Global Minnesota

Edina Great Decisions: Russia and the USA
2022-05-09 16:00 - 17:30 (America/Chicago) | 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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
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Lunch & Learn: 2022 Mandela Washington Fellows
2022-07-07 12:00 - 13:00
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.
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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
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.
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Global Book Club: Heroes of Environmental Diplomacy
2022-09-08 12:00 - 13:00
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.

International Student Day at Mall of America
2022-09-10 11:00 - 14:00 | Mall of America, 2131 Lindau Lane, Bloomington, MN, 55425
This event is being held in-person and is open to international students. If you have any questions or if you are interested in bringing a large group of students, please contact Anna DeWitt at adewitt@globalminnesota.org.
Welcome to Minnesota! New and returning international students are invited to come to Mall of America for a day of fun and global connections. Explore the most-visited attraction in Minnesota with over 500 stores, including more than 50 restaurants, Nickelodeon Universe® theme park, SEA LIFE® Minnesota Aquarium, two mini-golf courses, and much more! Be sure to bring your student I.D. card and meet at the South Bridge on Level 2 (overlooking The LEGO® Store). Guests are welcome any time between 11:00am and 2:00pm, but be sure to arrive earlier to participate in the scavenger hunt! Check out the full event details here.

Event Highlights

Free snacks and drinks
First 200 international students receive a free Mall of America tote bag and coupon book with 250+ discounts
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. Please note that there is currently a closure on the Metro Blue Line that may impact those traveling via public transportation. More information about the replacement bus service can be found on the Metro Transit website.
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 Carolina Gustafson at cgustafson@globalminnesota.org.

Global Networking: Navigating Business Relationships in China
2022-09-13 17:30 - 19:30 | Utepils Brewery, 225 Thomas Ave N, Minneapolis, MN, 55405, United States
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. ASL interpretation will be provided during the main presentation.
The United States and China represent the two largest economies in the world. Despite recent trade tensions and a cooling of diplomatic relations, both nations still maintain substantial economic and trade connections. Join Global Minnesota for a networking reception with the Minnesota District Export Council and the Minnesota China Business Council. Don’t miss your chance to gain exclusive insight into Chinese business practices and network with leading business executives.
The event will also feature a discussion with Tom Hanson, Diplomat in Residence at the Alworth Institute for International Affairs at the University of Minnesota – Duluth and former Foreign Service Officer. His conversation will focus on a range of U.S.-China issues that could impact on global business including:

CHIPS Act & Supply Chain Onshoring
China’s Crypto-Currency Regime
IP Theft & Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities
Taiwan
Sino-Russian Relations & Ukraine

Registration fee includes a drink and light appetizers.
Speaker
Tom Hanson
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. He also participated in the opening of new U.S. embassies in Mongolia and Estonia, worked on the Foreign Relations Committees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and served as director for NATO and European Affairs at the Atlantic Council of the United States in Washington, D.C. A 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.
Presented in partnership with the Minnesota District Export Council and the Minnesota China Business Council.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Carolina Gustafson at cgustafson@globalminnesota.org.

Culture Through Cuisine Virtual: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage with Amalia
2022-09-21 17:30 - 19:00
This event is being held virtually and is open to everyone.
Bring the world to your kitchen table for this year’s Hispanic Heritage month! In this interactive Culture through Cuisine experience, watch or follow along with award-winning author & Chef Amalia Moreno-Damgaard as she presents an exploration of the delights of Mesoamerican food. She will be joined live in her kitchen by Global Minnesota President Mark Ritchie and Events Manager Carolina Gustafson.
Follow along from your kitchen counter as they prepare a meal over Zoom including traditional dishes that celebrate the cultural contributions of Hispanic heritage. Along with these traditional dishes, Chef Amalia will share her lived experience, personal anecdotes, culture, and history. Using two cameras to capture the cooking action, Amalia will delight you with scrumptious dishes you can easily make at home. Learn more about Amalia at AmaliaLLC.com. Guests will also have the chance to talk directly with Chef Amalia for advice, questions, or troubleshooting tips.

MENU
Arroz con Flor de Izote: izote flower, tomato, and lime rice
Guiso de Chilotes con Pipián: baby corn and chayote squash stew
Mole de Plátano: pan fried sweet plantains in chocolate-chile sauce

Prior to the event, registrants will receive the following: the traditional recipes, healthy cooking techniques & tips, the menu above, and a shopping list of ingredients needed for cooking along at home.

SPEAKER
Chef Amalia Moreno-Damgaard
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 Carolina Gustafson at cgustafson@globalminnesota.org.

