Global Book Club: "It is Well" the Autobiography of Dr. Okechukwu Ukaga
2022-02-16 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | MN
In his new autobiography “It Is Well,” Dr. Okechukwu (Okey) Ukaga recounts growing up in Nigeria in the early 1960s during the country’s civil war and at time when his home region of Biafra was seceding. Over the next few years, his family was uprooted each time the warfront encroached. But as chaos enveloped the country, Okey found at a young age that he had a deep reservoir of faith. In “It is Well,” Okey offers readers a reassuring story of how even when life is hard, all shall be well if we have faith in ourselves and our journeys.
Join us for a virtual conversation with Dr. Ukaga as he discusses, “It Is Well” and how his hopeful perspective has guided him in a life that has traversed two continents and tumultuous periods of history — from civil war to the COVID pandemic.
About the Speaker
Okechukwu “Okey” Ukaga, is an Assistant Dean at the University of Minnesota Extension and Global Minnesota board member. Raised in Eastern Nigeria, he considers himself to have two homes and maintains residences in both the United States and Nigeria. He is the co-author of five books on sustainable development and program evaluation, and received his Ph.D. in agricultural and extension education from Penn State University.
Presented in partnership with Magers & Quinn Booksellers.
If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please click here. If you are registering from inside the United States, please use the form below.

Urban Expedition 2022: China
2022-02-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W, St. Paul, MN, 55102
Explore the globe with the 2022 season of Landmark Center’s popular Urban Expedition – returning to in person! Designed for everyone to enjoy, Urban Expedition offers the opportunity to learn more about the world. With a focus on a different destination, each program in the series provides cultural experiences that include music, dance, crafts, and traditions.
Join Landmark Center and Global Minnesota, in partnership with CAAM Chinese Dance Theater, as we travel to China in February.
Urban Expeditions are free and open to the public.

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Urban Expedition is produced by Landmark Center with sponsorship from Global Minnesota.

Global Conversations DIGITAL: Myanmar and ASEAN
2022-02-23 18:00 - 19:00 | MN
The situation in Myanmar, including the coup by the military in February 2021 and the ongoing human rights crises, coupled with civil resistance by those opposed to the regime, has led to the chaos in the Southeast Asian country. Is it possible for democracy to prevail in Myanmar?
Join us for a conversation with Professor Tun Myint, Ph.D., Associate professor of Political Science at Carleton College, as he discusses how neighboring countries are reacting to the situation in Myanmar and what role will ASEAN play.
About the Speaker
Tun Myint, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Carleton College. He was a student leader of the 1988 democracy movement in Myanmar and is a widely respected expert on the politics and society of the country. He is a founder and member of the editorial board of the Independent Journal of Burmese Scholarship, director of the Public Memory of Myanmar digital archive, and has contributed expert analysis on Burmese politics for media outlets, including PBS, Minnesota Public Radio, Radio Free Asia, CNN, and the BBC. He is the author of Governing International Rivers: Polycentric Politics in the Mekong and the Rhine. Professor Myint served as a member of the Technical Advisory Team of the Federal Constitution Drafting Coordinating Committee of the Union of Burma from 2000 to 2005, and was previously Research Fellow of Asia Policy Program, a joint program of the National Bureau of Research and Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars.
Presented in partnership with the Friends of the Minneapolis Central Library, Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central, Landmark Center, Edina Senior Center, Friends of the Edina Library, Minneapolis Public Schools Community Education, Plymouth Library, and Washburn Library.
If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please click here. If you are registering from inside the United States, please use the form below.

Urban Expedition: Greece
2022-02-27 13:00 - 15:00 | Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W, St. Paul, MN, 55102
This program is presented by the Landmark Center.
Explore the globe with the 2022 season of Landmark Center’s popular Urban Expedition – returning to in person! Designed for everyone to enjoy, Urban Expedition offers the opportunity to learn more about the world. With a focus on a different destination, each program in the series provides cultural experiences that include music, dance, crafts, and traditions.
Join Landmark Center and Global Minnesota, in partnership with St. George Greek Orthodox Church.
Urban Expeditions are free and open to the public.

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Urban Expedition is produced by Landmark Center with sponsorship from Global Minnesota.

2022 Academic WorldQuest Competition
2022-03-09 15:30 - 18:00 | Mall of America: Parkview Meeting & Event Center, 390 North Garden, Bloomington, MN, 55425, United States
This event is for Minnesota high school students only!
Test your students’ global IQ at our annual international knowledge competition for high school students – Academic WorldQuest. This FREE event challenges high school students across the state of Minnesota in a fun and interactive manner to think globally about critical issues facing the U.S. and the world. This year’s competition will be held IN PERSON at the Mall of America. There will also be an option to compete online via Zoom and MyQuiz.
The winning team will represent Minnesota at the national Academic WorldQuest competition presented by the World Affairs Councils of America, in April 2022.
Competition Details

FREE to compete
Each high school (9-12 grade students) can register up to 2 teams of 4 students for the in-person event on a first-come, first-served basis. All high schools also have the option to register an unlimited number of teams to participate online.
Refreshments provided for in-person participants
First place team receives a championship trophy for their school and the opportunity to represent Minnesota at the national competition in Washington, D.C. in April.
Team Spirit Award: The chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card! See details on how to participate.
Access the Study Guide – Coming Soon!
Review the 2022 topics.

REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL!

Space is limited, be sure to register early! Questions? Please email Sylvia Oxenham, K-12 Education Manager.
Academic WorldQuest is a youth education program of the national network of World Affairs Councils. Presented in partnership with the Mall of America and the World Affairs Councils of America.

