At our April 18th, Global Engagement event we recognized 21 Global Fellows. Awardees were primarly faculty and adjunct faculty that provided global experienes for thier students. The Global Spotlight Program makes funding available to to faculty to bring renowned speakers to UVU or to host an international educational or cultural event.
In connection with UVU's recognition as the UNESCO Chair on AI and Environmental Stewardship for Sustainable Futures, the Office for Global Engagement has recognized 15 Global Scholars from across UVU that have contributed to the meaningful research and scholarly advancements in the 2024-25 academic year.
It was an pleasure to host Mme. Elsie Effange-Mbella again at UVU. During her presentation, she discussed the importance of promoting culture and environmental literacy for sustainable development. She aslo shared her insights gained from her vast experience as UN advisor for Women's Rights and Notable of the Buea Community.
The Language Services Day (April 3) event was a Global Spotlight collaboration with UVU Languages and Culture. It was an opportunity for individuals looking to work in interpreting, translation and other language related fields to network and seek practical job guidance.
April 2 is officially recognized as Autism Awareness Day. We celebrated it on April 3 with a Global Spotlight presentation by our own Global Student Leadership Council member, Jacob Bunker. Being on the Autism spectrum himself, Jacob proudly shared his own experiences with a class of prospective teachers and compared and contrasted them with other international perspectives.
March 30 is International Day of Zero Waste and is one of the official days recognized by the United Nations. On April 3, we collaborated with several UVU clubs to have our Really Really Free Market and a Sustainable Fashion Show in honor of this day. Mohan Vilas Das, from the Govardhan Ecovillage in India also addressed the audience.
During the Global Spotlight event in Brent Spencer's World Geography class, "India - Sustainability, Nature, Spirituality" guest presenter, Mohan Vilas Dasa from the Govardhan Ecovillage in India, shared is perspective on the path to peace and global understanding.
This concert, performed by the UVU Symphony Orchestra, highlighted the works of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and featured acclaimed concert violinist Aubree Oliverson. Ambassador Okka-Pekka Salmimies, Consul General of Finland in the US and Paul Hirst, the newly appointed Honorary Consul of Finland in Utah and Wyoming, were also in attendance.
Our own Global Student Leadership Council member, Alyssa Grover, presented in Bruce Emery's computer programing class for our last March Global Spotlight. She addressed the "International Presence of AI" and the legal ramifications surrounding it.
have Gilbert Lee, CMO and co-founder of TORUS speak to our computer science students. Originally from the Philippines, Gilbert shared insights into his path as an immigrant in the USA, tips for setting up a "Start Up" company, and offered great practical advice for potential entrepreneurs.
In collaboration with Languages and Cultures, assistant professor of French, Dr. Thierno Diallo, hosted a Global Spotlight event for Francophone Day on March 20. He invited guest presenter, associate professor, Dr. Xinyi Tan, from Coastal Carolina University to share her research and fascinating insight on the French language and Asian authors.
Internationally recognized on March 8, International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate and highlight women and their contributions to society. On March 5, our office joined forces with local nonprofit, The Refuge, UVU Raices club and students from the Women's Program of the UVU Intercultural Center to celebrate International Women's Day. Over 70 attended the event which spanned 3 hours in the UVU Science Atrium. Attendees assisted with making blankets during the service project, listened to a presentation on the Status of Women Around the World, by The Refuge, and participated in a student-led panel discussion.
Two guests from the UK, Holly Megson and Maya Reilly, compared their own college and everyday experiences in England with the USA and shared what it is like to work on The Quill Project. UVU’s Center for Constitutional Studies has a close partnership with The Quill Project of Pembroke College, Oxford, whose mission is to digitally model the creation of constitutions and other similar documents.
Lecture by UN Communication Officer, Felipe Queipo, in collaboration with the UVU
AI Institute.
On February 20 we welcomed Mr. Felipe Queipo, communications officer for the UN Department
of Global Communications, for an insightful presentation where he focused on both
opportunities and challenges of exploring the intersection of AI and Global Governance.
On February 19, 2025, officials from the United Nations announced that Utah Valley University had received the UNESCO Chair designation, an honor given to only 30 universities in the United States. The Chair will use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve education, environmental stewardship, and sustainability. It gives UVU membership to a global network of educational and governmental institutions that share research and best practices and host international events to develop solutions to pressing global issues through education, science, and technology.
The 3rd UVU High School Model UN competition took place on February 8th. High Schools from across the region participated, with students representing various countries while engaging in debates on current global issues. Around 150 high school students took part in the event, guided by 11 UVU student volunteers who led the UN committee rooms. The Secretary General overseeing the volunteer training was UVU student, Carter Darger.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
The presentation was given by Dr. Baldomero Lago in Spanish for Spanish Health Professionals and focused how the brain processes new languages and explored both the psychological and physiological mechanisms at play.
This Global Spotlight cultural experience was organized in collaboration with the Russian Studies Program of Languages and Cultures. We had an excellent turnout with our tables full of students, faculty, and Russian speaking community members at this cultural holiday celebration. Food, songs and a visit by Dedyshka Moroz made in a true Russian experience for all.
Dr. Hilary Hungerford from the Department of Earth Science led the discussion focused on the global perspective of Climate Change. She was joined by several student presenters who shared their recent climate-related findings on specific regions of the world. Global Student Leadership Council member, Mohamud Toure assisted with the event.
John McClure, Associate Director of the Center for National Security Studies and John Macfarlane from UVU's Peace and Justice Studies in the Department of History and Political Science addressed the ever-increasing tensions in the Middle East, focusing on counterterrorism and the Israeli response in Gaza. This event was organized by our Global Student Leadership Council member, Carter Darger.
Rita Schwisow from the Marketing Department of Woodbury School of Business led a wonderful Global Spotlight event this week. She compared and contrasted job-hunting methods and work/life expectations between the USA and the UK. She was able to bring a global perspective to her already planned class curriculum, sharing personal experiences and helpful online content. It was an eye-opening experience! Our own Global Student Leadership Council member, Elle Park, assisted in organizing the event.
Global Spotlight: China Dream was a great opportunity for our students, especially those studying Chinese, to learn about China from two very skilled and experienced individuals. Drs. Elizabeth and Frederick Crook both have an extensive connection to China and along with UVU professor of Chinese, Alex Yuan, shared personal insights and practical work ideas.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
During our Global Spotlight/World Kindness Day event, Becky Pickle, CEO Huntsman Mental Health Foundation, engaged the audience with a discussion on the benefits of volunteerism and how to be more involved in everyday acts of kindness. Gordon Hunt from UVU Psychology & Counseling Dept shared insight on the global perspective of kindness. Global Student Council member, Annette Cabrera helped organize the Global Spotlight event.
After a series of revolutions in nearby Eastern Bloc countries, the Berlin Wall began to fall on November 9, 1989. This year, Utah Dual Language Immersion German language students descended upon UVU to celebrate German Day, to relive some of the East/West Germany iconic events of the past, and to learn about the culture of today. This collaboration between Languages and Cultures and the Global Spotlight program of the UVU Office for Global Engagement brought a mini blue Trebant car, Check Point Charlie, and the Berliner treat, Currywurst, to campus for the half-day event.
Assistant professor of computer science, Dr. Saikat Das gave an insightful presentation on preventing ransomware. He focused on the technical advances made in both India and Bangladesh in combating and preventing this form of malware. Jacob Bunker, a member of our Global Student Leadership Council, organized this event.
Our Global Student Leadership Council member, Alyssa Grover, organized a Global Spotlight event with UVU's Dr. Carl Canlas. They hosted a comparative panel discussion out at our Lehi Campus on Cybersecurity with guests from the Far Eastern University Institute of Technology in Manila, Philippines.
Our office showcased artwork by the internationally renowned textile artist, Maryna Lukach, during this two-day event. It was a fabulous opportunity to shine a light on Ukraine. As war continued to rage in her homeland, Maryna channeled her passion into her expressive textile artwork. In addition, Utah Ukrainian Ensemble, directed by Yulia Tymochko, performed several traditional songs and dances during the event.
As part of our October 24th United Nations Day celebration, we were honored to host Ambassador Michele Sison, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of International Organization Affairs for the U.S. State Department. Amb. Sison discussed the work of the United States at the United Nations as well as offered insights on internships and careers in foreign affairs
UVU graduate ('23), Stephen Brailsford, shared his experience as a recent Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) within the competitive Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET). He was invited back to UVU by Japanese lecturer, Hillary Howell, with assistance from Global Spotlight funding.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
The Fall inservice session of the Utah Dual Language Advisory Council was held at UVU. The council consists of about 200 principals and other school administrators from schools participating in the dual languae immersion program.
Due to a special relationship our office had with the Utah Symphony, we welcomed them to UVU to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. They were joined by guest conductor Enrico Lopez Yanez and featured Costa Rican trumpet soloist, Jose Sibaja.
Students from our Global Leadership Council joined members from the UVU Interfaith Student Council for a one-on-one meeting with representatives from the office of International Religious Freedom, US State Department. Foreign affairs officer, Sage Showers and deputy director, Mariah Mercer, led a lively discussion on current issues and shared their personal experiences addressing religious freedom as US State Department officials.
With around 200 attendees and representatives from Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, El Salvador, and Guatemala, the conference underscored the importance of international partnerships. Speakers highlighted the vast potential for Utah businesses to expand into Latin American markets, with a special focus on industries like technology, mining, and logistics. Catalina Crespo Sancho, Costa Rica’s ambassador to the U.S., and Marcus Borges, a Utah businessman originally from Brazil, emphasized that global collaboration strengthens both regions, benefiting economies without displacing jobs. Participants heard from key Utah officials, including Ryan Starks, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, and Senator Luz Escamilla. Representatives from the Latin American nations provided insights into their countries’ economic stability, trade agreements, and investment opportunities. Antonio Cruz, deputy consul at the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City, pointed out Mexico's 14 free trade agreements with over 50 countries, while Gaby Morales from the Guatemalan Consulate highlighted the strength of her country’s currency.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
The Office for Global Engagement partnered with the Utah State Board of Education to host the Annual Utah Dual Language Immersion Institute (AUDII) at UVU. This is our 5th year of this valuable community collaboration which is designed to educate new Dual Language Immersion teachers and addresses all the first and second-year competencies outlined in the DLI Professional Trajectory as essential skills. Over 1,200 teachers across the 7 DLI languages (Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and English) participated across the 5-day institute.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
During his visit to Utah, Dr. Vassilis Gkaniatsas gave a presentation to students in the UVU Engineering Design Technology department on the topic of “Traditional, Classical, and Modern Paradigms in Architectural Design.” He posed many philosophical questions to the audience regarding the purpose, motivation, and implementation of architecture. Theory and philosophy, and the occasional reference to Greek mythology were interwoven with a more practical understanding of architectural design.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
The Office for Global Engagement, in collaboration with the Roots of Knowledge and
the Center for Social Impact, presented "Gentrification, Homelessness and Poverty:
Global Issues Local Solutions."
They first looked at the issue of Gentrification from a systems perspective. Starting
with the global impacts and then moved the focus to Utah and to see how it affects
communities in Utah. Students from a community grassroots organization, Trashbird
Distro, spoke about how community is essential in combating gentrification, homelessness
and poverty through collaborative efforts like Mutual Aid.
A delegation comprised of Mr. Czibor Omar Chicata-Sutmoller Sagenschnier, Consul General of Peru and Ana Maria Gutierrez Valdivia, Vice-Governor of Arequipa, Peru visited UVU and several classrooms.
The symposium aspired to examine academic freedom through both a global and a domestic lens while focusing on five topics of conversation: foundations of learning, education emergency and crisis, hate speech, gender equality, and digital transformation and AI. The purpose of the symposium was to engage in a conversation about these issues, the challenges of mis and disinformation, as well as raise awareness about academic freedom to those who may not be aware of the threats to academia and scholars around the world.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
UVU’s Office for Global Engagement celebrated International Women’s Day with a panel discussion on the 2024 theme, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.” The panel was comprised of insightful women with international backgrounds and a direct connection to UVU: Dr. Rasha Qudisat, UVU chief engagement and effectiveness officer, originally from Jordan; Dr. Maritza Sotomayor, UVU professor of economics, originally from Peru; Dr. Violeta Vasilevska, UVU professor of mathematics, originally from North Macedonia; Maryna Storrs, head of global HR at Partner; CEO & founder of the Ukrainian Center Utah ”Dzherelo,” UVU graduate, originally from Ukraine. The panel’s moderator, Jennifer Hogge Ellsworth, a member of the UVU Global Community Advisory Board and executive director of the international non-profit Engage Now Africa, encouraged the panelists to share experiences and offer practical advice on a variety of topics.
Global Keynote speaker at the UVU Autism Conference was Dr. Eduardo Canal from Spain. He addressed the topic of "Identifying Signs of Risk in the Early Development of Autism: Current Challenges and New Research Proposals in Europe".
This Global Spotlight event, held in the Ragan Theater was organized in collaboration with the Department of Languages & Cultures and highlighted diverse cultures and expressions of language of our UVU community through song, dance, sign language, and the spoken world.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
In collaboration with the UVU Chinese Language department, we celebrated Chinese New Year in the UVU Grand Ballroom. Six high schools - Timpview, Orem, Sky Ridge, Westlake, Lone Peak and Springville - participate in the event along with UVU students and members of the community. Many aspects of Chinese culture were shared including musical and dance performances.
On February 3 we held our 2nd UVU High School Model UN competition . Nine schools from across the Wasatch Front brought close to 200 students to the day-long Saturday event in UVUs Clarke Building. UVU students from the Model UN class effectively led the 4 UN Committee rooms. The Secretary General overseeing the UN Committee room voluneeer training was UVU student and Global Student Leadership Program participant, Stephan Atkinson.
This Global Spotlight event was a collaboration with the Russian Language Program in the Department of Languages & Cultures. Dr. Fred White and Amy Barnett (from the Office for Global Engagement) shared their expreiences using their Russian language skills in a variety of jobs and volunteer positions. It was great opportunity for UVU students to ask questions and get career ideas. There was an assortment of Russian treats to sample, as well.
On January 25, Japanese Language Program teacher, Yasuko Saito, led this cultural event to share Japanese New Year traditions with UVU. An estimated 230 students, staff and faculty enjoyed food and games for the holiday. Domo arigato!
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden, Snegurochka, passed out treats to excited children of all ages at the Old New Year Celebration at UVU on January 12. The Old New Year, or the Orthodox New Year, is an informal traditional holiday, celebrated as the start of the New Year by the Julian calendar (January 14). It was a fabulous chance for UVU students and members of the local community to share this Slavic tradition.