Global Social with International Journalists and Humphrey Fellows
2022-09-23 17:30 - 19:30 | Augsburg University, Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion, 700 21st Ave. S, Minneapolis, 55454
This event is being held in-person and is open to Global Minnesota members and their guests.
Later this month, we’re proud to welcome international journalists from the Edward R. Murrow Program and fellows from the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program with a special reception hosted by Global Minnesota and Augsburg University.
These international journalists come from Armenia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Croatia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. While in Minnesota, they will examine press freedom in the United States, the role of journalism in a democracy, and how new technologies shape the way news is gathered, reported, distributed and consumed.
Likewise, the Humphrey Fellows represent countries from around the world, including Argentina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Indonesia, Lesotho, Mozambique, The Philippines, Romania, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. In Minnesota for a year, these fellows will learn about U.S. cultural, political, and economic systems and further develop a sense of the global context in which they and their countries operate.
Be a part of this exclusive event for Global Minnesota members and their guests to meet these international fellows and learn about their cultures, countries, and professional work. The evening includes complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages.
Want to attend but not yet a member? Check out the many benefits of membership and join today!
Presented in partnership with Augsburg University’s Center for Global Education and Experience (CGEE) and the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. International journalists are visiting as part of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Carolina Gustafson at cgustafson@globalminnesota.org.

Ukraine, Russia, and Leadership from the Shadows
2022-09-27 18:30 - 20:00 | 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.
The devastating invasion of Ukraine has captured headlines around the world. But behind the scenes, a shadow war of spies is being waged globally for the future of the country. How are intelligence officers altering the course of the war for Ukraine? What will the future hold for this classic story of David vs. Goliath?
Join Global Minnesota for an in-depth look into Ukraine, Russia, and leadership from the shadows with retired CIA senior intelligence officers, Marc Polymeropoulos and Patrick Weninger. Global Minnesota members receive tickets for half price with promo code GLOBALMN.
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Farewell Open House for Mark Ritchie
2022-10-03 15:00 - 17:00 | Sunrise Banks Corporate Headquarters, 2525 Wabash Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55114
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone.
Help us thank Global Minnesota President Mark Ritchie for his service in building Minnesota’s global engagement at a farewell Open House from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm on October 3. Stop by over the course of the afternoon for cake, coffee, and conversation with Mark as he plans for his upcoming retirement on October 10.
Throughout his career, Mark has championed Minnesota as one of the world’s most globally minded places, working tirelessly to ensure a warm welcome for people from every corner of the planet. We are especially appreciative of Mark’s leadership through the challenges of the pandemic, transforming program delivery with new digital tools that expanded the organization’s work of connecting Minnesotans to the world, and the world to Minnesota.
Bring your good wishes and favorite Mark stories to share at the Open House.
If you’d like to make a gift in honor of Mark, any contributions received online or at the event will be dedicated to providing stipends for International Fellows at Global Minnesota in 2023.
Special thanks to Sunrise Banks for providing the Open House event venue.

Lunch & Learn: Behind the Scenes at the UK Natural History Museum
2022-10-04 12:00 - 13:00
This event is being held virtually and is open to everyone.
The natural world is at a critical moment of crisis. With climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing of our oceans, multiple issues have converged in recent years which require bold solutions. The historians and environmental policy experts at the United Kingdom’s Natural History Museum are addressing these concerns directly with the exhibit “Our Broken Planet: How We Got Here and Ways to Fix It.”
Join Global Minnesota and the UK Natural History Museum for the latest in the Lunch & Learn series for a virtual look at these exhibits. Learn all about the major environmental issues facing the planet today and hear what actions can still be taken to avoid the worst-cast scenarios of climate catastrophe. The discussion will be held virtually via Zoom and participants will have the opportunity to talk directly with museum staff. In addition to this exhibition, they will talk about other exhibitions on tour and share some details about how these got out on the road. The exhibits open currently are in Chicago (Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep, closing Sept 3) and in Toronto (Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature open until Jan 3).
Global Minnesota members receive free admission!

Speakers
Felicity Sylvester
Felicity works in the Touring Exhibitions department at the Natural History Museum in London organizing the tour stops of exhibitions such as Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature at museums, galleries, festivals (and sometimes, even cathedrals) across North America and around the world. Felicity moved into the museum sector after years working in publishing houses in the UK and brought her experience in account management and contract negotiation to the Museum. She received her BA with Honors in American and Latin American Studies from the University of Nottingham, has worked and studied in Spain, Chile and Portugal and speaks fluent Spanish. Felicity regularly attends the American Alliance of Museums conference and the Association of Science and Technology Centers conference, enjoys discovering the breadth and depth of the North American museum sector, and loves walking past the Museum’s Sophie the Stegosaurus (the world’s most complete Stegosaur skeleton found in Wyoming) on the way to the office.