Edina Great Decisions: Foreign Policy Changes Facing the USA
2022-03-14 16:00 - 17:30 | Edina Community Center, 5701 Normandale Rd, Edina, MN, 55424, United States
This program is presented by Edina Community Ed through a partnership with the Edina Senior Center, the Edina Library, and Edina Community Center.
The Great Decisions program addresses nine 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 Friends of the Edina Library at the Edina Community Center for an in-depth discussion of the major foreign policy changes facing the United States in 2022.
Tom Hanson, presenter
Tom Hanson currently serves as Diplomat in Residence at the Alworth Institute for International Affairs at the University of Minnesota – Duluth. His U.S. Foreign Service postings included East Germany, France, Norway, the Soviet Union, Sweden, and the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. As a leading member of Global Minnesota’s Great Decisions advisory committee, Tom speaks frequently on international issues and contributes to local and international media. He is also a board member of the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights, the International Leadership Program at the University of St. Thomas, and the Cultural Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Minnesota – Duluth. Tom holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and graduate degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; the Institute of Advanced International Studies in Switzerland; and the National School of Administration in France.
The Friends of the Edina Library have graciously co-sponsored this program.
If you would like to register, please use the button below.
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Global Conversations DIGITAL: Russia's Goals in Europe with Jill Dougherty
2022-03-17 18:00 - 19:00 | MN
Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its involvement in sparking war in Eastern Ukraine signaled a major escalation in President Putin’s attempts to revive the former Soviet empire. Now, the Russian military’s invasion of Ukraine has placed all of Europe on high alert. What does Russia have to gain in such a high-stakes conflict? Join Global Minnesota and the Kennan Institute on YouTube Live as we host Russia expert Jill Dougherty to discuss Russia’s goals in Europe.
Jill Dougherty, presenter
Jill Dougherty is an expert on Russia and the former Soviet Union. In her three-decade career with CNN, she served as a Foreign Affairs Correspondent based in Washington, D.C., where she covered the U.S. Department of State and provided analysis on international issues. Previously, Dougherty served as U.S. Affairs Editor for CNN International; Managing Editor of CNN International Asia/Pacific, based in Hong Kong; and CNN’s Moscow Bureau Chief and Correspondent. She also served as CNN White House Correspondent, covering the presidencies of George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and was a Fellow at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government where she pursued research on Russia’s mass media. Dougherty received a bachelor’s degree in Slavic languages and literature from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a master’s from Georgetown University where she researched Russia’s soft power diplomacy.
This program is cosponsored by the Kennan Institute’s Kennan Conversation program, which takes experts on Russia to communities across America to engage directly with local audiences; and is presented in partnership with the Russian-American Business and Culture Council, The Museum of Russian Art, Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central, Landmark Center, Edina Senior Center, Friends of the Edina Library, Friends of the Minneapolis Central Library, Minneapolis Public Schools Community Education, Plymouth Library, TeamWomen, and Washburn Library.
If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please click here. If you are registering from inside the United States, please use the form below.

Urban Expedition: Peru
2022-03-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W, St. Paul, MN, 55102
This program is presented by the Landmark Center.
Explore the globe with the 2022 season of Landmark Center’s popular Urban Expedition – returning to in person! Designed for everyone to enjoy, Urban Expedition offers the opportunity to learn more about the world. With a focus on a different destination, each program in the series provides cultural experiences that include music, dance, crafts, and traditions.
Join Landmark Center and Global Minnesota, in partnership with Mi Perú.
Urban Expeditions are free and open to the public.

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Urban Expedition is produced by Landmark Center with sponsorship from Global Minnesota.

World Health Day 2022 - Accelerating Health Equity by Design
2022-04-07 09:00 - 16:00 | MN
The pandemic revealed deep and persistent inequalities throughout the global healthcare system. As we enter a new era in public health, we must now seize the opportunity to reshape a global healthcare system that is more equitable and accessible to all. On April 7, Global Minnesota will host a multi-session virtual symposium dedicated to “Accelerating Health Equity by Design.” In partnership with the World Health Organization, join us as we welcome renowned experts and entrepreneurs in global public health from a broad range of organizations such as the National Council on Disability, 3M, the Icahn Medical School at Mount Sinai, Medtronic LABS, and UnitedHealth Group.
Our speakers and panel presentations will cover a wide range of successful strategies from every corner of the planet, and explore emerging opportunities and challenges in health equity. From disability policy to AI data analysis to virtual reality telemedicine, there is something for everyone to learn as we work to make quality healthcare equitable to all! A special panel of Next Generation leaders will also explore emerging strategies and tactics in the health equity movement.
ASL interpretation provided. The program will be presented on Global Minnesota’s YouTube channel. To enable closed-captioning during the live stream program, follow instructions for use with Google Chrome.

AGENDA

PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES

Thank You Sponsors

PLATINUM SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

Silver Sponsor Sunrise Banks

Thank you to promotional partners Books for Africa, French-American Chamber of Commerce, Global Ties U.S., South Dakota World Affairs Council, US Heartland China Association, Minnesota International NGO Network, Food for His Children, WellShare International, OneVillage Partners, NPH USA, Destination Medical Center, The Public Diplomacy Council, The United Nations Association of Minnesota, Tanzania Health Partnership, JustActions, Saint John’s University, the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, GHR Foundation, Pioneer Power Mobility, and Emanate International.

If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please click here. If you are registering from inside the United States, please use the form below.