Following the Second World War, the international community wanted to ensure that the atrocities of the war never happened again. This led to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), consisting of 30 articles, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. Now, 75 years later, the world has evolved, raising the question—what does the Universal Declaration of Human Rights mean for us today? Students submitted posters, videos, and compositions celebrating this event.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Ambassor Aida Kasymalieva, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations spoke to students at UVU for International Mountains Day, highlighting her country's Five Years of Action plan for the Development of Mountain Regions.
In a show of support for the local Ukrainian diaspora and Utah host families that helped Ukrainian refugees, UVU hosted the Ukrainian Culture Night. We collaborated with Ukrainian Center Utah for this night filled with traditional song, food, and creative arts.
Dr. Sari Tojkander, Counselor for Science and Higher Education, Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles shared her country's advances and successes in higher education.
Honorary Consul of France in Utah, Anne Lair, met with UVU French language students and shared her insights and impressions about France's role in supporting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Her presentation was part of the Global Spotlight Initiavtive and was given in French.
Peter Sewakiryanga, executive director of Kyampisi Childcare Ministries, was invited to David Ssejinga's World History Class to speak on his work combating child trafficking in Uganda. Students from the Social Work department also joined the audience. There were over 60 in attendence at the Global Spotlight event.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Our office welcomed members of the Orem Rotary Club to commemorate the continuing fight to End Polio Now. UVU Rotaract organized the event.
On October 12, executive director of the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Juan Pascua, gave a presentation on business opportinities for the hispanic community in Utah. Spanish teaher, Mari de Dios, hosted Mr. Pascua to her class. The lecture was part of our Global Spotlight Initiative and was given in Spanish.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Our first Global Spotlight event of the semester was the Kyrgyz Republic - Utah IT Forum on September 29. This event was a networking oppurtunity between students from the College of Engineering and Technology and over 15 software company leaders visiting Utah from the Kyrgyz Republic. H. E. Baktybek Amanbaev, Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic was the keynote speaker at the event.
Over 220 principals from around Utah convened at UVU for their annual Dual Language Immersion Advisory Council meeting. They were welcomed to campus by Dean of the School of Education, Dr. Vessela Ilieva and SOE Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Mia Kang. The Office for Global Engagement is proud to facilitate lasting collaborations for faculty and students between the Utah School Board of Education and our own School of Education.
It was an honor to host Felipe Queipo, communications officer at the UN Office of Global Communication, to UVU. He gave an insightful presentation on the United Nations and the quest for a global civil society during UVU Ethics Awareness Week.
This month we celebrated International Day of Peace. We were pleased to have Mr. Felipe Queipo, Communications officer, United Nations Department of Global Communications, speak on "UN Human Rights Declaration in Promoting Positive or Sustainable Peace".
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Celebrating 16 years since the resolution passed by the United Nations in 2007, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The UVU African Diaspora Initiative and the Black Student Union, with the support of the Office for Global Engagement, hosted the Proud to be African Festival, and commemorated International Day of African Descent with song and dance.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
This Global Spotlight Peruvian cultural event was a collaboration between the Office for Global Engagement and the Honorary Consulate of Peru in Utah. Guest artists from Peru retold the story of the foundation of the Inca Empire by the Four Ayar brothers and the Pata Pata Tarpuy Raymi. The event was opened up to include the local Peruvian community who filled the Grand Ballroom. The presentation was given in Spanish and Quechua.
In support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and #13 Climate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all participants support each other. The Free Market also supports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be discarded, are given extended life by other person via re-use and up-cycling.
Ambassador Okko-Pekka Salmimies represents Finland in thirteen Western US states as their Consul General. The Office for Global Engagement was pleased to collaborate with the School of Education in hosting him for a conversation about Finland and its world-class education system. He also addressed the current global climate in Northern Europe.
In support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and #13 Climate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all participants support each other. The Free Market also supports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be discarded, are given extended life by other person via re-use and up-cycling.
Dr. Steven Seegel, professor of Slavic and Eurasian Studies at the University of Texas, Austin, was the keynote speaker for the Utah Diplomatic Conference on International Relations “Ukraine: One year later…”, Dmytro Kushneruk (Consul General of Ukraine), Hon. Dobroslawa Siemianowska (Head Consul of Poland), Cosmin Dumitrescu (Consul General of Romania), Juan Carlos Sanchez (Consul General of Spain), and Mr. Ryan Guirlinger (Political Unit Chief in the Office of Eastern European Affairs at the US Department of State) also participated on the round table discussion. The local Ukrainian choir, Dzherelo. performed several traditional songs.
In support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and #13 Climate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all participants support each other. The Free Market also supports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be discarded, are given extended life by other person via re-use and up-cycling.
In support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and #13 Climate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all participants support each other. The Free Market also supports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be discarded, are given extended life by other person via re-use and up-cycling.
We had an enjoyable time hosting H.E. Ambassador Baktybek Amanbaev, his wife Almazkan, and the Kyrgyz Embassy's First Secretary, Mr. Ermet Sydykov. In addition to sharing his insight on the role of the Kyrgyz Republic in the global community during his lecture at UVU, the ambassador met with UVU administrators, students, faculty and staff. Several members of the Orem-Lindon Rotary were also in attendance at the UVU events. Through the Engaged Learning model, students from Utah International Mountain Forum and Roteract took the lead in planning the evening reception, a tour of campus and with several on campus meetings. While in Salt Lake City, the delegation met with Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson, Senate President Stewart Adams, business leaders from the World Trade Center Utah, as well as with ecclesiastical, educational and humanitarian representatives of the LDS Church.
For this Global Spotlight sponsored event, attention turned to the United Kingdom and the celebration of Darwin Day. Dr. Joseph L. Graves, professor of biological science at North Carloina Agricultural and Technical State University gave the keynote adress. In celebration of Darwin's birthday, enough cake for 200 was passed out in the Science Atrium.
UVU Russian language students joined members of the local community from Ukraine, Armenia, Russia and other former Soviet republics to celebrate the Old New Year on January 13. Food, song, games and a visit by Grandfather Frost and Snegurochka filled the evening with fun. This traditional dating of the New Year is sometimes commonly called "Orthodox" because it harks back to a time when governments in Russia and Eastern Europe used the Julian calendar, which is still used by some jurisdictions of the Eastern Orthodox Church
We hosted a delegation from Peru consisting of female presidents from 5 universities, along with senators and other dignitaries for a brief visit to UVU. Our own president, Dr. Astrid Tuminez, was able to meet with them prior to the luncheon held in their honor at the UVU Bingham Gallery.
“Why It Matters,” a United Nations-sponsored conference at Utah Valley University (UVU), brought nearly 1,000 people from around the world to UVU’s Orem Campus, and another 700+ people attended online. Sessions were livestreamed in 80 languages. Participants from 60 countries including UN senior leadership, UN Ambassadors, Consul Generals and leaders from business and civil society entities
This gloabl event was established to bring awareness and to shine a light on our amazing students, faculty, and staff of African descent.
"This day is a celebration of the enormous contributions of people of African descent to every field of human endeavour. It is a long overdue recognition of the profound injustices and systemic discrimination that people of African descent have endured for centuries, and continue to confront today." - UN Secretary General António Guterres
Mrs. Victoria Labaziuk, Head of the Regional Council (governor) of the Khmelnytskyi Region, led the delegation from Western Ukraine. Their visit to Utah was sponsored by August Mission, a local humanitarian aid organization currently working on several projects in Ukraine. Former Governor Gary Herbert from the Herbert Institute for Public Policy at UVU was available to join in the for a tour of campus and the luncheon. Deputy Provost, Dr. Kathren Brown welcomed the guests on behalf of the university. Several UVU students from Ukraine and members of the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce were also in attendance.
The Office for Global Engagement partnered with the Utah State Board of Education to host the Annual Utah Dual Language Immersion Institute (AUDII) at UVU. This valuable community collaboration is designed to educate new Dual Language Immersion teachers and addresses all the first and second-year competencies outlined in the DLI Professional Trajectory as essential skills. Over 1,000 teachers across the 7 DLI languages (Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and English) participated across the 5-day institute.
Ambassador Harold Forsyth, permanent representative from Peru and chair of the Organization of American States (OAS), spoke on the topic of "New Threats to Democracy in the Americas" during his visit to UVU. Ambassador Forsyth has vast experience serving in foreign nations such as, Germany, Colombia, Italy, China, Japan, and the United States.
<This small, but mighty group from Ukraine visited UVU last week to share and learn about inclusion, diversity, and LGBTQ+ rights through the US Library of Congress Open World program. Sending wishes of strength and peace to our friends in Ukraine!
With a visit from Grandfather Frost and Snegurochka, UVU celebrated the traditional Slavic holiday, Old New Year.
Dr. Efrem Yildiz Sadak, Vice President of International Relations at the University of Salamanca, Spain, gave an overview of the European Higher Education System during his presentation to UVU students and faculty, primarily from the School of Education. Vice President of the University of Salamanca, Spain, gave a presentation about The Challenges of the European Higher Education System.
H.E. Elsie Ngowo Effange-Mbella, Minister Plenipotentiary of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon, talked about how to empower women and youth to be more engaged in sustainable development.
To commemorate International Mountain Day (December 11), we joined forces with Utah International Mountain Forum to host a virtual celebration on this year’s theme: Sustainable Mountain Tourism.
Dr. Seth Blaylock, Counterterrorism Unit Chief, US Embassy Manila, Philippines shared his experiences in diplomatic service and focused on the US counterterrorismin efforts in Manila. The event was co-hosted by the UVU Foreign Affairs Club
Roundtable discussion focused on Utah's Bears Ears National Monument with Dustin Jansen, Utah Dept of Indian Affairs and Sara E. Hunt, CEO & President, Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy, Washington, DC. Event co-hosted by Utah International Mountain Forum, UVU Department of History and Political Science, and the Orem-Lindon Rotary Club.
Mr. Felipe Queipo began his United Nations career at the NGO Relations & Advocacy Section of the Department of Public Information (DPI) in 2008. He currently serves as the Communications Officer responsible for outreach, engagement and global communications with civil society within the Department of Global Communications (DGC). Felipe is a member of the United Nations Speakers Bureau, and travels extensively invited to speak at conferences, forums and academic institutions on civil society and public diplomacy, the role of youth in the international arena, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, among other subjects. His presentations are dynamic and participatory, and he is often invited to address young audiences given his capacity building approach to youth empowerment and engagement. He has given presentations at conferences in Australia, England, Germany, Kenya, Malaysia and Thailand among others. He is also the focal point for faith-based organizations within DGC. In this capacity, he leads the team that organizes the "Focus on Faith" briefings within the Department, an initiative that studies the links between faith traditions and religious organizations, and the work and mission of the United Nations. Before Graduating from Brigham Young University Idaho, where he studied Political Science, Felipe studied Theology and Biology in Spain, emphasizing his training on Political and Social Theology.
Niankoro Yeah Samake is the Former Mayor of Quelessebugou, 2013 Malian Presidential Candidate, Ambassador of Mali, and Founder of the Empower Mali Foundation. Mr. Samake spoke to a large audience of international students and students studying political science about his experiences leading in Mali in a time of crisis.
The International Day of Sign Languages is an opportunity to support and protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of all deaf people and other sign language users. Panelists included members of the deaf community: Dr. Michael Ballard - UVU ASL & Deaf Studies Program Director, Moderator; Benjamin Leininger - UVU Student; Gohar Nisar - Native BSL Signer; Tanasha Slack - ASL & Deaf Studies Instructor; and Anna Pauling-Allred - UVU Alum 2009.
Our office joined the UVU Reflection Center to celebrate International Day of Peace. Amy Barnett, UVU Program Director of Global Events & Hosting, along with UVU Global Student Leadership Council member, Will Clark, talked about the significance of the Day as well as the Sustainable Development Goal 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
Event
As part of our observation of International Earth Day, the Office for Global Engagement partnered with Orem Rotary and UVU Rotaract for a Provo Canyon service project to clean up and beautify the area.
Dean Robinson President, Orem Rotary
Clark Merkley Past President, Orem Rotary
Baktybek Abdrisaev Advisor, UVU Rotaract
Yana Andersen President, UVU Rotaract
On April 14 at 12:00pm, students from the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition of student clubs at UVU, presented their impressions and achievements gained from hosting a parallel event at the recent United Nations 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65). Their UN presentation was titled, “Mountain Women Empowerment Through The Inclusive Student Engaged Learning Model.” The Student Engaged Learning (SEL) approach encourages students to gain professional skills while addressing real-world issues on the local and international levels with university faculty serving as mentors.
In the spring of 2018, Franz Sedelmayer spoke at UVU and presented excerpts from his memoir “Welcome to Putingrad”, highlighting the case he won against President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation.
On April 6, Sedelmayer made his “Return to Putingrad” for a virtual lecture and where he offered his perspective on Putin’s answer to the Navalny “problem”. Alexei Navalny returned to Russia this January after recuperating in Germany from being poisoned with a suspected nerve agent. The Kremlin has denied involvement. Navalny, one of Putin’s most prominent critics, has recently been jailed for parole violations and is now in a corrective penal colony about 60 east of Moscow.
Dr. Scott Sprenger began his tenure as President of The American University of Rome on 1 >July, 2020. He came to the post after serving as Dean of the College of Arts & Humanities at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah and formerly was Provost of The American University of Paris as well as associate dean of the College of Humanities at Brigham Young University (BYU).
Dr. Sprenger has a vast experience with foreign language programming and with connecting the liberal arts to global career opportunities. His administrative work as both provost and dean has covered a broad range of areas, such as strategic planning, institutional budgeting, faculty hiring and promotions, curriculum development and oversight, international programs, college and university advising, the creation and oversight of research centers, grant writing and fundraising. At AUP, he secured Andrew W. Mellon institutional grants to improve first-year programs and to open a Civic Media Lab and a Center for Critical Democracy Studies. With private funding, he founded a Center for the Study of Genocide, Human Rights and Conflict Prevention. Dr. Sprenger's graduate degrees in French Studies are from Johns Hopkins University and Emory. In 2009, he was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholar award in Brussels/Paris. He did post-doc work at UCLA from 1999 to 2001.
Sam Elzinga, UVU Student – Political Science and Integrated Studies
Andrew Jensen, UVU Student – National Security Studies / Computer Science
Lee Winkleman, US Dpt. of Defense, Logistics Management Specialist Hill AFB
Franz Kolb was recognized by the State Department as an Honorary Consul to Austria on June 14, 2002. He is the Regional Director for International Trade and Diplomacy responsible for Europe, India, Middle East and Africa in the State of Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development. His previous experience includes: President of the Kolb Group, an international business consulting company specializing in international business development, Deputy Director for the State of Utah’s International Business Development Office, Director of International Services of Ernst & Young, and President of an international business consulting firm which specialized in the high-tech industry. Mr. Kolb was educated in Austria and the United States. He received an Associate, Bachelor, and degree from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Mr. Kolb has been appointed by the United States Secretary of Commerce to the Utah District Export Council.
