare for a historic performance in snowy St. Paul. Buoyed by dynamic drum performances and do-or-die spirit, FINDING HER BEAT is an energizing and uplifting story of music, cultural expression, and sisterhood.
View the trailer here.
**Tickets must be for the October 25 show at 7:15pm.
GET TICKETS