Service in Afghanistan: A Conversation with Ambassador Ross Wilson and Margo Squire
2022-04-13 18:00 - 19:00 | MN
For twenty years, the United States, its allies, and Afghan partners worked to bring stability, prosperity, and democracy to the people of Afghanistan. During that time, and after much hard work and sacrifice, the nation saw a major transformation in its cultural and economic life, with implications that continue despite the dramatic changes under the current Taliban regime.
As Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul from January 2020 through August 2021, Ambassador Ross Wilson led the U.S. diplomatic mission during one of its most trying and tumultuous periods. His wife Margo Squire, also a former career Foreign Service Officer, served as a Cultural Affairs Specialist supporting 27 American cultural centers across the country.
Join Global Minnesota for a conversation with Ambassador Wilson and Margo Squire as they share experiences from their historic and eventful time in Afghanistan, as well as their thoughts on the social and economic advances that improved the lives of Afghanistan’s people and what it might take for those advances to persist in the current political climate. This event will be moderated by Mary Curtin, Diplomat-in-Residence at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Presented in partnership with the World Affairs Councils of America and the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Global Minnesota members and members of WACA affiliates receive member pricing for this event!

If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please click here. If you are registering from inside the United States, please use the form below.

International Women of Courage Virtual Roundtable
2022-04-15 11:00 - 12:00 | MN
Global Minnesota is proud to host Facia Boyenoh Harris from Liberia and Roegchanda Pascoe from South Africa, recipients of the 2022 U.S. Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award.
Established in 2007, the annual U.S. Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award honors women around the globe who have exemplified exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for human rights, women’s equality, and social progress, often at great personal risk. This is the only U.S. Department of State award that pays tribute to emerging women leaders worldwide. Join Global Minnesota as we host these two brave women for a virtual social and roundtable on April 15!

About Facia
Ms. Facia Boyenoh Harris is a life-long activist for women’s rights and against gender-based violence in Liberia. As a co-founder of the Paramount Young Women Initiative, she has worked for decades to address the pervasive sexual assault and harassment of school-aged girls, create opportunities for education, and provide leadership training for the next generation of female leaders. She is also a community organizer, from co-founding the Liberian Feminist Forum to facilitating coordination among female advocacy groups to fostering neighborhood activism, where she organizes groups on issues as wide-ranging as political participation, sanitation, and rape. Currently, Ms. Harris is the Director for Outreach and Sensitization of Liberia’s Freedom of Information Act-enforcing Independent Information Commission. Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of State.

About Roegchanda
In South Africa, a country grappling with high rates of organized crime, gender-based violence, and murder, Roegchanda Pascoe has courageously advocated for peace, justice, and economic inclusion in the historically underserved and violent Cape Flats of Cape Town. Despite multiple attempts on her life and continued threats from violent criminals, Ms. Pascoe continues to create safer communities, especially for women and children who have been traumatized by violence, and to train the next generation of community advocates. She has called on the President of South Africa, local government, and police to increase crime prevention, intervention, and fight corruption; and she has bravely convened gang leaders and community members for conflict mediation. Photo courtesy of Giraffe Heroes Project.
This event will be moderated by Dr. Dipali Mukhopadhyay, an Associate Professor in the global policy area at our program sponsor the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Thanks to our promotional partners Minnesota Africans United, TeamWomen, Bountifield International, Land O’ Lakes, the Eugene McCarthy Center, and the South African Honorary Consulate in Minneapolis!
International Women of Courage 2022
Read more at The U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center.
The International Women of Courage Awards Program is a collaboration between the
U.S. Department of State Office of International Visitors, the Office of Global Women’s Issues, and Meridian International Center
with support from the American Women for International Understanding.

If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please click here. If you are registering from inside the United States, please use the form below.

Urban Expedition: Italy
2022-04-24 13:00 - 15:00 | Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W, St. Paul, MN, 55102
This program is presented by the Landmark Center.
Explore the globe with the 2022 season of Landmark Center’s popular Urban Expedition – returning to in person! Designed for everyone to enjoy, Urban Expedition offers the opportunity to learn more about the world. With a focus on a different destination, each program in the series provides cultural experiences that include music, dance, crafts, and traditions.
Join Landmark Center and Global Minnesota, in partnership with The Italian Cultural Center.
Urban Expeditions are free and open to the public.

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Urban Expedition is produced by Landmark Center with sponsorship from Global Minnesota.

Edina Great Decisions: Changing Demographics
2022-04-25 16:00 - 17:30 | Edina Community Center, 5701 Normandale Rd, Edina, MN, 55424, United States
This program is presented by Edina Community Ed through a partnership with the Edina Senior Center, the Edina Library, and Edina Community Center.
The Great Decisions program addresses nine 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 Friends of the Edina Library at the Edina Community Center for an in-depth discussion of the impacts of changing demographics on development efforts, security, the environment, as well as the sustainability of human populations.
Henry Berman, presenter
Henry Berman is a retired businessman, working for 34 years at Ecolab, a global company based in St Paul. Henry has personal ties to the Middle East Region and has spent much time there in the last decade. He has a strong interest in the ever-changing dynamics in this turbulent part of the world, including the emerging continent of Africa. Henry is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and is active in a local Great Decisions Group. He has given popular presentations throughout Minnesota on such varied topics as Saudi Arabia, Future of the Kurds, Egypt and the Arab Spring, Syrian Refugee Crisis and the U.S.- Israel relationship. Henry has a BA from Hamilton College and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
The Friends of the Edina Library have graciously co-sponsored this program.
If you would like to register, please use the button below.
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2022 MSP International Film Festival
2022-05-05 - 2022-05-19 | Main Cinema, 115 Main St., Minneapolis, MN, 55414, United States
Returning live and in-person at the newly refurbished cinema, MSP Film at The Main, MSP International Film Festival 41 presents more than 200 films from around the world and an array of exciting parties, panels, and filmmaker networking events and discussions. Some films will also be available to screen virtually, in keeping with MSP Film Society’s mission to increase audience access.
Founded in 1962, The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul (MSP Film) is Minnesota’s foremost film exhibition organization, bringing the best of international and independent cinema to Minnesota audiences. MSP Film promotes the art of film as a medium that fosters cross-cultural understanding, education, entertainment, and exploration.
Global Minnesota is proud to be a co-sponsor of the International Film Festival.
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Global Minnesota members have been offered a discount on film festival screenings. Please contact Alex Albrecht, Membership & Gala Manager, at aalbrecht@globalminnesota.org for Global Minnesota member’s discount code.