Mr. Tichy was accredited by the State Department as the Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic in Salt Lake City on March 30, 2009. He is currently the president of Envoy Legal & Consulting International, a firm that specializes in international legal and governmental relations strategies, where he advises international businesses, non-profit organizations, churches, and governmental agencies. He also serves as a special international legal and governmental relations advisor to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the course of his professional duties he has personally met with hundreds of foreign government leaders and over two dozen presidents, prime ministers, and foreign ministers. He is certified native/near-native fluent in both the Czech and Slovak languages and has basic fluency in the Hawaiian language.
He spent over seven years living and working abroad in significant business, legal, academic, and governmental capacities. In the late 1990s he received a special diplomatic appointment by President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to work at the U.S. Embassy in Prague. For his work there, he was awarded the State Department’s prestigious Meritorious Honor Medal. Mr. Tichy also served as the senior Staff Aide (chief of staff) to an Assistant Secretary of State and ambassador, and was a Fascell Fellow at the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs in Washington, D.C. In 2011, he received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from Brigham Young University. He served for several years as executive vice-president of the board of the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, and is currently on the boards of the Salt Lake Film Society, the Wallace Toronto Foundation, and the Czech & Slovak School of Utah.
Tara Ivie, Senior Director, UVU Women's Success Center and Wee Care Center
Susan Madsen, Founding Director of Utah Women & Leadership Project
Samira Harnish, Founder and Executive Director of Women of the World
Christina "CJ" Hernandez, a Utah native and a recently retired Foreign Service Officer, specializes in operational/management services, human rights, and consular programs. She has served in Los Angeles, California, Merida, Mexico, Washington D.C., Budapest, Hungary, and Mexico City, Mexico. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, CJ managed major acquisitions and public/private partnerships for the U.S. Air Force at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and at the Defense Logistics Agency in Germany and Italy. CJ holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management from Utah State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Weber State University.
Dean Norm Wright, UVU Woodbury School of Business
Dr. Maritza Sotomayor, Assoc. Professor, UVU Finance and Economics
Ben Kolendar, Director, SLC Department of Economic Development
Karl graduated with a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Spanish. He went on to earn a Master of Education with a major in Educational Administration from the University of Utah and. Karl spent his early career as a teacher of 3rd and 5th grade students both in English and Spanish Immersion and taught technology/computers to 1st through 6th grade students as well. He spent 26 in educational administration and leadership roles in both elementary schools and at the district level; including time as the principle; at six different elementary schools.
Karl is currently the Education Specialist for the Utah State Board of Education over World Languages and Dual Language Immersion and has been for the past 3 1/2 years. He is a champion of new and innovative educational models; including the Extended Day model and the development and implementation of Alpine School District's Spanish immersion programs for elementary schools across Utah Valley. Karl is the recipient of various professional awards including the José M Rubio Lifetime Achievement Award from Utah Valley University, the District Distinguished Principal from the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals, the Outstanding School Administrator from the State of Utah PTA, the District Distinguished Principal from the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals and the Innovator of the Year from the Alpine Elementary Principals Association
Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and planet. Yet, due to globalization processes, they are increasingly under threat, or disappearing altogether. When languages fade, so does the world's rich tapestry of cultural diversity. Opportunities, traditions, memory, unique modes of thinking and expression — valuable resources for ensuring a better future — are also lost. At least 43% of the estimated 6000 languages spoken in the world are endangered. Only a few hundred languages have genuinely been given a place in education systems and the public domain, and less than a hundred are used in the digital world.
Arbiol is the Director of International Relations at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain. He has a degree in Modern and Contemporary History, a Master's in International Humanitarian Action (NOHA) and a PhD from the University of Deusto, with a thesis on United States foreign policy in the post-cold war period. His teaching activity focuses on the degree in International Relations and Double Degree in International Relations and Law. For years he worked at the United Nations and at research enters for peace. In terms of his research and outreach work, in recent years he has been working on transatlantic security and defense issues and deepening his specialization in US politics.
Dean Danny Horns, UVU College of Science
Dr. Alessandro Zanazzi, Associate Professor, UVU Earth Science
Josh Craft, Government/Corporate Relations Manager, Utah Clean Energy
Tom Moyer, Robotics Engineer and State Coordinator, Utah Citizen’s Climate Lobby
Felecia, a native of Utah, joins the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy with extensive experience in government and nonprofit administration. Her prior work history includes the Department of Workforce Services Refugee Services Office, Utah Refugee Coalition, and Wasatch Community Gardens. She has a B.A in Anthropology and a Masters in Public Administration both from the University of Utah. Felecia has extensive experience in oral history and storytelling, and she believes through capturing stories, we create a sense of self, how we orient the world, how we organize and pass knowledge on to others, and create shared humanity. Felecia is passionate about all varieties of music, spends her free time gardening, and adventuring in Moab, Utah.
Jackie Biskupski, Former Salt Lake City Mayor
Genevive Richards, Coordinator UVU Sustainability
Hillary Hungerford, Associate Professor, UVU Earth Science Department
Reagan Golightly, UVU Student - Geography Major
Anne was recognized by the State Department as an Honorary Consul to France on April 27, 2017. She is a native from France and moved to the US when she was 21 years old. She earned a PhD in 19th-century French culture and literature from the Ohio State University (2003), has published articles and a book on symbolism of food, and co-authored beginning and intermediate textbooks in French. She has received several state and national awards for her teaching and work with teachers of French and has been recently recognized as a Knight in the Order of the Academic Palms, a French distinction for her dedication to French culture. She is well involved in the French community and served for three years as President of the Française in Utah. She currently teaches French at the University of Utah, where she also directs the French Basic Language Program, as well as the Dual Immersion French Bridge Program (10-12 grades). Prior to coming to Utah, she was an Associate Professor of French in Iowa./p>
Curtis S. Bramble, CPA, is a member of the Utah State Senate and previously served as the Senate Majority Leader. After beginning his college career at the University of Notre Dame, he earned his Bachelors and a degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University. He founded Bramble & Company CPA’s in 1986, and in 2001, after being elected to the Utah Senate, merged with Gilbert & Stewart CPA’s in Provo. Senator Bramble currently serves as the International Relations & Trade Committee Chairman of the Utah Senate Legislature. (Due to commitments on the Senate floor, Senator Bramble was able to join the conversation 11:19 minutes into the Global Dialogue session.)
Dean Vessela Ilieva, UVU School of Education
Parker Fawson, Professor, USU School of Teacher Education & Leadership
Anu Warinowski, Head of Faculty Development, University of Turku, Finland
Katelyn Muro, UVU Student - Special Education Program
Samira Harnish is the Founder and Executive Director of Women of the World. Women of the World is a women refugee, asylum seeker, and immigrant service and capacity building nonprofit that has been in operation in Salt Lake City since 2010. After getting her degree in Civil Engineering, she worked for 17 years as an R&D engineer at the largest domestic manufacturer of semiconductor memory. Samira has received local, national, and international recognition for her service leadership including: The Enlightened 50 Award from the Utah Community Foundation, the 2014 Salt Lake City Human Rights Award, the 2016 Ruby Award from the of Utah, and the 2017 Emerald Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement. In 2018, she was awarded the America’s Region Nansen Award from the United Nations High Commission on Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland, she was chosen from over 450 international nominees. In April 2019 she was awarded the 2019 American Red Cross Hero for her extraordinary Heroic act of Global Citizenship.
Mark is the Associate Director of Public Engagement and Directorate of Social Impact and Engagement at De Montfort University in Leicester, England. His interests are in community engagement, public engagement through research, universities as a public good, policies on tackling social exclusion through education and social mobility. He is currently manager of the award-winning DMU Square Mile programme, that seeks to connect the university with the community demonstrate the university as a public good. Mark's research examines policies that encourage public good in Higher Education and investigates university strategies for tackling social
Beginning in 2014, Ryan Koch has overseen the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' outreach to the diplomatic communities in New York and at the United Nations, including representing LDS Charities, the Church’s humanitarian arm. Ryan is also responsible for liaising with religious umbrella organizations in New York. Prior to his work for the Church, Ryan spent 11 years as a Public Diplomacy Officer for the U.S. State Department. During this time he served abroad at the U.S. Embassies in Manila, Philippines; Kyiv, Ukraine; and Stockholm, Sweden.
"We encounter the daily health ramifications and anxieties of COVID19. But how does this global pandemic affect those already enduring other humanitarian crises, such as conflict, forced migration, or hurricanes?"
UVU Global Engagement Office joined with World Trade Center Utah, Utah Consular Corps, and Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy for a stimulating conversation on natural disasters and refugee crises worldwide, and COVID19's impact on populations affected by these crises.
(DPI) in 2008. He currently serves as the Communications Officer responsible for outreach, engagement and global communications with civil society within the Department of Global Communications (DGC). Felipe is a member of the United Nations Speakers Bureau, and travels extensively invited to speak at conferences, forums and academic institutions on civil society and public diplomacy, the role of youth in the international arena, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, among other subjects. His presentations are dynamic and participatory, and he is often invited to address young audiences given his capacity building approach to youth empowerment and engagement. He has given presentations at conferences in Australia, England, Germany, Kenya, Malaysia and Thailand among others. He is also the focal point for faith-based organizations within DGC. In this capacity, he leads the team that organizes the "Focus on Faith" briefings within the Department, an initiative that studies the links between faith traditions and religious organizations, and the work and mission of the United Nations. Before Graduating from Brigham Young University Idaho, where he studied Political Science, Felipe studied Theology and Biology in Spain, emphasizing his training on Political and Social Theology.
David Utrilla started his college education in Peru where he studied economics and international business. He continued his education in Utah at Weber State University studying Business Management and International Business. While he was still in school, David founded U.S. Translation Company which provides translation and interpretation services in order to help organizations break the communication barrier. In addition to his role as CEO of U.S. Translation, he also serves as the current President of the World Trade Association, the oldest trade organization in Utah. In this role, he helps Utah companies to expand their businesses into foreign markets by providing useful knowledge and facilitating key introductions. The third hat that David wears is to serve as the Honorary Consul for Peru in the State of Utah. He feels very comfortable in his role and has the opportunity to serve approximately 40,000 Peruvians living in the State of Utah today. As a result of this large population, David has been given the same power and responsibilities as a Consul General. Those responsibilities include the right to issue identification documents, dual citizenship, emergency travel documents, initiate business deals, and serve as a power of attorney. In addition to all of the above-mentioned roles, David also finds the time to serve on several boards including the Weber State University President’s National Advisory Council, Weber State University’s School of Business and Economics, Utah Symphony and Opera, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy. He also is a language industry expert who speaks at conferences and events around the globe.
>For a second year, the Office for Global Engagement partnered with Orem Rotary and UVU chapter of Rotaract to bring awareness to the need to End Polio Now. This initiative directly supports the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goal #3 which focuses on Health and Well-being for all at all ages.
*Covid-19 moratorium on all guests to campus March 13, 2020 – May 2021 Global Dialogues (15 virtual event, with guests from Spain, Italy, the UK and UN) Taking Action (7 virtual events, one with presenter from Finland).
The goal of this event is to bring together American and Japanese stakeholders in Utah and identify Japan's furture investment interests in the United States as well as the kind of workforce needed in Utah to support these investments. A round table discussion was led by Osamu Taki, Chief Executive Director of Japan External Trade Organization; Benjamin Hart, Deputy Director, Governor's Office of Economic Development, State of Utah; Bryce Hunt, Customer Success Manager for Podium. Midori Takeuchi, Consul-General of Japan in Denver also gave remarks at the event.
Utah and Morocco Partnership, Keith Martin, Honorary Consul for Morocco in Utah and Major General Jeff Burton, U.S. Army, Ret.
UVU marked the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the Untited Nations by hosting an event in collaboration with the Utah International Mountain Forum. The anniversary served as a moment to reaffirm the commitment to multilateralism and the overall ideals of the United Nations.
Presentation by Jon Smith
Date and Time: Tuesday, February 4, 2020; 11:00 AM Location: LA 116 - Center for Global Engagement
Abstract: While horror narratives have long been part of Japanese folklore and mythology, the
horror genre within Japanese cinema did not solidify until after World War II. Instead,
horror cinema took root within the national traumas of the war, the Allied occupation,
and the subsequent radical transformations in government, economy, and cultural mores.
In particular, 1950s landmarks like Godzilla and Ugetsu revised different myth and
folk narratives to address contemporary concerns through innovative new forms of cinematic
expression. Japan’s radical and tumultuous transformation continued through the second
half of the 20th-century, giving rise to new cultural divisions. Within this social
context, Japanese horror cinema offers some of the most urgent, compelling, and artistically
innovative genre cinema ever created. These films not only push the boundaries of
content and form, but they also represent a frequently sophisticated appropriation
of traditional folktales, as well as formal components of traditions like Kabuki and
Noh theater. In many respects, the modern Japanese horror film is a modern folktale,
proliferating within an increasingly complex technological and multicultural landscape,
an ever-expanding field of anxiety and fear that shows no sign of abating.
Utah Valley University hosted its first ever Model United Nations Conference for Utah High Schools on February 1, 2020. We were honored to have as our opening plenary keynote speaker, Mr. Felipe Queipo, Communications Officer, Civil Society Unit, Department of Global Communications, at the United Nations. A total of 5 schools, 106 high school students and 10 UVU student volunteers participated in the UVU Model UN conference. The Secretary General for the UVUMUN was Andrew Jensen.
The former ambassador of Costa Rica, visited campus.
The Office for Global Engagement hosted the beloved Studio Ghibli classic, My Neighbour Totoro.
Visit to UVU by academic and administrative leaders from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Zhengzhou, China.
UVU continued to work with India and hosted Ambassador Sanjay Panda. During his stay, Amb. Panda visited several community entities including government and humanitarian agencies.
Prof. Nielsen was born and raised in Denmark, where he received a B.S. in Physics from University of Copenhagen, Denmark. A one-year visit to University of Alaska, Fairbanks, transcended into a four-year stay an a M.S. in Physics. Eager to see another part of the US, he attended Utah State University where he received his Ph.D. in Physics. After graduation, he was selected as a postdoctoral fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC., before moving to Boulder, Colorado as a research scientist. After working on NSF and NASA projects, he made his best career move and joined the UVU Department of Physics in 2012. Prof. Nielsen specializes in energy transfer through wave and particle dynamics in the atmosphere and near-space environment, and works closely with students and collaborators in Japan.