Hanna Schieve
A North Dakota/Minnesota native, Hanna works in the Director’s Office at the Natural History Museum in London where she focuses on supporting the translation of the NHM’s ambitious Strategy to 2031 into actions and progress. Prior to this, Hanna gained wide-ranging experience working in policy and politics across the US and the UK, including at the House of Commons, the United States Senate, and the Pacific Council on International Policy in Los Angeles. Hanna received her Master’s degree from the London School of Economics where she specialized in conflict and genocide studies, and also holds a BA with Honors in Letters and Science and a double major in Political Science and French from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Photo courtesy of ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada. ©ROM
Register to engage in this exciting opportunity. Not a member? Join today!
Presented in partnership with the UK Natural History Museum.
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 Carolina Gustafson at cgustafson@globalminnesota.org.

The Future of Diplomacy
2022-10-05 19:00 - 20:00
This event is being held virtually and is open to everyone.
The art of diplomacy is one of the central pillars of foreign policy. Through the years, various American administrations have placed differing emphasis on this critical tool in resolving international disputes and pursuing U.S. interests abroad. Join the conversation with three career diplomats as they discuss the past, present, and future of American diplomacy. An interactive Q&A will follow the panel discussion.
Speakers
Ambassador Ross Wilson
Ambassador Ross Wilson is a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, visiting lecturer in international affairs at the George Washington University, and Global Minnesota Board Chair. Over the course over 30-years in the U.S. Foreign Service, he served as American ambassador to Turkey and Azerbaijan and held assignments at the U.S. Embassies in Moscow and Prague and at the U.S. Consulate General in Melbourne, Australia. In Washington, Ambassador Wilson held several positions including chief U.S. negotiator for the Free Trade Area of the Americas. From January 2020 through August 2021, he served as Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
Margo Squire
Margo Squire is a retired career diplomat with the U.S. Information Agency and the U.S. Department of State, serving in Munich, Moscow, Melbourne, Baku, Ankara and Washington, D.C. Among many posts in her distinguished 30-year career, Margo served at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and also as Director of the Press and Public Outreach Office in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. Most recently, she served as a Cultural Affairs Specialist supporting 27 American cultural centers across Afghanistan from 2020-2021.
Tom Hanson
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. He also participated in the opening of new U.S. embassies in Mongolia and Estonia, worked on the Foreign Relations Committees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and served as director for NATO and European Affairs at the Atlantic Council of the United States in Washington, D.C.
Presented in partnership with The Museum of Russian Art, East-West Connections, and The Committee on Foreign Relations-Minnesota.
Register Here

Tour the Minnesota State Capitol with Mark Ritchie (10:30AM)
2022-10-08 10:30 - 12:00 | Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul, 55155
This event has reached capacity. If you are an international student, please contact Anna at adewitt@globalminnesota.org for more information.
This event is being held in-person and is open to Global Minnesota members and international students.
Help us welcome international students to our state Capitol! Fall is almost here and that means international students are arriving in Minnesota. Join Global Minnesota for a tour of the iconic Minnesota State Capitol with Global Minnesota President and former Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. Enjoy a walk through the Capitol building to engage in a discussion of art and history, as well as gain insight about the recent building restoration. This tour is open for international students and Global Minnesota members alike. Learn more about the state of Minnesota and connect with a globally minded community.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Events Manager Carolina Gustafson at cgustafson@globalminnesota.org.