Edina Great Decisions: Russia and the USA
2022-05-09 16:00 - 17:30 | Edina Community Center, 5701 Normandale Rd, Edina, MN, 55424, United States
Russia and the United States have many areas of conflict, especially after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Are there any possible areas of mutual interest? Arms control, Russian interference in U.S. elections, cyberattacks, the status of Ukraine, and the fate of opposition politicians in Russia all continue to be concerning. How will the administration in Washington approach these issues?
This program is presented by Edina Community Ed through a partnership with the Edina Senior Center, the Edina Library, and Edina Community Center.
The Great Decisions program addresses nine 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 Friends of the Edina Library at the Edina Community Center for an in-depth discussion of the fast-moving dynamics of the U.S.-Russian relationship.
Andrew Latham, presenter
Professor Latham’s primary scholarly interests are in the areas of international relations and political thought. He regularly teaches courses on international security, Chinese foreign policy, regional conflict in the Middle East, regional conflict in the Asia-Pacific, medieval political thought, U.S. foreign policy, and conservative political theory. His most recent publication is Theorizing Medieval Geopolitics: War and World Order in the Age of the Crusades. He has also recently published a novel about the Third Crusade entitled The Holy Lance.
Special thanks to the Friends of the Edina Library for hosting this program.
If you would like to register, please use the button below.
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Lunch & Learn: Libraries without Borders
2022-05-10 11:00 - 12:00 | MN
Join us for an exclusive, free event for Global Minnesota members!
Our Lunch & Learn series continues with a virtual visit from Libraries Without Borders, an international NGO that provides access to information and digital technology to underserved communities. Jeremy Lachal, Executive Director of Bibliothèques Sans Frontières and Aaron Greenberg, Executive Director of Libraries Without Borders US will speak about their work building pop-up libraries for refugees fleeing the violence in Ukraine and for residents of mobile home communities in Northern Minnesota.
Jeremy and Aaron will talk about the history and work of their organizations, and the innovative tools that they use to bring the 21st century library and its resources to people around the country and around the world – from refugee camps in Jordan and Bangladesh to laundromats in San Antonio and Baltimore.
There will be time for a Q&A after the Zoom presentation.
Watch one example of the work of Libraries without Borders here.
Register to engage in this exciting opportunity. Not a member? Join today!

Trade & Investment Opportunities in Tanzania
2022-05-20 09:00 - 10:00 | MN
Africa’s booming population and rapid development is creating substantial opportunities for economic investment throughout the continent. Join Minnesota Africans United and Global Minnesota for a webinar on new opportunities of trade and investment in Tanzania within a variety of sectors including mining, healthcare, agriculture, technology, energy, tourism, infrastructure, finance, and education. The presentation will address the needs and concerns of both African diaspora and US businesses interested in conducting international business in Tanzania.
Minnesota Africans United (MAU) is a coalition and statewide organization for all African immigrants’ communities in Minnesota. MAU supports Minnesota’s African Immigrant community with representation from 55 African countries. MAU acts as a connection for the network of African immigrants in Minnesota, and for local African immigrant community organizations, and small businesses.
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International Roundtable: Responsible Supply Chain Sourcing and Human Rights
2022-05-24 10:00 - 11:30 | MN
Multiple factors have converged in recent years to cause significant disruptions to global supply chains. With so many difficulties, how can we ensure that we maintain ethical standards in supply chain sourcing? Join us for a discussion of responsible sourcing and human rights issues impacting U.S. supply chains.
Topics will include:

U.S. federal government efforts to combat human trafficking and how the private sector can help in those efforts
Import restrictions on goods made wholly or partly from forced labor and the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (“UFLPA”)
How companies can implement best practices to avoid inadvertently supporting persons or companies involved in human rights violations
Perspectives from past experiences dealing with forced labor and human rights issues in supply chains, including a panelist that has long been involved in the cocoa industry.

SPEAKERS / PANELISTS
Maria Goodman, Speaker
Coordinator – President’s Interagency Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking, U.S. Department of Commerce
Robin Phillips, Speaker
Executive Director, The Advocates for Human Rights
James Gyenes, Panelist
Senior Policy Coordinator on Business and Human Rights, U.S. Department of Labor
Steve Wallace, Panelist
Founder and President, the Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company
Jessica Libby, Panelist
Principal, KPMG LLP
Dave Townsend, Moderator
Partner, Dorsey & Whitney LLP
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Presented in partnership with Dorsey & Whitney LLP, KPMG LLP, the U.S. Commercial Service, and the Minnesota Trade Office.