At this year's annual Diplomatic Conference on International Trade Relations, 20 foreign diplomats, including ambassadors, consuls general and trade commissioners, visited the State of Utah to present and dialogue with local government, business, academicians, students, and the public at large, on a variety of current topics related to international trade. The objective of this conference is to engage in a global conversation that may lead to building international relationships and business opportunities. This conference serves as a learning venue where local and foreign representatives exchange ideas, network, and develop potential collaborations.
Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday honoring ancestors, dating back hundreds of years. Our office collaborated with other groups from the Center for Global and Intercultural Engagement to celebrate this holiday and share cultural experiences.
Heidi Almosara is a visual artist and full time faculty member in the Art & Design Department at UVU. She received her B.F.A. from Texas Christian University and an M.A. and M.F.A. from the University of Dallas in Texas. Since receiving her masters, she has taught at several colleges and universities and has had over a decade of teaching experience. Heidi specializes in screenprinting and actively exhibits internationally. She has had exhibitions in the continental US, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as, but not limited to, Russia, Peru, Japan, New Zealand, Finland, Taiwan, and Guatemala. Before coming to UVU, she lived abroad in Japan for 3 years. While in Japan, she studied at the Sogetsu Foundation in Tokyo and learned the art of Sogetsu ikebana – the Japanese art form of flower arranging. She completed the required 5 levels of study to receive a teachers certification in this special art form and was awarded the Teacher’s Diploma 4th Grade from the Sogetsu Foundation. Ikebana has become Heidi’s primary source for inspiration and has greatly transformed her artwork.
Iñigo Arbiol is the Director of International Relations at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain. He has a degree in Modern and Contemporary History, a Master's in International Humanitarian Action (NOHA) and a PhD from the University of Deusto, with a thesis on United States foreign policy in the post-cold war period. His teaching activity focuses on the degree in International Relations and Double Degree in International Relations and Law. For years he worked at the United Nations and at research enters for peace. In terms of his research and outreach work, in recent years he has been working on transatlantic security and defense issues and deepening his specialization in US politics.
Opening event to the Japan Spotlight.
August 26-28, Salt Lake City became the host city for the 68th United Nations Civil Society Conference. This conference was very unique to the United Nations as it was the first time in history that this world-wide event was held anywhere in the United States other than New York City. Link
Amb. Dmitry Polyanskiy, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russia Federation to the UN spoke to an audience of 100+ on "Russian Diplomacy in the Modern World". Link
Ms. Alison Smale - Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, United Nations presented her insigntis on "A UN Perspective: The Importance and Power of Civil Society". Link
H.E. Jan Kickert, UN Ambassador from Austria spoke to students on the topic of "What foreign policy for a small country? The Case of Austris". Link
International Mountain Day Celebration
“British Literature and Remembrance” coincides with the hundredth anniversary of the end of the First World War and explores literature’s role in recording and remembering that epochal global conflict.
The Case for Multilateralism and Why Achieving the SDGs is a Collective Responsibility!
Ryan Vogel and Greg Jackson
Hungary and the Geopolitical Importance of Central Europe: What's in it for the United States?
Percussion UVU performs innovative and varied percussive repertoire in the classical, contemporary, popular, and non-western traditions.
Current Political & Economic Situation in South America
Rob Carney - Professor of English & Literature, Utah Valley University
UN-Department of Public Information NGO Conference, with Jacki Biskupski, Mayor of Salt Lake City; UVU President, Astrid Tuminez; Jeff Brez, Chief, DPI NGO Section, United Nations; Felipe Queipo, Information Officer, DPI NGO Section, United Nations
Jeff has worked for four United Nations entities, including the DPI’s Advocacy and Special Events Section. He was also part of the World Bank Group in the United States, Albania and Côte d’Ivoire. Prior to joining the UN, he spent a decade working in television production, both in front of and behind the camera.
Franz Kolb is the Regional Director for International Trade and Diplomacy responsible for Europe, India, Middle East and Africa in the State of Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
Consul General Aghayev also serves as the Dean of the Los Angeles Consular Corps, which is the world’s second largest consular corps representing 105 nations
Tajikistan and the Sustainable Development Goals
UK Global Spotlight open social.
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Michael Goode joined the Department of History and Political Science.
Ms. Ana Martinez gave a lecture to UVU students on the topic of "Luigi Boccherini: Composer, Pedagogue and Musician | Truths and Legends."
Skateboarding Diplomacy-What You Can Do for Your Country
In this lecture, Neftalie discussed how his love of skateboarding culture manifested
into a call to action to develop the concept of ‘skate diplomacy’ as a way to engage
skateboarding, academia and cultural institutions globally.
AUDII (Annual Utah Dual Language Immersion Institute)
ALEXIS CUADRADO: BARACELONA-BORN JAZZ BASSIST PERFORMANCE
live performance
Live music performance
Ms. Hawa Diallo shared experiences from her time working for the United Nations and focused her remarks on "Empowering Youth Through Global Advocacy."
March 12, we welcomed Lt. Governor Spencer Cox, consuls general from 12 countries and international business leaders from throughout the Wasatch Front to UVU. The Office for Global Engagement hosted the inaugural event which brought together diplomats, corporate leaders and students in this unique networking environment.
This conference served as a powerful forum to exchange ideas, to network and to collaborate with entities in the state of Utah, both economic and academic. It offered breakout sessions where individual countries were featured and conference participants were able to interact with trade representatives directly.
UN Ambassador, Mr. Milos Vukasinovic, gave a presentation focused on Bosnia and Herzegovina's important roll at the United Nations.
Rogues, Beggars and Tricksters: Iron Men in Cervantes's Golden Age Spain
John Hunt - Assistant Professor
Guitar Performance by the Antonio Andrade Duo
Antonio Andrade & Miguel Sotelo
From Spain to the Americas: Santiago in the Atalantic World
Mark Lentz - Assitant Professor, UVU Department of History and Political Science
Government Intstruments and Policy of Support for Internationalization and for the
Country Brand
Manuel Valle Munoz - Trade Commissioner, Consulate of Spain in LA
Mr. Sedelmayer, author of "Welcome to Putingrad" gave a lecture to UVU students about his unique experience in Russia and his opinion on current US-Russia relations.
Amb. Bakhtiyor Ibragimov gave a lecture to UVU students on foreign policy priorities of the new government of Uzbekistan. Afterwards, UVU Foreign Affairs Club and International Mountian Forum discussed collaborative projects with Ambassador Ibragimov.
Current Issue in K-12 Education in Spain
Jose Antonio Valverde Martin - Head Master at Calasanz College in Salamanca, Spain
Mr. Adonis Georgiadis gave a lecture to UVU students addressing the current political climate in Greece. He and Mrs. Eugenia Mandolides received Guest Professor awards from UVU's Senior Vice President, Jeff Olson. After visiting UVU, Dee Mower and Jim Williams hosted our Greek guests at their ranch in Hobble Creek Canyon.
Dr. Carmen Requena - Assistant Director, Conservatory of Dance in Carboba, Spain
Spain & Europe: Alternative Renewable Energy
Francisco Gabriel Martin - General Manager, Ecointegral
UN International Mountain Day Celebration “Mountains Under Pressure: Climate, Hunger, Migration”
Announcement: UVU becomes an Associate Member of the United Nations Department of Public Information
Independence for Catalonia? Current Political Climate in Spain
Dr. Baldomero Lago - UVU Chief International Office, Honorary Consul of Spain
The US - Spain Bilateral Trade Balance: Trends & Determinants
Dr. Maritza Sotomayor & Allison Bate
Ana Sanz Llorens | Spanish Photographer
El Guernica: Historical & Artistic Impact
Courtney Davis | Dr. Baldomero Lago
Moroni Bing Torgan (born October 6, 1956) is a Brazilian politician, probably the highest ranking Latter-day Saint politician in Brazil. A member of the National Chamber of Deputies, Torgan is known for having a rhetoric that spins around the fighting of crime and corruption. As of 2001, he was the only Latter-day Saint serving in Brazil's congress.
Christopher Columbus: Revered or Demonized? 525 Years in the Making
Juan Carlos Fernandez | Professor Mari De Dios
Ms. Ana Warinowski, manager of faculty affairs, University of Turku, Finland
UVU clubs and programs that support and promote the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Opening event for the Global Spotlight that focused on Spain.
Dr. Jorge Luis Castro
Global Spotlight Israel: Department of Engineering Design Technology: Archaeology Digital Display
Dr. Oren Gutfeld: Archaeology in Israel
Global Spotlight Israel: Prof. Ryan J. Vogel: Trump, Netanyahu, and the Future of the US-Israel Security Relationship
Felipe Queipo, NGO Relations and Advocacy, UN Department of Public Information
"Insights into Japanese Journalism: 140 Years of History in The Yomiuri Shimbun" (The world's largest newspaper in circulation.)
Ms. Eileen Malloy
Global Spotlight Israel: UVU Wind Symphony: Something Borrowed
"Uzbekistan: Past, Present, and Future"
We were especially honored to have Ambassador Macharia Kamau speak at UVU. His presentation was focused on the Sustainable Development Goals and "United Nations Post 2030 Development Agenda". He serves on the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals and was eager to share his insights. During his visit to Utah he met with Lt. Governor Spencer Cox and representatives for the Governor's Office for Economic Development.
Global Spotlight Israel; Woodbury Art Museum Exhibition – War Toys: Israel, West Bank, and the Gaza Strip
Global Spotlight Israel: Dr. Abdullahi Gallab: The Muslim Solution to the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Consul General Grundwerg's presentation, "Current Israeli - US Relations", was an extension of our annual Global Spotlight on Israel. As the newly appointed consul general, Mr. Grundwerg also met with local government and religious leaders. He was accompanied on his visit by his political consul, Yaki Lopez.
Live musical event
A delegation from the Consulate of Vietnam in San Francisco, including consul general Ambassador Ho Xuan Son and his wife, visit the Roots of Knowledge windows and meet with UVU administrators.
Presented by the Utah-Israel Economic Council
Study Abroad – John Macfarlane
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Clarinet Secrets – Michele Gringas, Professor of Music, Miami University
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Ugandan Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Mr. Musa Ecweru, visited UVU on October 7 where he gave a lecture to UVU students and met with President Matthew Holland.
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Art Exhibit at the Springville Art Museum
Diana Zhgenti, Consul General of Georgia, New York
Dr. David Aladashvili, Republic of Georgia Cultural Attache
Mr. Keith W. Mines, Senior Foreign Service Officer, US Institute of Peace Fellow
Did Canadian voters choose Trudeau in 2015, or did they choose the Liberal Party? Did American voters choose Obama in 2012, or did they choose to be led by a Democrat? We know voters think about candidates when they elect the president: they place a mark next to their preferred candidate’s name on the ballot. But in Canada? No such direct link exists between voters and leadership candidates. Canada is so close to the United States, but operates with a completely different political system. What is the relationship between voters and party leaders in the Canadian context? Do party leaders in Canada matter? How and why? And has this relationship changed over time? Are we seeing the “presidentialization” of Canadian elections? In this presentation, Bittner assesses the role of leaders in Canadian elections over time, comparing Canadians’ attitudes towards party leaders with what we see in the United States.
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"Pinocchio’s now a boy who wants to turn back into a toy.” This is but one of the strangely vivid imageries Rufus Wainwright paints into his diverse body of repertoire.
Joining forces with an array of local classical and pop musicians, singer/percussionist Doug Smith presents acoustic and electric covers paying tribute to this uber-talented Canadian musician.
International Affairs & Diplomacy Office merges with International & Multicultural Studies into the Office for Global Engagement; Utah-Russia Institute closes
From 2015 to 2019, the Office for Global Engagement, in conjunction with the Department of Languages and Cultures, has provided 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students, from Utah Dual Language Immersion schools, the opportunity to showcase their language skills by holding a Dual Language Immersion Fair.
Presented by Kyrgyz University Rector, Pierre Padioukov
Utah Valley University, in cooperation with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the World Trade Center Utah, hosted ambassadors to the United States from Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru for the Pacific Alliance economic summit on the University’s Orem campus March 3–4, 2016. The Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy sponsored a VIP luncheon for the visiting ambassadors and Utah’s prominent leaders in education, government and business. The Pacific Alliance is an initiative of regional integration and trade cooperation comprised of these four founding countries. The ambassadors include Juan Gabriel Valdés Soublette, Chile; Juan Carlos Pinzón, Colombia; Miguel Basáñez Ebergenyi, Mexico; and Luis Miguel Castilla, Perú.
In the midst of a continent where English has come to dominate the linguistic landscape, one can still find over a half million speakers of French. While many of them live in isolated locations and have experienced the effects of language contact and language shift, there is one territory where French enjoys a relatively privileged situation: Québec. In this lecture, I will briefly discuss the historical presence of French in North America, highlighting the existence of two separate groups with distinct histories and linguistic varieties. I will then provide an overview of the main characteristics that distinguish Québec French from what can be called standard French. Finally, I will discuss the language policies of Québec: why they were needed, what they are, and whether they have improved the linguistic rights of the French-speaking majority of the province.
Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Celine Dion, Rufus Wainwright, Tegan and Sara, Drake, Avril Lavigne, Nelly Furtado, Bryan Adams, Alanis Morissette, Michael Buble, K.D. Lang, & Justin Bieber—All CANADIAN!
UVU’s Commercial Music Area presents an All-Star line up of Students & Professors paying tribute to Canada’s Billion Dollar Music Industry.
Utah Valley University will host a delegation of six Ukrainian leaders participating in the Open World Program. The delegates will spend Feb. 20–28 in Utah learning more about accountable governance.
The delegation will tour UVU on Feb. 22, followed by a discussion on political parties at the national and local levels and the role of public opinion with Jay DeSart, professor of political science. The delegates will also give a presentation to students from the political science, peace and justice, and constitutional studies classes.
During and after the American Revolutionary War, several thousand Black Loyalists, people of African descent who were loyal to the British during the Revolution, settled in Nova Scotia. Several thousand more former slaves and free blacks from the Caribbean and the United States joined them between the 1790s into the early 1800s. The black Nova Scotians formed an independent society with a strong network of churches and an emerging sense of a shared identity. Some of these black Canadians became one of the first groups sent by British humanitarians to settle the colony of Sierra Leone on the West African coast in the early 1800s. The descendants of those who remained in Canada form part of today’s black Nova Scotian population, and the black colonists who traveled to Africa, known even after their arrival as “Nova Scotians,” formed a distinct group that played an important role in the colony and later the independent country of Sierra Leone. The talk will focus on the Canadian part of the story, in keeping with the Global Spotlight theme, but I will also emphasize what this story adds to our understanding of the American Revolution, the Atlantic slave trade, the colonization of West Africa, and the current demographics of Canada and Sierra Leone.