World Food Day 2022: Hunger as a Weapon of War & Promoter of Peace
2022-10-17 11:00 - 13:00
This event is being held virtually and is open to everyone.
Throughout history, access to food has been used as a tool to both inflict great pain and advance peace and prosperity. The global food market has been reeling from pandemic disruptions, worldwide inflation, and international supply chain issues. Russia’s devastating invasion of Ukraine has dramatically accelerated these trends which threaten to push millions of people around the world into conditions of food insecurity.
But many organizations are working to provide food relief to millions around the world to help advance global stability. Join Global Minnesota for a special World Food Day presentation on October 17 as we discuss the local and global implications of hunger as a weapon of war and as a promoter of peace.
Speakers
Chase Sova
Chase Sova is the Senior Director of Public Policy and Research at World Food Program USA.
He has professional experience in the areas of climate change and agricultural development with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, International Center for Tropical Agriculture and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security.
Focused on agriculture policy, Chase has worked in 15 developing countries across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. He holds a Ph.D. in political ecology on climate change and agriculture from Oxford University. You can view his TED talk on ending world hunger here.
Kojo Amoo-Gottfried
Kojo Amoo-Gottfried is the President of Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate, North America. Kojo.
He has over twenty years of global food and agricultural experience in various commercial, merchandising, asset management, sales, and management roles. Kojo is originally from Accra, Ghana, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Business from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.
Kojo serves on the Boards of Partners in Food Solutions, Books for Africa, and KIPP MN.
Jeff Dykstra
Jeff Dykstra is the Co-founder and CEO of Partners in Food Solutions
Jeff is passionate about bringing together unusual partners—strange bedfellows, as he likes to call them. In the case of PFS that means leading international food companies and promising food companies in Africa, as well as the US government, committed donors, NGOs, impact investors, and talented employees, all partnering to do much more together than they could on their own. Jeff has spent half his career in business and the other half in relief and development, including two years living and working in Zambia, and he has worked for both global organizations like Cargill and World Vision as well as several start-up ventures.
What Jeff likes most about his job is working with a strong international team—a whole network of people in the US, Europe, and Africa coming together to accomplish something significant. For his work with PFS, he was recently named an Ashoka Fellow, an honor reserved for leading social entrepreneurs around the world, and was awarded a Bush Fellowship in 2018.
Purbita Ray
Purbita Ray is the Vice President of Innovation, Technology, and Quality (ITQ) Growth at General Mills
Purbita is the Vice President of ITQ’s Growth team at General Mills. In this role, she leads a team responsible for driving best in class capabilities focused on helping grow core businesses, enabling disruptive growth and supporting GMI portfolio shaping initiatives. Over her 20-plus years with General Mills, Purbita has had a breadth of experiences; leading ITQ for Global Cereal, Big G, Food Safety and Quality (FSQ) in multiple plants as well as an expat assignment for FSQ & Regulatory Affairs in Canada.
Outside of work, Purbita is actively involved in the community mentoring high school students interested in STEM careers. She has been volunteering with Partners in Food Solutions since this organization began 10+ years ago and she serves on their Board of Directors. She loves traveling with her husband and two sons to national parks around the world.
John Guttery
John Guttery is Senior Vice President, Enterprise Initiatives at Ecolab
John Guttery is senior vice president of Enterprise Initiatives for Ecolab Inc., the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services that protect people and vital resources. He leads enterprise-wide projects that advance the company’s corporate priorities and create future growth platforms.
Guttery has served in a variety of senior leadership roles at Ecolab, including head of the Latin America region and head of Marketing for the Institutional division, which serves the foodservice, hospitality and facility care segments. Guttery joined Ecolab in 2015 as senior vice president of Strategic Planning.
Prior to Ecolab, Guttery spent fifteen years with the Hilti Group, a global leader in solutions for the construction, natural resources and power sectors, in a variety of international sales, marketing and general management leadership roles.

If you are registering for this event from outside the United States, please go here.
Thanks to promotional partner South Dakota World Affairs Council.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Program Director Tim Odegard at todegard@globalminnesota.org.

Global Book Club: The Cubans with Anthony DePalma
2022-10-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN, 55401, United States
This event is being held in-person and is open to everyone. A recording of the event will be available at a later date for those unable to attend.
The United States and Cuba have had a tense relationship for decades. Years of mistrust and sanctions between the two governments have isolated and impacted millions of Cuba’s residents. In his latest book, The Cubans: Ordinary Lives in Extraordinary Times, world-renowned author and former New York Times foreign correspondent Anthony DePalma chronicles several stories of hope and despair from throughout the modern history of this Caribbean island nation. Join Global Minnesota at the Hennepin County Library for a presentation and discussion with Anthony DePalma himself about Cuba, his life, and the stories told throughout the book. A book signing opportunity will follow the discussion. The event will also be streamed on Global Minnesota’s YouTube channel.
As a special thanks to our members, we’ll be giving away free copies of DePalma’s book to 20 lucky members who register by October 14 — but you have to be there to collect and to get your book signed!
Not yet a member? The first 5 attendees to become members at the event will also receive a free book. Please note, additional copies will NOT be available for purchase at the event, but can be purchased through Magers and Quinn.
“DePalma vividly depicts the lives of several families in modern Cuba. DePalma’s writing is evocative and detailed, and the reader feels as though they are walking alongside the people whose aspirations and dreams he so poignantly highlights. The country comes alive with each sentence, and the end result is an homage to Cuba and the Cuban people that is both heartbreaking and hopeful.”—The Washington Post

“In this beautifully crafted work of reportage . . . DePalma takes the reader on a tour of the glorious triumphs and ardent idealism of the early days of the Cuban Revolution, the dark years of the post-Soviet economic collapse, the revived hopes occasioned by the thaw of U.S.-Cuban relations under U.S. President Barack Obama, and now the seemingly endless days of deprivation.”—Foreign Affairs
Presented in partnership with Magers & Quinn Booksellers.