SDG Roundtable: Spring 2022
2022-05-24 12:00 - 13:00 | MN
THE EVENT DATE HAS BEEN UPDATED. NEW DATE IS MAY 24.
Global Minnesota hosts the Minnesota SDG Roundtable every quarter, highlighting the great work underway in our state and region that is advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their targets for achieving success by the year 2030. This virtual session will focus on “Localization of the SDGs” and feature a roundtable discussion by participants in a workshop led by the Brookings Institute and UN Foundation designed to review and stimulate more robust use of the SDGs here in our community.
The 17 SDGs are a United Nations plan to build a better world for people and our planet by 2030. These goals recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth, address social needs such as education, health, and equality, and tackle climate challenges by working to preserve oceans and forests.
Speakers
Karen Brown, Director, Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change
Tony Pipa, Senior fellow in the Center for Sustainable Development, Global Economy and Development program, Brookings Institute
Presented in partnership with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please go here.

Community Conversations: World Expos
2022-05-25 18:00 - 19:00 | MN
Minnesota is in the final stages of submitting a bid to host the 2027 Expo in Bloomington, Minnesota. Join us for a conversation on a groundbreaking oral history project to explore the future of International Expositions and the United States’ role in them. The event will also feature voices from the U.S. Department of State and U.S. citizens who recently took part in the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai.
Expos, also known as World’s Fairs, are the world’s oldest and largest mega event, held every three-five years in host cities around the world since their inception in 1851 in London. Similar to the Olympics, which are world festivals of sports, Expos are festivals of culture, technology, innovation, design, and human excellence. Past Expos have seen a multitude of countries showcase innovations such as the mobile phone, the X-Ray Machine, and the ice cream cone.
The physical legacies of Expos in New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, and Seattle—four of the last ones hosted inside the United States, between 1960-1984—are well established. But the “felt” legacies are underexplored and powerful. With geopolitics rapidly shifting, these soft power platforms are critical to illuminating U.S. values to international audiences. We also have an opportunity to rethink how we bring Expos back to the United States and do so in a more inclusive way that highlights our country’s diversity as a strength of our democracy.
Speakers
Anna F. Kaplan, PhD, (she/her) is a scholar and oral historian in Washington, DC. She earned her PhD in History at American University and MAs in Oral History and Anthropology at Columbia University, studying memory and race in the US South. She has worked on projects with the National Park Service, the DC Oral History Collaborative, and several Smithsonian Institution museums. In addition to working with Global Ties, US, to research the socio-cultural impacts of Expos, Kaplan is the oral historian documenting the history of the State Department’s Cultural Heritage Office and the Secretary of State’s Register of Culturally Significant Properties. In addition, she is an adjunct professor and Resident Public Historian at American University and the University of the District of Columbia. She also serves as Vice President of the Board for Oral History in the Mid-Atlantic Region and co-chair of the Oral History Association’s Diversity Committee and the Equity Audit Task Force. This summer, Kaplan will present a paper on Ophelia Settle Egypt as another ancestor of oral history for the symposium “Assessing the Role of Race and Power in Oral History Theory and Practice.”
Anthony Pahigian, has spent more than 30-years as a U.S. diplomat. Since 2019 he has been serving as a Senior Advisor in the Office of International Expositions in the Office of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy. Prior to his current position Anthony was the Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs in San Jose, Costa Rica. From 2016 -2018 Anthony was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in then-Astana, Kazakhstan where he was Country Counselor for Public Affairs, serving concurrently as the Deputy Commissioner General at the USA Pavilion at the Astana Expo in 2017. Previous postings in Washington include Political Counselor at the United States Mission to the Organization of American States, Chair of the Secretary of State’s Open Forum, director of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor’s Office of Policy Planning and Public Diplomacy and director of OSCE policy at the State Department. Anthony has also served overseas in Serbia, Lithuania, Brazil, Slovakia, (POL), Italy and Colombia.
Addy Cross grew up in rural Minnesota with a love for all things international. Completing a Rotary Youth Exchange year in Valencia, Spain during high school, she established a lifelong goal to invest in efforts for intercultural learning. Addy served as an intern and interpreter at a non-profit law firm in Minneapolis throughout college and completed internships at the U.S. Embassies in San Salvador, El Salvador and Phnom Penh, Cambodia as well as participating in academic exchanges to Germany and India. After graduating from St. Catherine University with a degree in International Relations, Addy was awarded a Fulbright research grant and returned to El Salvador to study the determinants of forced displacement for marginalized populations. She further determined her passion for Public Diplomacy while serving as a Youth Ambassador at the U.S. Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai. Addy will begin a Master of Research in Social Anthropology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2022 and aspires to become a U.S. Foreign Service Officer.
Mark Ritchie is president of Global Minnesota, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization devoted to advancing international understanding and engagement. A graduate of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and Iowa State University, he served as Minnesota’s Secretary of State from 2007 to 2015. Since leaving elected public service, Mark has led the public-private partnership working to bring the 2027 World Expo to Minnesota, and he has served on the board of directors for LifeSource, Communicating for America, U.S. Vote Foundation, and Expo USA. Mark also is a national advisory board member of the federal Election Assistance Commission and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Minnesota. Mark is the appointed Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, representing Minnesota.
If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please go here.