Unless a significant portion of current smokers quit, tobacco use will cause approximately one billion deaths in this century – mostly in low and middle income countries. By contrast, there were "only" 100 million tobacco deaths in the 20th century. The use of effective tobacco control policies (including taxation, regulation, and education) is now common in high-income countries, but is not regularly implemented in low and middle-income countries, where 80% of the world’s 1.3 billion smokers live.
In addition to speaking about the economic relationship between Utah and Canada, the presenters will also be open to incorporating other aspects of Canada into the presentation such as the recent election results, vision of the new government in Canada, NAFTA, clean energy, as well as any other topics that may be of interest to students and faculty at UVU.
While psychoanalysis in the United States has largely been disregarded in favor of psychotherapy and pharmaceuticals, it remains alive and well in many parts of the world. Quebec City, in particular, is home to an innovative group of practicing Freudian analysts, known as GIFRIC, who have demonstrated that the unconscious remains a relevant category through which to explore the dynamics of the human mind. This presentation will introduce GIFRIC, its clinical orientation, and its strategic elaboration of the ethical and political implications of psychoanalysis.
UVU's Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy hosted the long anticipated Old New Year Celebration. Traditional dishes filled the potluck tables and much fun was at the Children's Craft Table and New Year Photo Booth - especially when Ded Moroz and Snegurochka made their appearance at the end of the evening!
Sergey Petrov, and his wife Olga, were in Utah on December 16-19th, 2015. Mr. Petrov first led a candid discussion at UVU on Russia's perspective of current Middle Eastern issues then visited the Springville Art Museum's collection of Russian art. They also attended the unveiling of several works of Soviet Art which were loaned by Mrs. Ellie Sonntag to Rusty Butler housed at UVU.
Utah Valley University’s Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy hosted Peter Thomson, ambassador to Fiji, on Monday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m.. He discussed why small-island developing states matter at the United Nations.
“We are greatly honored to have Ambassador Thomson at our university,” said Rusty Butler, associate vice president for UVU International Affairs & Diplomacy. “He comes to us with vast international business and diplomatic experience. We look forward to this opportunity for him to share his thoughts and insights on the recent U.N. General Assembly with our students.”
This session will explore the perceptions and misperceptions of using humor. Canadian satire offers a unique view of how the Canadians view themselves and their neighbors to the south. At the same time there is a misperceptions about US and Canadian culture that can be highlighted by popular tv shows and performing groups.
In collaboration with UVU's Global Spotlight program, this concert will feature a performance of Gentle Piece, a beautiful composition by Canadian composer and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. Born in Toronto in 1930, Wheeler moved to London as a young man and built his early career performing in dance bands and recording commercial jingles. A late-bloomer, it wasn't until he reached the age of 40 that his creative forces really began to take shape, beginning with collaborations with some of the major innovators of the free jazz movement and culminating in a prolific output of original compositions that showcased his unique and distinctive blend of lyricism and complexity. Wheeler died in 2014 at the age of 84, widely remembered as one of the great jazz composers of the last six decades.
The UVU Native Wolverine Association Club will be sponsoring the 2015 UVU Pow Wow in the Grande Ballroom November 13th and 14th, in conjunction with Native American Heritage Month. Traditional Native American dances, art, crafts and food will be featured and all are invited to share in and experience the culture of various First Nation and Native American tribes.
Tamas Dobozy’s book of linked short stories, Siege 13, dwells on the legacy of the Siege of Budapest, which took place between December 1944 and March 1945, and involved the clash between Fascist and Soviet forces. During this time the capital of Hungary had not been evacuated, and the local civilian population, as well as refugees streaming in from the east, were caught in the middle of one of the deadliest conflicts of the Second World War. Dobozy’s stories tell of the moment of the siege, but also its effect on three generations of Hungarians—those who lived through the events, and their children and grandchildren, many of whom grew up as first- and second-generation immigrants in Canada and the US. Dobozy will introduce the historical context, providing background to the stories, read excerpts, and answer questions related to the work and to the writing of short fiction more generally.
Global Spotlight Canada presents pianist Steve Boudreau, an Ottawa-based musician who specializes in jazz and popular music. Mr. Boudreau has toured North America with multiple musical productions and has performed as both leader and sideman at various Canadian jazz festivals. The concert will feature music by fellow Canadians Oscar Peterson, Kenny Wheeler, Paul Bley and Feist.
In the Fall of 2014, US President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached a historic agreement to limit, and reduce, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as part of the UN led “Paris Climate Summit” talks slated for November 2015. The deal promised to save the Paris process as the two most important participants were declaring they were “in” for a global climate treaty. However the deal raises new challenges for many other participants in the process.
In Canada the deal was a surprise. Similar to the US Canada had not been eager for a treaty on GHG emissions. Canadian officials have traditionally tied participation to “what the US does”. The US decision has forced Canada to come up with its own plan, challenging deep political divisions in the country. Indeed, the US-China deal may have finally exposed the real truth: despite what Canadian governments say about the reality of climate change, they are structurally unable to do much about it.
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Speaker: Paul Campbell – Wheelercat.com
Honorary Consul of Canada, State of Utah
The Fourth International Women of the Mountains (IWM) conference will take place on 7-9 October, 2015 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, co-organized by UVU and the International University of Kyrgyzstan (IUK) under the auspice of the Mountain Partnership. This conference will continue the tradition set during the previous International Women of the Mountains Conferences hosted in Orem, Utah in 2007, 2011 and in Puno, Peru in 2012 to strengthen the involvement of North American mountain communities with the United Nations’ Mountain Partnership (MP). IWM promotes worldwide sustainable development in mountainous areas. It will also address the critical issues facing women and children in mountainous regions across the globe and provide a forum in which to raise both awareness and advocacy on eliminating gender inequality and addressing sustainability challenges.
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The War of 1812 was fundamental in shaping the Canada of today. Let’s explore the facets of this “2nd Revolutionary War” to see how it came about and how it affects our two countries, even now. We will look at the historical situations that caused the War, the changing tides of victory during the War and the resulting impacts that it has on both our nations.
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Speaker: MARK PILLING
The Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University sponsors the weekly Reed and Christine Halladay Executive Lecture Series as a way to bridge the gap between the world of business and management education. Students in the Woodbury School of Business enroll in the Halladay Series as part of their business core.
Musa Francis Ecweru, the Uganda state minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, will speak at Utah Valley University Wednesday, June 3, at 8:30 a.m. in the Classroom Building, room 112. His remarks are titled “Healing Invisible Wounds of African Refugees: The Path to Hope and Recovery.”
“Over the past 10 years, Mr. Musa Ecweru has done an incredible job advocating for Ugandan refugees through outreach, education and relief services,” said David Ssejinja, academic adviser for the Multicultural Center at UVU. “We are privileged to have him in Utah and at UVU sharing his expertise and valuable experiences.” A reception for Minister Ecweru will be held later that day at 5 p.m. in the lobby of the Center for Global & Intercultural Engagement located in the Woodbury School of Business. The public is invited to attend both the lecture and the reception.
Keiko is a Peruvian Fujimorista politician, daughter of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori and Susana Higuchi. She served as First Lady, from 1994 to 2000, after her parents divorced, becoming the youngest First Lady in the history of the Americas. She then became a member of the Peruvian legislature. Fujimori leads the center-right party Fuerza Popular, and lost her bid for the presidency in the 2011 Peruvian election runoff of June 5, 2011.
Scholars often wonder how the Inca managed to administer one of the most geographically vast empires in the history of the world without writing. Khipus, knotted cords that recorded data such as tribute, population, military statistics, and herd counts, are the most obvious answer to such questions. Yet how much is known about these as of yet undeciphered data storage devices? This lecture places the khipus in the context of other American data systems, explores recent controversies over the interpretation and contents of khipus, and highlights the use of khipus after the conquest in colonial Peru.
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His Excellency Sergey I. Kislyak, ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States, will be speaking on the current relationship between the United States and Russian during an April 16 lecture sponsored by Utah Valley University’s Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy. His lecture will begin at 10 a.m. in the UVU Library auditorium.
“Ambassador Kislyak’s visit to Utah and UVU gives our students and our community a rare opportunity to engage with the senior representative of one of the world’s most prominent powers,” said Rusty Butler, UVU associate vice president. “US-Russia relations may be at a post-Cold War low, but many are hopeful that continued engagement and open dialogue will help change that.”
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This academic lecture will discuss topics such as the involvement of North American mountain communities with the United Nations’ Mountain Partnership (MP) and IWM promoting worldwide sustainable development in mountainous areas. It will also address the critical issues facing women and children in mountainous regions across the globe and provide a forum in which to raise both awareness and advocacy on eliminating gender inequality and addressing sustainability challenges.
La Carreta restaurant was opened in 1991. The name of the restaurant was inspired by the legacy of the Mormon pioneers in Utah and by the legacy of the traditions of Peruvian peasants. The owner, Ms. Alejandra Saavedra (the chef) learned to prepare Peruvian food by following the steps of her father, who owned a restaurant next to the government palace in Lima, Peru. La Carreta restaurant was one of the first Peruvian restaurants in Utah. The food combines the typical Peruvian flavor emphasizing the usage of healthy ingredients for its preparation.
Peru´s economy has been consistently growing during the past decade, averaging 6.7% real GDP growth between 2004 and 2013. International trade, especially of commodities with little added value such as minerals and energy, can explain a great portion of the economic expansion, together with foreign investment and stability. Even though the prices of commodities have been favorable to the Peruvian economy, recent years have evidenced once again that it is not enough to rely on natural resources but rather to continue evolving into higher value added products in order to position Peru as a reliable supplier of quality and innovating products. Thus, the Peruvian Government, through the work of its Trade Commissions around the world, aim to promote the exports of non-traditional products, especially into the U.S. market, which remains to be the primary destination of such exports. This is a challenging goal that demands a close cooperation between the private and public sector, making the Trade Commission of Peru in Los Angeles an essential player in the development of trade with the United States.
From 2015 to 2019, the Office for Global Engagement, in conjunction with the Department of Languages and Cultures, has provided 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students, from Utah Dual Language Immersion schools, the opportunity to showcase their language skills by holding a Dual Language Immersion Fair.
In a globalized, digitized and continually evolving world, one cannot plan work objectives, vocational aspirations and professional goals with paradigms from generations past. In past decades, life and the labor market were predictable and somehow stable. Nowadays the only immutable constant is “change”. It is within this dizzying whirlwind of the educational and occupational world, that Career Construction offers us a refreshing and practical academic and occupational perspective with which to face the challenges at hand. In addition, it helps us meet the wonderful vocational and professional opportunities these new generations have. It assists us in integrating our past with the present to guide us to our future in a complete and realistic manner.
The purpose of this dance workshop is to introduce students to other cultures and help them develop an appreciation for cultures other than their own. Our particular focus is that "dance is a reflection of culture" Performed dances will showcase Peruvian culture and spirit.
Cosponsored with the UVU School of Education and UVU International Study Programs
Del Mar al Lago, has a wide range of Peruvian flavors represented, from cebiche (aka ceviche)—Peru’s gift to seafood lovers worldwide—to classic dishes like lomo saltado, causas, tacu tacu, sopas and much more. The menu is extensive. It’s also very reasonably priced. You can eat until you can’t move. Their dishes are amazing. Del Mar al Lago was named among the top 25 restaurants in Utah by the Salt Lake Magazine on March 27th of 2014..
Peruvian politics have been influenced by high levels of income inequality and considerable social tension between social classes and racial (indigenous/ non- indigenous) groups. Elections for the key office of the presidency held every five years have been dominated by personalist leaders supported by multiple, generally short-lived political parties. The radical leftist violence in the 1980s and early 1990s of the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement has largely been suppressed with their leaders dead or imprisoned during the Fujimori presidency. Recent presidents (Alejandro Toledo, 2001-06; Alan Garcia, 2006-2011; and Ollanta Humala, 2011-present), while they campaigned in the name of social reform, actually emphasized foreign investment that exploited Peru’s rich mineral exports. The recent economy has maintained low inflation (in distinction from that of the late 1980s and early 1990s) and moderately high economic growth. A weak point in the economy is the high gap in the income distribution between the rich and the poor (many of whom had once supported the guerrillas).
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"The purpose of my stories is to demonstrate that reading is simply the desire to search for an explanation of the real and the far-fetched. I prompt my readers to find themselves in between the parallels of magical worlds and what is plausible; I stimulate readers become part of the story-line and discover the key to imagination. In a similar light, I propose a new category for the narrative of chaos in Peruvian society. From beginning to end, my stories propose open-ended philosophies for the reader to make sense of these realities and explore the possibilities of similar and better worlds."
Ricardo Pinto was born in Lima, Perú in 1974. He earned a Bachelors of Arts in communication from Universidad San Martín de Porres in Lima, Perú, and a Master of Arts in literature from The City College of New York in New York City, U.S.A.
UVU to host Kyrgyzstan Delegation with Open World Leadership Center program
A delegation of five Kyrgyz leaders participating in the Open World Program will spend
Jan. 30 through Feb. 7 in Utah learning about accountable governance and the role
of legislators. Utah Valley University will host the delegation, which will meet with
state representatives and senators, as well as mayors and city councils from Orem,
Provo and Lehi.
Peru sits in one of the most geologically active zones on the planet. Just offshore Peru, the Nazca tectonic plate has been converging with the South American plate for more than 25 million years. This convergence has generated magma and, associated with the magma, tremendous mineral wealth. The valuable mineral deposits in Peru include ores of copper, gold, silver, zinc, lead, and tin. For decades, Peru’s economy has benefitted from a robust mining industry. Peru’s geology, however, has a down side. The plate convergence creates a major earthquake hazard, and Peru has experienced dozens of fatal earthquakes over the past 400 years. The most deadly earthquake in Peru’s history was the magnitude-7.9 Ancash earthquake in 1970. The Ancash earthquake triggered a landslide that completely buried two towns and killed at least 50,000 people.
Mr. Michal Sedlacek spoke to UVU international relations & political science students during his visit to Utah. Consul General Sedlacek, addressed topics of Trade, Czech Republic's Economic Future, and Immigration.
The Sacerdotisa de Chornancap (Priestess of Chornancap) was an elite ruler of the coastal Peruvian Lambayeque and Sicán culture approximately 800 years ago. She was buried in a tomb near the Pyramid of Chornancap with rich and elaborate ornamentation of gold, copper, and carved shells. UVU biological anthropologist, Dr. Haagen Klaus, and Dr. Daniel Fairbanks, Dean of the College of Science & Health at UVU and a certified forensic sculptor, along with UVU students, participated in the excavation and conservation of her remains. Dr. Fairbanks and Dr. Klaus reconstructed her image, which is currently on display at the Brüning National Archeological Museum in Lambayeque. In this presentation, Dr. Klaus will describe her history and her excavation while Dr. Fairbanks sculpts a replica of the Priestess from a cast of her skull.