SPEAKER

Anthony DePalma spent 22 years as a reporter and foreign correspondent for The New York Times, serving as Bureau Chief in Mexico and Canada. At The Times he also was an international business correspondent covering the Americas, a national correspondent covering higher education, and a metro reporter covering housing, the working class, and the environment. He has focused his journalism on Latin America, especially Mexico and Cuba, but he has also travelled widely and reported from places as diverse as Albania, Montenegro, Guyana, and Suriname. Read his full biography here.
If you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact our Program Director Tim Odegard at todegard@globalminnesota.org.
Moderator: Patricia Lopez – Editorial Board Member – StarTribune

Trade Mission To Kenya & Tanzania
2022-10-22
Minnesota Africans United in partnership with Global Minnesota and Equity Group Holdings (the largest financial institution in the East/Central African region) and with the support of Prosper Africa, is excited to announce the Trade Mission to Kenya and Tanzania from October 22 – November 5, 2022.
This trade mission is designed to energize the creation of commercial relationships between Minnesota businesses and Tanzania and Kenya government entities and private organizations.
Africa’s booming population and rapid development is creating substantial opportunities for economic investment throughout the continent. East Africa is quickly becoming a hub of investment in a variety of sectors including agriculture, energy, health, tourism, finance, education, infrastructure, and technology and in-country participants will be in a position to discuss U.S.- exports to and investment, and business relations in all of the noted sectors.
A series of events including networking, and matchmaking, business meetings, tours, site visits, and one-on-one opportunities will be part of the program. There will also be opportunities for self-generated meetings and discussions.
More Information

Career Connections: The Value of Your Global Experience
2022-10-27 16:30 - 18:00
This event is being held virtually and is open to international students.

Calling all international students in Minnesota!
Join us to gain insight into how to use your unique international background and experiences to support your professional development. Learn about networking on a global scale, talking about international experiences with prospective employers, and hear from local professionals and international alumni about the value of an international background in your career.
This virtual event is open to international students studying at any college or university in Minnesota. While the event is designed for international students, all students are welcome.

Hosted by Global Minnesota and University of Minnesota – Twin Cities Career Services Administration. Contact Anna at adewitt@globalminnesota.org or Jane at sitt0036@umn.edu with questions.

Registration: Via Handshake or Zoom

Lunch with German Ambassador (ret.) Stefan Schlüter
2022-10-28 11:30 - 13:30 | GAI Haus, 301 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN, 55102, United States
This event is now SOLD OUT. Please email Tim Odegard at todegard@globalminnesota.org with any questions.
Join The American Council on Germany, the Germanic-American Institute, the German-American Chamber of Commerce, and Global Minnesota for a lunch discussion with retired German Ambassador Stefan Schlüter. He will lead a discussion titled “Germany’s Zeitenwende: Setting New Priorities in Foreign, Security, and Energy Policy.”
Ambassador (ret.) Stefan Schlüter is completing a two-week tour of U.S. cities, through the support of the American Council on Germany, to engage with Americans and discuss current issues in Germany and the state of the transatlantic relationship. During this meeting Mr. Schlüter will discuss the domestic and international impact of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Zeitenwende speech in February, announcing a tremendous shift in Germany’s policies as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine. He will also address how the cut in Russian gas deliveries affects climate policy and sustainable development goals in Germany.
Ticket price includes a buffet-style lunch.
Stefan Schlüter served in the German Foreign Office until the summer of 2017 and is now a Program Director at the Diplomatic Academy in Berlin. After studying political science at the University of Hamburg, Mr. Schlüter joined the German Foreign Office in 1979. His first foreign assignments brought him to Buenos Aires and Algiers. From 1986 to 1990 he served as the spokesperson of the German Embassy in Tel Aviv before returning to the Foreign Office in Bonn as desk officer for the Maghreb countries. From 1992 to 1995 he served as Deputy Consul General in Los Angeles before returning to Bonn as Deputy Director for the southern part of Latin America. From 2000 to 2004, he was posted to the United States a second time and served as Deputy Consul General in New York City before moving to Buenos Aires as Deputy Chief of Mission. In 2007 he returned to the Foreign Office in Berlin to assume the position of Director for Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding, Democracy Promotion and State-Building, promoting German projects in this field world-wide. In 2010 he was appointed Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean Region, residing in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago before moving on to his last assignment as Consul General in San Francisco in 2014.
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