An Overlooked Tragedy: Venezuela’s Growing Refugee Crisis
2022-06-20 18:00 - 19:00 | MN
The world is grappling with the effects of the highest number of refugees and displaced persons since the Second World War. One of the largest and most overlooked areas of humanitarian need is in Venezuela, where nearly six million people have fled the country or been internally displaced. Nearly 20% of Venezuela’s population has participated in this mass emigration to escape the economic and security situation of the country following the instability of the Chávez and Maduro regimes. The political fallout from the disputed 2018 election between Nicolás Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaidó has dramatically worsened these conditions with no clear resolution in sight.
To commemorate World Refugee Day on June 20, Global Minnesota will feature a discussion of the current refugee situation and humanitarian need in Venezuela with David Smolansky. He serves as special envoy of the Organization of American States to address the Venezuelan Migration and Refugee Crisis. David will outline the current state of affairs in Venezuela, the global Venezuelan diaspora, and how to rebuild the nation. The discussion will take place on YouTube Live and there will be a short presentation with time for Q&A.

Speaker
David Smolansky holds a B.A in journalism from Universidad Católica Bello and M.A in political science from Universidad Simón Bolívar. He is also a Global Competitiveness Leadership Program alumni of Georgetown University and was awarded in 2015 “Outstanding Young Person of the World” by the Junior Chamber International. Smolansky began his career as a politician when he co-founded the Venezuelan Student Movement in 2007, leading non violent protests against Hugo Chavez. He also co-founded Voluntad Popular, one of the main opposition political parties in Venezuela, and became Deputy Secretary General of that organization.
In 2013, Smolansky was elected mayor of El Hatillo in Caracas, at age 28, becoming the youngest local authority in the country. Security and transparency became the priorities of his administration, making El Hatillo a reference in public management during times of crisis and dictatorship in Venezuela. In August of 2017, the Supreme Court, controlled by the regime, removed Smolansky from office after 4 consecutive months of non violent protests against Nicolás Maduro. He was forced to be in clandestinity for 35 days until he fled the country through the border with Brazil. Smolansky is based during his exile in Washington D.C. where he is a Visiting Scholar at Georgetown University and was recognized with the GCL Impact Award 2018. Due to his current international diplomatic efforts, advocating for the Venezuelan cause, Smolansky was chosen by Americas Quarterly magazine as one of the top ten people who will rebuild Venezuela.
If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please go here.

An Evening Abroad Gala 2022
2022-06-25 16:00 - 20:00 | Gala 2022 Parking (Wayzata West Middle School), 149 Barry Avenue North, Wayzata, MN, 55391, United States
Online ticket sales are now closed. Please call 630.888.4186 to see if tickets are still available.
Join us for our annual fundraising gala as we reconnect with the world! The outdoor, tented event celebrates the world’s countries and cultures with fine international cuisines and entertainment, as well as the Tour the World live and silent auctions. The gala will be a one-of-a-kind global celebration raising critical funds to support Global Minnesota programs that connect, inform, and engage Minnesotans with the world.
This unique cultural event draws more than 300 of Global Minnesota’s well-traveled supporters and raises critical funds for ongoing educational and cultural programs designed to help Minnesotans live, work, and lead globally. Individual, group, and corporate ticket packages are all available to customize your Gala experience.

Event Details

Individual tickets include dinner, entertainment, and complimentary beverages.
Become a Patron or Underwriter sponsor, which includes exclusive opportunities and benefits.
Enhance your company’s global connections with a corporate sponsorship or table.
Semi-formal attire is suggested. The gala is an outdoor, tented event so please keep this in mind when selecting your footwear.
Free parking is available off-site and shuttles will run throughout the evening.
Mobile bidding will be used for the silent auction and open prior to the event. Staff will be available on-site to help.

Special thanks to Gala corporate sponsors Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., Cozen O’Connor, and UnitedHealth Group!

Plans change? To receive a full refund for individual tickets, you must cancel your registration in writing by June 10, 2022. Sponsorships are non-refundable, but benefits may be waived to receive full tax deductibility. Please email aalbrecht@globalminnesota.org to request a refund or change your tax deductibility if your attendance plans change.

The Theater of Public Policy with Global Minnesota
2022-07-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Bryant Lake Bowl & Theater, 810 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55408, United States
What do you get when you mix foreign policy analysis with improv comedy? You get a hilarious and informative evening with Global Minnesota and The Theater of Public Policy! We’re bringing some much-needed levity to the big foreign policy topics of our day. Join us at Bryant Lake Bowl & Theater on July 5 for an all-encompassing conversation of international relations with Mary Curtin, Diplomat-in-residence of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and Tom Hanson, Diplomat-in-residence at the Alworth Institute for International Affairs at the University of Minnesota – Duluth. Throughout the night, improv comedy actors from The Theater of Public Policy will act out live sketches from the conversation to bring these discussions to life.
The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2 for short) is a mash-up of a public forum/interview show with improv comedy. Expert guests will take the stage to talk about big ideas and issues. Then a team of Minnesota’s most talented improvisers bring everything discussed to life through improv comedy. The Star Tribune calls T2P2 “what would happen if C-SPAN were suddenly invaded by the cast of SNL.” Get your tickets now for the comedic foreign policy event of the year!
Register

Lunch & Learn: 2022 Mandela Washington Fellows
2022-07-07 12:00 - 13:00 | MN
The program has shifted format and will take place on Youtube LIVE and will be moderated by our President Mark Ritchie.
Follow this link to check out their bios and make sure to send your questions to questions@globalminnesota.org.
Date: Thursday, July 7th, 2022
Time: 12:00 pm Central Time
The program will be hosted via Youtube Live. Click here to join and share with your network!
Want to meet the next generation of leaders from over a dozen nations in Africa? Our Lunch & Learn series continues with a discussion featuring scholars participating in the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.
This amazing cohort of 24 Fellows includes government administrators, medical professionals, a sign language interpreter, and other emerging professionals from a variety of backgrounds. Learn about their professional work, countries, and cultures in this exclusive, interactive meeting! The program will take place live on YouTube live.
Biographies of Fellows