Rudolph “Rudy” Moise, Ambassador-at-Large for the Republic of Haiti, will be speaking
during a Jan. 29 lecture sponsored by Utah Valley University’s Office of International
Affairs & Diplomacy.
The ambassador has enjoyed successful careers in several fields, including work as
a primary care physician, an attorney, an Air Force officer, an entrepreneur and an
actor. Since 1984, he has been the president and medical director of Comprehensive
Health Center in North Miami. He also serves on the board of directors of United Way
of Miami-Dade, as CEO of Physicians Access Urgent Care Group, as vice president of
Access Healthcare and as founder and president of the Kenbe Foundation.
Peru has one of largest indigenous populations of all countries in Latin America. It is also a place with some of the last isolated tribes on earth, formerly called uncontested peoples. Yet the issue of indian-ness (or better said indignity), how to determine it and the legal implications of indignity has become a matter of extensive struggle in this vast and important country. This presentation will give an overview of the issues and of the situation of indigenous people in Peru today, particularly when concerned with the law of consultation and the expansion in mining and petrochemicals on land claimed by indigenous communities.
UVU's Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy hosted the long anticipated Old New Year Celebration. Traditional dishes filled the potluck tables and much fun was at the Children's Craft Table and New Year Photo Booth - especially when Ded Moroz and Snegurochka made their appearance at the end of the evening!
Celebrate Christmas with us. Enjoy Peruvian christmas cake (Paneton) and Peruvian hot chocolate beverage (Chocolatada). Live music will be performed by a local Peruvian band "Los Chasquis" and a local Cumbia & Salsa singer - Claudia Cumbia. Come dance, mingle, enjoy refreshments, and learn of a Peruvian culture.
Utah Valley University once again showed how dedicated it is to the advocacy of the sustainable way of living in mountain communities by participating to the December 12, 2014 International Mountain Day conference in New York at the UN headquarters. Accompanied with a UVU student, Marie Essiko Poudiougou, Dr. Rusty Butler proudly represented the University at the conference. He demonstrated how important mountains and the mountain communities are to UVU and its students.
Jeronimo E. Lozano carries on the ancient Peruvian tradition of hand-crafted retablos,
originally portable altar boxes carried by travelers for protection, and incorporates
his experiences in Mormon Utah and the West.
His artistic talent was obvious at an early age. Through the Utah Arts Council, Lozano
has taught his art in schools and to disabled people in rest homes and other facilities.
He enjoys teaching and encourages students to draw on their own experiences and customs
to create retablos. Lozano is a unique retablo artist. Each of his pieces are originals.
He has developed his own sculptural dough recipe and hand builds, sculpts, and paints
each work of art.
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As part of the School of Education's global and inclusive mission we led a group of aspiring teachers to Peru in May of 2014. The goal of the trip was to give students an opportunity to see the similarities and differences in education in the United States. In addition, as Spanish is one of Utah's dual immersion target languages, the program gave our students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the language and better prepare them for working with Spanish speaking students in Utah. Along with seeing some amazing sites that Peru has to offer such as Machu Picchu, UVU students had the amazing opportunity to work in four different schools where they taught English and observed classroom practice.
Cesar Vallejo (1892 Perú – 1938 France) Encompasses all the individuals of the universe and identifies himself with the essence of the human being. In his poetry he captures the human and reader essence by bringing us close to each of his verses and creative works in every genre. In his writings, we are participants of his pain as an individual and of his absolute love for the human race. His verses penetrate the very essence of his readers, where Peruvian literacy identifies itself with the spirit of men and encompasses feelings that Vallejo not only wrote, but experienced, which made him an exceptional individual.
Cosponsored with local Peruvian restaurant owner Se Llama Peru (UVU School of Culinary Arts Graduate, Louis Rodriguez)
Dongman Han, the consul general of the Republic of Korea, will be speaking on “The Vision for Inter-Korea Relations and the Korean-US Alliance” during a Nov. 10 lecture sponsored by Utah Valley University’s Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy. “During the [last] four decades, the Republic of Korea has experienced tremendous economic, political and military growth, and significantly reduced U.S. dependency,” said Rusty Butler, associate vice president for UVU International Affairs & Diplomacy. “Today, South Korea is an industrial nation standing tall on the world stage. We look forward to learning more about South Korea from Consul General Han.”
In her presentation, Ms. Cabellos will address topics such as Peru’s “National Plan of Productive Diversification”, “The Diffusion of Technology and Innovation” and “The roles of Technology Innovation Centers”. Her speech will summarize the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Peruvian Economy and the strategies that the Peruvian government has used to increase diversification within the production sector. She will present how quality control, the use of technology, and innovation centers has improved the quality of enterprises in Peru.
This presentation is made possible by: UVU Global Spotlight Peru, UVU School of the Arts, Department of Art and Visual Communications, Secondary Art Education, the UAEA UVU Art Education Student Chapter and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Orem, Utah.
Honorary Consul to Peru, CEO of U.S. Translation Company. About executive lectures.
It has been five years since the implementation of the FTA between United States and Peru. The purpose of this presentation is to show the performance of the bilateral trade account. I will point out the benefits and costs of this bilateral trade for the United States and Peru. Previous to this analysis I will give a brief background about the Peruvian Economy in the last 20 years to show how this country has been transformed to be one of the emerging countries of the last decade.
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This lecture will tell the story of UVU students walking the trail of the Inca people. These students went to Peru as part of UVU Spanish Study Abroad program. This program offered linguistic and cultural opportunities in four completely different locations: Trujillo, Chiclayo, Lima and Cusco. Students received direct instruction by trained native educators, lived with Peruvian families and provided service in Trujillo and Cusco. Program Director and students will tell firsthand the richness and challenges of this Andean country these days. Come and experience Peru today with us!
Cosponsored with UVU School of the Arts and UVU International & Multicultural Studies
Until the conquistador Pedro Pizarro captured the Inca Emperor, Atahualpa, in 1533, the Inca governed the largest empire in the Americas. This lecture will use archaeological and historical data to discuss the many achievements of the Inca, including their extensive road system; their sophisticated architecture, agriculture, metallurgy, ceramics, and weaving; and their highly organized state bureaucracy. The discussion will also cover some of what we know about Inca religion, society, and daily life.
The Ambassador of Peru to the United States, Harold Forsyth, will lecture at Utah Valley University on Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. in the Sorensen Student Center, room 213a. Forsyth will discuss the role of Peru in a changing world. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Forsyth, a senior diplomat, published author and television personality, has served as ambassador of Peru to the United States since 2011. Prior to his current appointment, Forsyth served as Peru’s ambassador to China and previously served as ambassador to San Marino and Turkey, Italy and Colombia. He also served as an adviser of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru from 2006 to 2009, after serving as Vice Minister Secretary General of Foreign Affairs of Peru.
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Speakers: GOED, Peruvian Embassy, UVU Officials, Peruvian Community.
Peruvian dances by Dance Group “El Paso Peruano” directed by Sara Paredes
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Mariusz M. Brymora, Consul General of Poland in Los Angeles, will speak on “A Polish Perspective on Europe and the USA.” “He is not only an experienced diplomat, but also an accomplished educator and author,” said Rusty Butler, associate vice president for International Affairs & Diplomacy. “He is uniquely qualified to address current issues in Poland and the European Union as well as the history of Polish immigrants to America.
His Excellency Michel Spinellis, Ambassador of Greece to the United Nations, . His address is: “Greece — European Union: Challenges and Opportunities.” Prior to his appointment as Ambassador to the U.N. in 2013, Spinellis was Greece’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation for five years. He has served as his country’s Ambassador to Israel and was the Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (later known as Serbia and Montenegro).
Consul General of India, Shri N Parthasarathi, will address the challenges and opportunities between India and the United States. Parthasarathi has been serving as the Consul General of India in San Francisco since October 2011. Prior to that, he was Ambassador of India to Senegal from 2008 to 2011 and the Ambassador of India to the Republic of South Korea from 2005 to 2008. He was also concurrently accredited as Ambassador of India to Mali, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde islands, as well as High Commissioner of India to the Republic of the Gambia.
Utah Valley University is pleased to host His Excellency Ambassador Nguyen Ba Hung, consul general of Vietnam in San Francisco, who will discuss “Vietnam: Emerging from its Warn Torn Past into a Dynamic Country” “Vietnam has experienced an ever-increasing level of prosperity since the devastation of the Vietnam War,” said Rusty Butler, associate vice president for UVU’s Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy, which is sponsoring the event. “The country’s emergence into a regional power in economics and leadership is very compelling and will be of great interest to our students.”
Academic Lecture: Dr. Baldomero Lago - Director International & Multicultural Studies, UVU Dept. of Languages Cosponsored with the UVU Department of Languages
Food demonstration and presentation - Delicious sample food will be provided
Cosponsored with the UVU Culinary Arts Institute
Cosponsored with the UVU School of the Arts, Artes de Mexico en Utah, Art Works - arts.gov, Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Humanities Council, Latinos in Action, and El Semanal
Cosponsored with the UVU School of the Arts
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Academic Lecture: Dr. David Knowlton - UVU Dept. of Behavioral Sciences
Cosponsored with the UVU College of Humanities & Social Sciences and the UVU Dept.
of History & Political Science
Panel Discussion: Dr. Lori Santos – UVU School of the Art; Dr. Susan Vogel – Utah Arts Director; Dr. Allen Christensen – Dept. of Art, Brigham Young University; Artist Yandhi Reynoso - Photographer
Cosponsored with the UVU School of the Arts, Artes de Mexico en Utah, Art Works - arts.gov, Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Humanities Council, Latinos in Action, and El Semanal
Academic Lecture: Dr. Mark Lentz - UVU Dept. of History & Political Science
Cosponsored with the UVU Dept. of History & Political Science
Service Learning – International Development in Mexico. Academic Lecture: Dr. LaMond
Tullis
Cosponsored with the UVU School of Education and UVU International Study Programs
Academic Lecture: Dr. Rocio Barajas Escamilla - El Colegio de la Frontera Norte and
San Diego State University
Cosponsored with the UVU School of Education
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Academic Lecture: Luis Cuevas - Educator
Cosponsored with the UVU School of Education
Cosponsored with the UVU School of the Arts, Artes de Mexico en Utah, Art Works - arts.gov, Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Humanities Council, Latinos in Action, and El Semanal.
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“Recent events in Egypt have been at the forefront of the news as that nation evolves and struggles to find its place in the 21st century,” said Rusty Butler, associate vice president for UVU International Affairs & Diplomacy. “From the earliest history of its founding to the present day, Egypt has arrested the attention of historians, political scientists, foreign policy experts, archaeologists and everyone with a natural curiosity in humankind’s evolution. Ambassador Adelwahab will address the profound changes his country is experiencing.”
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"Moldova is a former Soviet nation which attracts great interest of both Russia and the EU, but for different reasons," said Rusty Butler, associate vice president for UVU International Affairs & Diplomacy. "The latter sees it as a kind of buffer state with former Soviet states and the former views it as an important ally on the east adjacent to the EU. The future of this highly charged region and the conflicts it engenders will be the subject of the ambassador's address to the UVU community."
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A delegation from Utah Valley University will participate in the Fourth Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership at Erzurum, Turkey, from Sept. 17-20, 2013. The Mountain Partnership, headquartered under the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, is a coordinator of the U.N.’s agenda on sustainable mountain development (SMD).
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Dr. Frederick White, Associate Dean, College of Humanities & Social Sciences.
Dr. David H. Gray - Visiting Professor of Criminal Justice, Campbell University.
David H Gray, has been at Campbell since August 2011. He is a native of California
and completed his undergraduate work at Brigham Young University and holds a doctorate
from the University of Southern California. A retired U.S. Air Force officer, Dr.
Gray is also a former Foreign Service/Central Intelligence Agency officer and program
director.
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On March 28, Andrei Dapkiunas, Belarus’ ambassador to the United Nations, will lecture on “Dynamic Belarus and Its Challenges in Europe” at Utah Valley University. The event is sponsored by the Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy and the Center for Global & Intercultural Engagement. “Belarus is a very distinctive European nation,” Rusty Butler, associate vice president for the Office of International Affairs & Diplomacy, said. “There is no Belarus Ambassador in the U.S. and vice versa, although each has a mission with a charge d’affaires in their respective national capitals. Ambassador Dapkiunas is the highest ranking official of the country in the U.S., and his presentation on Belarus in Europe will be a historic and extremely informative event for the UVU community.”
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Dr. Frederick White, Associate Dean, College of Humanities & Social Sciences.
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Dr. Daniel J. Fairbanks, Associate Dean - College of Science & Health. Click here for "The Vavilov-Lysenko Contention" video
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Dr. Kathren Brown, Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs.
UVU hosts Open World Program Discussion with Ukrainian leaders and Utah legislators
Utah Valley University is hosting a delegation of five Ukrainian leaders as they discuss
the role of legislatures with Utah lawmakers and officials as part of the Open World
Program. The discussions began on Feb. 1 and will continue through Feb. 9.
“Ukraine is a country vital to the United States’ interests in Eastern Europe,” said Rusty Butler, associate vice president of International Affairs & Diplomacy. “Its pro-Western leanings make it an anomaly among its neighbors, something we wish to have our students learn firsthand. This delegation of key decision makers will have great influence among their peers while allowing our students and faculty to engage with them.”
In conjunction with Global Spotlight Eurasia, a program presented by Utah Valley University’s Center for Global & Intercultural Engagement, the Woodbury Art Museum will host an exhibit of Russian military and industrial art Jan. 19-March 2. “This exhibition chronicles the daily realities of the Soviet Union’s military industrial complex, from 1950 through 1980,” said Melissa Hempel, interim director/curator of the Woodbury Art Museum.
The title of Cabactulan’s lecture is “Nuclear Disarmament: A Must for Human Survival.” Cabactulan, a career diplomat, is a distinguished negotiator of international economic, trade and tariffs, and nuclear weapon agreements.
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The concert will embody music by Russian nationalist composers like Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky, along with contemporary masterpieces for the Percussion Ensemble that relate in a creative way to UVU’s 2012-2013 focus on Eurasia.
Dr. Kathren Brown, Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs.
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Dr. Zamzagul Kashkinbaeva, Zhezkazgan University
Dr. Angela Kachuyevski, Arcadia University. Click here for "UVU: Conflict Transformation with Angela Kachuyevski" video.
Utah Valley University’s Woodbury Art Museum is partnering with the Center for Global & Intercultural Engagement to present “Global Spotlight Russia: Pastoralism” starting with an Oct. 16 reception at 7 p.m. The exhibition will be on display at the museum through Dec. 15. The exhibition brings together more than 60 paintings and drawings from several private collections in Utah, many of which have never been displayed publicly. The artworks span over three decades of Soviet-era landscapes and pastoral scenes from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Dr. Frederick White, Associate Dean, College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Accountable Governance/Ecotourism
Dr. Kathren Brown, Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs.
Alexey Semyonov, president and director of the Andrei Sakharov Foundation, will lecture on defense of human rights in Russia at Utah Valley University Sept. 18. The Sakharov Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and memory of Nobel Peace Prize-winner Andrei Sakharov, the promotion of his ideas and the defense of human rights.
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UVU and Higher School of Economics faculty that participated in the development seminar in Nizhny Novogorod, Russia, (l-r): Valerii Zusman (Higher School of Economics humanities professor), Marina Tsvetkova (Higher School of Economics English professor), Natal'ia Gronskaia (Higher School of Economics vice provost), Michael Minch (UVU Peace & Justice Studies director), Wioleta Fedeczko (UVU assist. professor of English & literature) and Vessela Ilieva (UVU assist. professor of elementary education)
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Rex Nielson, Assistant Research Professor in Portuguese at BYU
Readings & Resources: Amazon explorers uncover signs of a real El Dorado
Come celebrate Brazilian Carnival with UVU's International Students
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Larry Rohter: The New York Times culture reporter and commentator for Brazilian Media
Two decades ago, Brazil was emerging from a military dictatorship and faced a crippling debt. Today it has the world’s sixth largest economy, overtaking the United Kingdom, and has achieved energy independence. With its successful bid for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016, Brazil, at last, is ready to take its place on the world stage. In his lecture, Rohter will account for the country’s rebirth and its transformation into an industrial and agricultural powerhouse.
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H.E. Murad Askarov, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the United Nations and Ahmad Zahir Faqirih, Deputy Chief of Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations
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Moises Costa, Volkswagen Latin America
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Dr. Natalia Gronskaya, Nizhny Novgorod Higher School of Economics, Russia and Alexey Semyonov, President of the Andrei Sakharov International Foundation, Jack Matlock, fmr. US Ambassador to the Soviet Union, William Miller, fmr. US Ambassador to Ukraine, and Dr. William Hill, professor from the National War College
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Once again, our office partnered with the Utah State Board of Education to host the Annual Utah Dual Language Immersion Institute (AUDII) at UVU. This is our 5th year of this valuable community collaboration which is designed to educate new Dual Language Immersion teachers and addresses all the first and second-year competencies outlined in the DLI Professional Trajectory as essential skills. Over 1,200 teachers across the 7 DLI languages (Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and English) participated across the 5-day institute.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
With around 200 attendees and representatives from Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, El Salvador, and Guatemala, the conference underscored the importance of international partnerships. Speakers highlighted the vast potential for Utah businesses to expand into Latin American markets, with a special focus on industries like technology, mining, and logistics. Catalina Crespo Sancho, Costa Rica’s ambassador to the U.S., and Marcus Borges, a Utah businessman originally from Brazil, emphasized that global collaboration strengthens both regions, benefiting economies without displacing jobs. Participants heard from key Utah officials, including Ryan Starks, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, and Senator Luz Escamilla. Representatives from the Latin American nations provided insights into their countries’ economic stability, trade agreements, and investment opportunities. Antonio Cruz, deputy consul at the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City, pointed out Mexico's 14 free trade agreements with over 50 countries, while Gaby Morales from the Guatemalan Consulate highlighted the strength of her country’s currency.
Students from our Global Leadership Council joined members from the UVU Interfaith Student Council for a one-on-one meeting with representatives from the office of International Religious Freedom, US State Department. Foreign affairs officer, Sage Showers and deputy director, Mariah Mercer, led a lively discussion on current issues and shared their personal experiences addressing religious freedom as US State Department officials.
Due to a special relationship our office had with the Utah Symphony, we welcomed them to UVU to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. They were joined by guest conductor Enrico Lopez Yanez and featured Costa Rican trumpet soloist, Jose Sibaja.
The Fall inservice session of the Utah Dual Language Advisory Council was held at UVU. The council consists of about 200 principals and other school administrators from schools participating in the dual languae immersion program.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
UVU graduate ('23), Stephen Brailsford, shared his experience as a recent Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) within the competitive Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET). He was invited back to UVU by Japanese lecturer, Hillary Howell, with assistance from Global Spotlight funding.
As part of our October 24th United Nations Day celebration, we were honored to host Ambassador Michele Sison, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of International Organization Affairs for the U.S. State Department. Amb. Sison discussed the work of the United States at the United Nations as well as offered insights on internships and careers in foreign affairs
Our office showcased artwork by the internationally renowned textile artist, Maryna Lukach, during this two-day event. It was a fabulous opportunity to shine a light on Ukraine. As war continued to rage in her homeland, Maryna channeled her passion into her expressive textile artwork. In addition, Utah Ukrainian Ensemble, directed by Yulia Tymochko, performed several traditional songs and dances during the event.
Our Global Student Leadership Council member, Alyssa Grover, organized a Global Spotlight event with UVU's Dr. Carl Canlas. They hosted a comparative panel discussion out at our Lehi Campus on Cybersecurity with guests from the Far Eastern University Institute of Technology in Manila, Philippines.
Assistant professor of computer science, Dr. Saikat Das gave an insightful presentation on preventing ransomware. He focused on the technical advances made in both India and Bangladesh in combating and preventing this form of malware. Jacob Bunker, a member of our Global Student Leadership Council, organized this event.
After a series of revolutions in nearby Eastern Bloc countries, the Berlin Wall began to fall on November 9, 1989. This year, Utah Dual Language Immersion German language students descended upon UVU to celebrate German Day, to relive some of the East/West Germany iconic events of the past, and to learn about the culture of today. This collaboration between Languages and Cultures and the Global Spotlight program of the UVU Office for Global Engagement brought a mini blue Trebant car, Check Point Charlie, and the Berliner treat, Currywurst, to campus for the half-day event.
During our Global Spotlight/World Kindness Day event, Becky Pickle, CEO Huntsman Mental Health Foundation, engaged the audience with a discussion on the benefits of volunteerism and how to be more involved in everyday acts of kindness. Gordon Hunt from UVU Psychology & Counseling Dept shared insight on the global perspective of kindness. Global Student Council member, Annette Cabrera helped organize the Global Spotlight event.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Global Spotlight: China Dream was a great opportunity for our students, especially those studying Chinese, to learn about China from two very skilled and experienced individuals. Drs. Elizabeth and Frederick Crook both have an extensive connection to China and along with UVU professor of Chinese, Alex Yuan, shared personal insights and practical work ideas.
Rita Schwisow from the Marketing Department of Woodbury School of Business led a wonderful Global Spotlight event this week. She compared and contrasted job-hunting methods and work/life expectations between the USA and the UK. She was able to bring a global perspective to her already planned class curriculum, sharing personal experiences and helpful online content. It was an eye-opening experience! Our own Global Student Leadership Council member, Elle Park, assisted in organizing the event.
John McClure, Associate Director of the Center for National Security Studies and John Macfarlane from UVU's Peace and Justice Studies in the Department of History and Political Science addressed the ever-increasing tensions in the Middle East, focusing on counterterrorism and the Israeli response in Gaza. This event was organized by our Global Student Leadership Council member, Carter Darger.
Dr. Hilary Hungerford from the Department of Earth Science led the discussion focused on the global perspective of Climate Change. She was joined by several student presenters who shared their recent climate-related findings on specific regions of the world. Global Student Leadership Council member, Mohamud Toure assisted with the event.
This Global Spotlight cultural experience was organized in collaboration with the Russian Studies Program of Languages and Cultures. We had an excellent turnout with our tables full of students, faculty, and Russian speaking community members at this cultural holiday celebration. Food, songs and a visit by Dedyshka Moroz made in a true Russian experience for all.
The presentation was given by Dr. Baldomero Lago in Spanish for Spanish Health Professionals and focused how the brain processes new languages and explored both the psychological and physiological mechanisms at play.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
The 3rd UVU High School Model UN competition took place on February 8th. High Schools from across the region participated, with students representing various countries while engaging in debates on current global issues. Around 150 high school students took part in the event, guided by 11 UVU student volunteers who led the UN committee rooms. The Secretary General overseeing the voluneeer training was UVU student, Carter Darger.
On February 19, 2025, officials from the United Nations announced that Utah Valley University had received the UNESCO Chair designation, an honor given to only 30 universities in the United States. The Chair will use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve education, environmental stewardship, and sustainability. It gives UVU membership to a global network of educational and governmental institutions that share research and best practices and host international events to develop solutions to pressing global issues through education, science, and technology.
Lecture by UN Communication Officer, Felipe Queipo, in collaboration with the UVU
AI Institute.
On February 20 we welcomed Mr. Felipe Queipo, communications officer for the UN Department
of Global Communications, for an insightful presentation where he focused on both
opportunities and challenges of exploring the intersection of AI and Global Governance.
Two guests from the UK, Holly Megson and Maya Reilly, compared their own college and everyday experiences in England with the USA and shared what it is like to work on The Quill Project. UVU’s Center for Constitutional Studies has a close partnership with The Quill Project of Pembroke College, Oxford, whose mission is to digitally model the creation of constitutions and other similar documents.
In collaboration with Languages and Cultures, assistant professor of French, Dr. Thierno Diallo, hosted a Global Spotlight event for Francophone Day on March 20. He invited guest presenter, associate professor, Dr. Xinyi Tan, from Coastal Carolina University to share her research and fascinating insight on the French language and Asian authors.
As part of the Global Spotlight initiative, we were pleased tohave Gilbert Lee, CMO and co-founder of TORUS speak to our computer science students. Originally from the Philippines, Gilbert shared insights into his path as an immigrant in the USA, tips for setting up a "Start Up" company, and offered great practical advice for potential entrepreneurs.
Our own Global Student Leadership Council member, Alyssa Grover, presented in Bruce Emery's computer programing class for our last March Global Spotlight. She addressed the "International Presence of AI" and the legal ramifications surrounding it.
This concert, performed by the UVU Symphony Orchestra, highlighted the works of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and featured acclaimed concert violinist Aubree Oliverson. Ambassador Okka-Pekka Salmimies, Consul General of Finland in the US and Paul Hirst, the newly appointed Honorary Consul of Finland in Utah and Wyoming, were also in attendance.
March 30 is International Day of Zero Waste and is one of the official days recognized by the United Nations. On April 3, we collaborated with several UVU clubs to have our Really Really Free Market and a Sustainable Fashion Show in honor of this day. Mohan Vilas Das, from the Govardhan Ecovillage in India also addressed the audience.
The Language Services Day (April 3) event was a Global Spotlight collaboration with UVU Languages and Culture. It was an opportunity for individuals looking to work in interpreting, translation and other language related fields to network and seek practical job guidance.
It was an pleasure to host Mme. Elsie Effange-Mbella again at UVU. During her presentation, she discussed the importance of promoting culture and environmental literacy for sustainable development. She aslo shared her insights gained from her vast experience as UN advisor for Women's Rights and Notable of the Buea Community.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
The UVU African Diaspora Initiative and the Black Student Union, with the support of the Office for Global Engagement, hosted the Proud to be African Festival, and commemorated International Day of African Descent with song and dance.
Celebrating 16 years since the resolution passed by the United Nations in 2007, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
This month we celebrated International Day of Peace. We were pleased to have Mr. Felipe Queipo, Communications officer, United Nations Department of Global Communications, speak on "UN Human Rights Declaration in Promoting Positive or Sustainable Peace".
It was an honor to host Felipe Queipo, communications officer at the UN Office of Global Communication, to UVU. He gave an insightful presentation on the United Nations and the quest for a global civil society during UVU Ethics Awareness Week.
Over 220 principals from around Utah convened at UVU for their annual Dual Language Immersion Advisory Council meeting. They were welcomed to campus by Dean of the School of Education, Dr. Vessela Ilieva and SOE Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Mia Kang. The Office for Global Engagement is proud to facilitate lasting collaborations for faculty and students between the Utah School Board of Education and our own School of Education.
Our first Global Spotlight event of the semester was the Kyrgyz Republic - Utah IT Forum on September 29. This event was a networking oppurtunity between students from the College of Engineering and Technology and over 15 software company leaders visiting Utah from the Kyrgyz Republic. H. E. Baktybek Amanbaev, Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic was the keynote speaker at the event.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
On October 12, executive director of the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Juan Pascua, gave a presentation on business opportinities for the hispanic community in Utah. Spanish teaher, Mari de Dios, hosted Mr. Pascua to her class. The lecture was part of our Global Spotlight Initiative and was given in Spanish.
Our office welcomed members of the Orem Rotary Club to commemorate the continuing fight to End Polio Now. UVU Rotaract organized the event.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Peter Sewakiryanga, executive director of Kyampisi Childcare Ministries, was invited to David Ssejinga's World History Class to speak on his work combating child trafficking in Uganda. Students from the Social Work department also joined the audience. There were over 60 in attendence at the Global Spotlight event.
Honorary Consul of France in Utah, Anne Lair, met with UVU French language students and shared her insights and impressions about France's role in supporting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Her presentation was part of the Global Spotlight Initiavtive and was given in French.
Dr. Sari Tojkander, Counselor for Science and Higher Education, Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles shared her country's advances and successes in higher education.
In a show of support for the local Ukrainian diaspora and Utah host families that helped Ukrainian refugees, UVU hosted the Ukrainian Culture Night. We collaborated with Ukrainian Center Utah for this night filled with traditional song, food, and creative arts.
Ambassor Aida Kasymalieva, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations spoke to students at UVU for International Mountains Day, highlighting her country's Five Years of Action plan for the Development of Mountain Regions.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Following the Second World War, the international community wanted to ensure that the atrocities of the war never happened again. This led to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), consisting of 30 articles, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. Now, 75 years later, the world has evolved, raising the question—what does the Universal Declaration of Human Rights mean for us today? Students submitted posters, videos, and compositions celebrating this event.
Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden, Snegurochka, passed out treats to excited children of all ages at the Old New Year Celebration at UVU on January 12. The Old New Year, or the Orthodox New Year, is an informal traditional holiday, celebrated as the start of the New Year by the Julian calendar (January 14). It was a fabulous chance for UVU students and members of the local community to share this Slavic tradition.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
On January 25, Japanese Language Program teacher, Yasuko Saito, led this cultural event to share Japanese New Year traditions with UVU. An estimated 230 students, staff and faculty enjoyed food and games for the holiday. Domo arigato!