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Established in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship has brought nearly 4,400 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States for academic and leadership training. The Fellows, between the ages of 25 and 35, are accomplished innovators and leaders in their communities and countries.
Register to engage in this exciting opportunity. Not a member? Join today!
Presented in partnership with the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Culture Through Cuisine: Owamni by The Sioux Chef
2022-07-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Owamni by The Sioux Chef, 420 1st St S, Minneapolis, 55401
This event is now SOLD OUT. Please email Carolina Gustafson at cgustafson@globalminnesota.org for more details.
Back by popular demand, our Culture Through Cuisine series is restarting in person at Owamni by The Sioux Chef! The recent recipient of the prestigious James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant, Owamni features food and flavors that revitalize Native American cuisine. Using primarily ingredients that are native to North America, founder and CEO Chef Sean Sherman taps into his Oglala Lakota roots to craft a truly unique dining experience that reclaims an important culinary culture long buried and often inaccessible. Join Global Minnesota in this celebration of Native American culture and cuisine on July 14. As part of the program, a chef from Owamni will talk through the specially-prepared menu and provide background on Owamni and indigenous cuisine.
The Sioux Chef team works to make indigenous foods more accessible to as many communities as possible. Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota, born in Pine Ridge, SD, has been cooking across the US and World for the last 30 years. His main culinary focus has been on the revitalization and awareness of indigenous foods systems in a modern culinary context. As co-owner of the company The Sioux Chef, Dana Thompson, lineal descendant of the Wahpeton-Sisseton and Mdewakanton Dakota tribes and lifetime Minnesota native, has been working within the food sovereignty movement for the past six years.
Registration includes food, iced tea, tax, and gratuity. Guests will be able to purchase their own wine in the premises. Advance registration and prepayment required. The ticket cost is $80 for members, $90 for non-members. Tickets are currently sold out.

Global Social & Conversation: Preventing Disease in Africa
2022-07-26 17:00 - 19:15 | Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN, 55401, United States
Global Minnesota is back in person with a social hour and global conversation on July 26! Many nations within Africa continue to have among the lowest vaccination rates in the world. Despite improvements in healthcare infrastructure both before and after the outbreak of COVID-19, significant work remains to prevent a variety of infectious diseases throughout the continent. What is the state of Africa’s infectious disease prevention and how can Minnesota help alleviate this significant problem in global health equity? Hear from a panel of global health experts from countries such as Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, and Uganda. Join the conversation beginning at 6:00 pm CDT at the Hennepin County Library.
The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Nneka Sederstrom, Chief Health Equity Officer for Hennepin Healthcare.
Panelists
Dr. Richard Mugahi, Assistant Commissioner of Reproductive Health, Adolescent and School Health, Ministry of Health (Uganda)
Dr. Kenza Benckekroun, Supervisory Pharmacist, Pasteur Institute Morocco
Dr. Patricia Uche Oguzie, Doctoral Fellow, African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University (Nigeria)
Mr. Abalo Limazie, HIV Regional Advisor, Togo’s National HIV/AIDS Council (Togo)
Dr. Sopi Mathilde Tetchi, Department Head, Government of Côte d’Ivoire’s Rabies Center
To celebrate a return to in-person programming, Global Minnesota will precede the presentation and panel discussion with a networking social hour beginning at 5:00 pm CDT, also at the Hennepin County Library. Reconnect with fellow global citizens and make new lifelong connections over an assortment of appetizers and soft drinks. You’ll also get the chance to meet with panelists from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
Local organizations are invited to set up a table to showcase their work in front of leading global public health professionals and Minnesota’s top international citizens. Thanks to the Minnesota International NGO Network, OneVillage Partners, Books for Africa, International Institute of Minnesota, and Emanate International for hosting tables! Contact Carolina Gustafson at cgustafson@globalminnesota.org to reserve your own table.
Unable to join in person? You can watch the livestream of the event by registering here.
Presented in partnership with the Friends of the Minneapolis Central Library, Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central Landmark Center, Edina Senior Center, Friends of the Edina Library, Minneapolis Public Schools Community Education, Plymouth Library, the Minnesota International NGO Network, and Washburn Library.

Market Opportunities in Saudi Arabia
2022-07-28 09:00 - 11:00 | Minneapolis Club, 729 2nd Ave. S, Minneapolis, 55402
High oil prices and economic development initiatives such as Vison 2030 have created new opportunities for investment in Saudi Arabia. Many businesses are beginning to turn to this major petroleum producer for a variety of high-tech and green energy solutions.
In partnership with the Minnesota Trade Office and the U.S.-Saudi Business Council, check out the latest business roundtable on July 28 on Market Opportunities in Saudi Arabia. This event will be held virtually on Zoom and in-person at the Minneapolis Club. If you have questions about the program, please call Abdul at 651-558-1425 or email at abdiwahab.mohamed@state.mn.us.
Register
Thanks to program co-sponsors Minnesota District Export Council & Trade Center of the Americas.

Welcome Remarks
Mark Ritchie, President, Global Minnesota

Speakers
Her Royal Highness Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, Ambassador to the U.S. of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Video Message)
H. Delano Roosevelt, President and CEO, U.S.-Saudi Business Council
Jamil Alothman, Vice President, Industrial Development, U.S.-Saudi Business Council
Jacob Dichter, Economic Analyst, U.S.-Saudi Business Council
Abdiwahab Mohamed, Regional Trade Manager/Protocol Officer, Minnesota Trade Office
Steve Riedel, Corporate Relations Officer, Global Minnesota

Minnesota Business Roundtable: New Opportunities of Trade & Investment in DRC
2022-07-28 17:30 - 19:30 | North Hennepin Community College, 7411 85th Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN, 55445, United States
Africa’s booming population and rapid development is creating substantial opportunities for economic investment throughout the continent. Join a public reception of business leaders, prominent private sector executives, senior government officials, and other international investors coming to Minnesota from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The event is co-sponsored by Minnesota Africans United, the World’s Fair Bid Committee Educational Fund, Global Minnesota, and the Congolese Community Association in Minnesota. Don’t miss your chance to meet new business partners and build stronger business ties with the government and private sector decision-makers from this important African nation. RSVP to bajuo@mnafricansunited.org.

U.S. Africa Partnership: Prosperous Africa - Prosperous World
2022-09-08 08:30 - 12:30 | MN
This event is being held virtually and is open to everyone.
Minnesota Africans United, in partnership with Global Minnesota and Equity Group Holdings (the largest financial institution in the East/Central African region, including Kenya and Tanzania) and with the support of Prosper Africa, is excited to announce the 3rd Annual US – African Trade Partnership Conference. This conference will showcase successful examples of two-way trade and investment strategies that are creating profitable and resilient relationships on both sides of the ocean.
We’ll be hearing from participants in the Ghana/Cameroon trade delegation who came away with multiple signed agreements, and we’ll look ahead to the next big mission to Kenya and Tanzania.
This historic annual African summit will feature global leaders like President Joyce Banda, former president of Malawi, President & CEO of Equity Group Holdings, James Mwangi; Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz (invited); and Mr. Travis Adkins, President & Chief Executive Officer, United States African Development Foundation (invited), as well as high-level cabinet officials from the U.S. Government including, US Department of Agriculture, Power Africa, Small Business Administration, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and US Department of Commerce.
Register

Global Book Club: Heroes of Environmental Diplomacy
2022-09-08 12:00 - 13:00 | MN
This event is being held virtually and is open to everyone.
As the world continues to face the looming concerns of global climate change, everyday heroes emerge in the effort for environmental diplomacy. To celebrate the launch of the new book “Heroes of Environmental Diplomacy,” Global Minnesota is presenting a special edition of the Global Book Club series with co-author Felix Dodds, adjunct professor of Environmental Sciences & Engineering at UNC, and Irena Zubcevic, Chief of Intergovernmental Policy and Review at the United Nations. They joined Global Minnesota President Mark Ritchie for a conversation on this new book and the future of the fight for environmental sustainability. Check out the interview on September 8 to learn how you too can become a hero of global environmental diplomacy.

Speakers
Felix Dodds, Adjunct Professor, Environmental Sciences & Engineering at UNC
Felix Dodds has been active at the UN since 1990 and has focused on issues such as water, climate, governance, environmental security and stakeholder engagement. His focus at UNC has been on the Nexus of Water, Food, Energy with Climate Change. He has co-directed the Water Institute’s two conferences on the subject in 2014 and 2018. This resulted in the 2016 co-editing for Routledge of “The Water, Food, Energy and Climate Nexus” with Dr. Jamie Bartram, Director of the Water Institute, with a Foreword by HRH Prince Charles. In 2019 he was a candidate for the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme and he is an International Ambassador for the City of Bonn.
He has written or edited eighteen books including: “Negotiating the Sustainable Development Goals: A transformational agenda for an insecure world” (2016), written with the co-chair of the negotiations Ambassador David Donoghue and Jimena Leiva Roesch with a Foreword by former Irish President Mary Robinson. In 2012 he was on the Steering Committees for the major global scientific conference “Planet Under Pressure”. In 2011 he chaired the UN conference “Sustainable Societies Responsive Citizens”. The outcome document was the first one to put forward some suggestions on what the Sustainable Development Goals should be. From 2008 to 2011 he ran the Water and Climate Coalition securing water as a major element of future climate negotiations.

Irena Zubcevic, Chief of Intergovernmental Policy and Review at the United Nations
Upon earning a Bachelor of Linguistics, and a Master of Science in humanities and social sciences from the University of Zagreb, Croatia, Ms. Irena Zubcevic began a lifelong career in international relations. Early on in her career, she worked as an advisor for the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Croatia. The multi-lingual and dedicated professional then transferred to the Croatian Foreign Service where she raised to the rank of minister plenipotentiary.
Ms. Zubcevic’s journey has culminated in her current position with the United Nations where she serves as Chief of Intergovernmental Policy and Review Branch dealing with sustainable development. She previously worked as Chief of the Ocean and Climate Branch, Division for Sustainable Development, and she started as a senior sustainable development officer. Working in the United Nations in the area of sustainable development has been one of the highlights of her career. In June 2012, a number of countries began discussing how they could form a framework that would allow for everyone to be prosperous enough to grow economically while maintaining social responsibility and fostering gender empowerment and the protection of children and youth. Ms. Zubcevic is proud to have been a part of such a transformative project that will affect the global population as it culminated in the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by all Member States of the United Nations.

If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Carolina Gustafson at cgustafson@globalminnesota.org.