This Global Spotlight event was a collaboration with the Russian Language Program in the Department of Languages & Cultures. Dr. Fred White and Amy Barnett (from the Office for Global Engagement) shared their expreiences using thier Russian language skills in a variety of jobs and volunteer positions. It was great opportunity for UVU students to ask questions and get career ideas. There was an assortment of Russian treats to sample, as well.
On February 3 we held our 2nd UVU High School Model UN competition . Nine schools from across the Wasatch Front brought close to 200 students to the day-long Saturday event in UVUs Clarke Building. UVU students from the Model UN class effectively led the 4 UN Committee rooms. The Secretary General overseeing the UN Committee room voluneeer training was UVU student and Global Student Leadership Program participant, Stephan Atkinson.
In collaboration with the UVU Chinese Language department, we celebrated Chinese New Year in the UVU Grand Ballroom. Six high schools - Timpview, Orem, Sky Ridge, Westlake, Lone Peak and Springville - participate in the event along with UVU students and members of the community. Many aspects of Chinese culture were shared including musical and dance performances.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
This Global Spotlight event, held in the Ragan Theater was organized in collaboration with the Department of Languages & Cultures and highlighted diverse cultures and expressions of language of our UVU community through song, dance, sign language, and the spoken world.
Global Keynote speaker at the UVU Autism Conference was Dr. Eduardo Canal from Spain. He addressed the topic of "Identifying Signs of Risk in the Early Development of Autism: Current Challenges and New Research Proposals in Europe".
UVU’s Office for Global Engagement celebrated International Women’s Day with a panel discussion on the 2024 theme, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.” The panel was comprised of insightful women with international backgrounds and a direct connection to UVU: Dr. Rasha Qudisat, UVU chief engagement and effectiveness officer, originally from Jordan; Dr. Maritza Sotomayor, UVU professor of economics, originally from Peru; Dr. Violeta Vasilevska, UVU professor of mathematics, originally from North Macedonia; Maryna Storrs, head of global HR at Partner; CEO & founder of the Ukrainian Center Utah ”Dzherelo,” UVU graduate, originally from Ukraine. The panel’s moderator, Jennifer Hogge Ellsworth, a member of the UVU Global Community Advisory Board and executive director of the international non-profit Engage Now Africa, encouraged the panelists to share experiences and offer practical advice on a variety of topics.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
The symposium aspired to examine academic freedom through both a global and a domestic lens while focusing on five topics of conversation: foundations of learning, education emergency and crisis, hate speech, gender equality, and digital transformation and AI. The purpose of the symposium was to engage in a conversation about these issues, the challenges of mis and disinformation, as well as raise awareness about academic freedom to those who may not be aware of the threats to academia and scholars around the world.
A delegation comprised of Mr. Czibor Omar Chicata-Sutmoller Sagenschnier, Consul General of Peru and Ana Maria Gutierrez Valdivia, Vice-Governor of Arequipa, Peru visited UVU and several classrooms.
The Office for Global Engagement, in collaboration with the Roots of Knowledge and
the Center for Social Impact, presented "Gentrification, Homelessness and Poverty:
Global Issues Local Solutions."
They first looked at the issue of Gentrification from a systems perspective. Starting
with the global impacts and then moved the focus to Utah and to see how it affects
communities in Utah. Students from a community grassrrots organization, Trashbird
Distro, spoke about how community is essential in combating gentrification, homelessness
and poverty through collaborative efforts like Mutual Aid.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
During his visit to Utah, Dr. Vassilis Gkaniatsas gave a presentation to students in the UVU Engineering Design Technology department on the topic of “Traditional, Classical, and Modern Paradigms in Architectural Design.” He posed many philosophical questions to the audience regarding the purpose, motivation, and implementation of architecture. Theory and philosophy, and the occasional reference to Greek mythology were interwoven with a more practical understanding of architectural design.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
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The Office for Global Engagement partnered with the Utah State Board of Education to host the Annual Utah Dual Language Immersion Institute (AUDII) at UVU. This valuable community collaboration is designed to educate new Dual Language Immersion teachers and addresses all the first and second-year competencies outlined in the DLI Professional Trajectory as essential skills. Over 1,000 teachers across the 7 DLI languages (Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and English) participated across the 5-day institute.
Mrs. Victoria Labaziuk, Head of the Regional Council (governor) of the Khmelnytskyi Region, led the delegation from Western Ukraine. Their visit to Utah was sponsored by August Mission, a local humanitarian aid organization currently working on several projects in Ukraine. Former Governor Gary Herbert from the Herbert Institute for Public Policy at UVU was available to join in the for a tour of campus and the luncheon. Deputy Provost, Dr. Kathren Brown welcomed the guests on behalf of the university. Several UVU students from Ukraine and members of the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce were also in attendance.
This gloabl event was established to bring awareness and to shine a light on our amazing students, faculty, and staff of African descent.
"This day is a celebration of the enormous contributions of people of African descent to every field of human endeavour. It is a long overdue recognition of the profound injustices and systemic discrimination that people of African descent have endured for centuries, and continue to confront today." - UN Secretary General António Guterres
“Why It Matters,” a United Nations-sponsored conference at Utah Valley University (UVU), brought nearly 1,000 people from around the world to UVU’s Orem Campus, and another 700+ people attended online. Sessions were livestreamed in 80 languages. Participants from 60 countries including UN senior leadership, UN Ambassadors, Consul Generals and leaders from business and civil society entities
The Office for Global Engagement collaborated with the Orem Rotary and UVU Rotaract groups to commemorate World Polio Day.
Utah and Morocco Partnership, Keith Martin, Honorary Consul for Morocco in Utah and Major General Jeff Burton, U.S. Army, Ret.
We hosted a delegation from Peru consisting of female presidents from 5 universities, along with senators and other dignitaries for a brief visit to UVU. Our own president, Dr. Astrid Tuminez, was able to meet with them prior to the luncheon held in their honor at the UVU Bingham Gallery.
UVU Russian language students joined members of the local community from Ukraine, Armenia, Russia and other former Soviet republics to celebrate the Old New Year on January 13. Food, song, games and a visit by Grandfather Frost and Snegurochka filled the evening with fun. This traditional dating of the New Year is sometimes commonly called "Orthodox" because it harks back to a time when governments in Russia and Eastern Europe used the Julian calendar, which is still used by some jurisdictions of the Eastern Orthodox Church
For this Global Spotlight sponsored event, attention turned to the United Kingdom and the celebration of Darwin Day. Dr. Joseph L. Graves, professor of biological science at North Carloina Agricultural and Technical State University gave the keynote adress. In celebration of Darwin's birthday, enough cake for 200 was passed out in the Science Atrium.
We had an enjoyable time hosting H.E. Ambassador Baktybek Amanbaev, his wife Almazkan, and the Kyrgyz Embassy's First Secretary, Mr. Ermet Sydykov. In addition to sharing his insight on the role of the Kyrgyz Republic in the global community during his lecture at UVU, the ambassador met with UVU administrators, students, faculty and staff. Several members of the Orem-Lindon Rotary were also in attendance at the UVU events. Through the Engaged Learning model, students from Utah International Mountain Forum and Roteract took the lead in planning the evening reception, a tour of campus and with several on campus meetings. While in Salt Lake City, the delegation met with Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson, Senate President Stewart Adams, business leaders from the World Trade Center Utah, as well as with ecclesiastical, educational and humanitarian representatives of the LDS Church.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Dr. Steven Seegel, professor of Slavic and Eurasian Studies at the University of Texas, Austin, was the keynote speaker for the Utah Diplomatic Conference on International Relations “Ukraine: One year later…”, Dmytro Kushneruk (Consul General of Ukraine), Hon. Dobroslawa Siemianowska (Head Consul of Poland), Cosmin Dumitrescu (Consul General of Romania), Juan Carlos Sanchez (Consul General of Spain), and Mr. Ryan Guirlinger (Political Unit Chief in the Office of Eastern European Affairs at the US Department of State) also participated on the round table discussion. The local Ukrainian choir, Dzherelo. performed several traditional songs.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
Ambassador Okko-Pekka Salmimies represents Finland in thirteen Western US states as their Consul General. The Office for Global Engagement was pleased to collaborate with the School of Education in hosting him for a conversation about Finland and its world-class education system. He also addressed the current global climate in Northern Europe.
In support of the UN Sustainanabe Development Goals #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Productio, and #13 Cimate Change, we organized the Really, Really Free Market. This event was held in the Science Atrium, with tables filled with a wide variety of donated items for UVU students to take for free. This exchange was not a transaction, but more mutual aid, where all particiants support each other. The Free Market also suports a sustainable and circular economy. Items that would normally be disguarded, are given entended life by other person via re-use and upcycling.
This Global Spotlight Peruvian cultural event was a collaboration between the Office for Global Engagement and the Honorary Consulate of Peru in Utah. Guest artists from Peru retold the story of the foundation of the Inca Empire by the Four Ayar brothers and the Pata Pata Tarpuy Raymi. The event was opened up to include the local Peruian community who filled the Grand Ballroom. The presentation was given in Spanish and Quechua.
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Our office joined the UVU Reflection Center to celebrate Internaitonal Day of Peace. Amy Barnett, UVU Program Director of Global Events & Hosting, along with UVU Global Student Leadership Council member, Will Clark, talked about the significance of the Day as well as the Sustainable Development Goal 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
The International Day of Sign Languages is an opportunity to support and protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of all deaf people and other sign language users. Panelists included members of the deaf community: Dr. Michael Ballard - UVU ASL & Deaf Studies Program Director, Moderator; Benjamin Leininger - UVU Student; Gohar Nisar - Native BSL Signer; Tanasha Slack - ASL & Deaf Studies Instructor; and Anna Pauling-Allred - UVU Alum 2009.
Niankoro Yeah Samake is the Former Mayor of Quelessebugou, 2013 Malian Presidential Candidate, Ambassador of Mali, and Founder of the Empower Mali Foundation. Mr. Samake spoke to a large audience of international students and students studying political science about his experiences leading in Mali in a time of crisis.
Felipe Queipo
Mr. Felipe Queipo began his United Nations career at the NGO Relations & Advocacy Section of the Department of Public Information (DPI) in 2008. He currently serves as the Communications Officer responsible for outreach, engagement and global communications with civil society within the Department of Global Communications (DGC). Felipe is a member of the United Nations Speakers Bureau, and travels extensively invited to speak at conferences, forums and academic institutions on civil society and public diplomacy, the role of youth in the international arena, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, among other subjects. His presentations are dynamic and participatory, and he is often invited to address young audiences given his capacity building approach to youth empowerment and engagement. He has given presentations at conferences in Australia, England, Germany, Kenya, Malaysia and Thailand among others. He is also the focal point for faith-based organizations within DGC. In this capacity, he leads the team that organizes the "Focus on Faith" briefings within the Department, an initiative that studies the links between faith traditions and religious organizations, and the work and mission of the United Nations. Before Graduating from Brigham Young University Idaho, where he studied Political Science, Felipe studied Theology and Biology in Spain, emphasizing his training on Political and Social Theology.
The Office for Global Engagement collaborated with the Orem Rotary and UVU Rotarect groups to commemorate World Polio Day.
Roundtable discussion focused on Utah's Bears Ears National Monument with Dustin Jansen, Utah Dept of Indian Affairs and Sara E. Hunt, CEO & President, Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy, Washington, DC. Event co-hosted by Utah International Mountain Forum, UVU Department of History and Political Science, and the Orem-Lindon Rotary Club.
Dr. Seth Blaylock, Counterterrorism Unit Chief, US Embassy Malila, Philippines shared his experiences in diplomatic service and focused on the US counterterrorismin efforts in Manila. The event was co-hosted by the UVU Foreign Affairs Club
To commemorate International Mountain Day (December 11), we joined forces with Utah International Mountain Forum to host a virtual celebration on this year’s theme: Sustainable Mountain Tourism.
H.E. Elsie Ngowo Effange-Mbella, Minister Plenipotentiary of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon, talked about how to empower women and youth to be more engaged in sustainable development.
Dr. Efrem Yildiz Sadak, Vice President of International Relations at the University of Salamanca, Spain, gave an overview of the European Higher Education System during his presentation to UVU students and faculty, primarily from the School of Education. Vice President of the University of Salamanca, Spain, gave a presentation about The Challenges of the European Higher Education System.
With a visit from Grandfather Frost and Snegurochka, UVU celebrated the traditional Slavic holiday, Old New Year.
This small, but mighty group from Ukraine visited UVU last week to share and learn about inclusion, diversity, and LGBTQ+ rights through the US Library of Congress Open World program. Sending wishes of strength and peace to our friends in Ukraine!
On April 28, 2022 at 7:00 pm in the UVU Grand Ballroom, the Office for Global Engagement, in conjunction with the City of Cusco in Peru and the Consulate of Peru, will celebrate the most significant Incan festival of their New Year celebration, Inti Raymi. For the first time in their history this celebration will be held outside of Peru, bringing great enthusiasm to our local community and abroad.
Inti Raymi is a traditional religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the sun god Inti (Quechua for "sun"), the most venerated deity in Inca religion. It was the celebration of the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year in terms of the time between sunrise and sunset – and the Inca New Year, when the hours of light would begin to lengthen again. The festival is held on June 24.
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For a second year, the Office for Global Engagement collaborated with the Orem Rotary and UVU Rotarect groups to commemorate World Polio Day. Due to Covid 19 restrictions, the October 21 event was a virtual one with Dr. Scott Leckman as the main presenter. He shared his experiences and involvement with Rotary International. He cited the organization’s mission, saying, “The eradication of polio is our number one priority.”
David Utrilla started his college education in Peru where he studied economics and international business. He continued his education in Utah at Weber State University studying Business Management and International Business. While he was still in school, David founded U.S. Translation Company which provides translation and interpretation services in order to help organizations break the communication barrier. In addition to his role as CEO of U.S. Translation, he also serves as the current President of the World Trade Association, the oldest trade organization in Utah. In this role, he helps Utah companies to expand their businesses into foreign markets by providing useful knowledge and facilitating key introductions. The third hat that David wears is to serve as the Honorary Consul for Peru in the State of Utah. He feels very comfortable in his role and has the opportunity to serve approximately 40,000 Peruvians living in the State of Utah today. As a result of this large population, David has been given the same power and responsibilities as a Consul General. Those responsibilities include the right to issue identification documents, dual citizenship, emergency travel documents, initiate business deals, and serve as a power of attorney. In addition to all of the above-mentioned roles, David also finds the time to serve on several boards including the Weber State University President’s National Advisory Council, Weber State University’s School of Business and Economics, Utah Symphony and Opera, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy. He also is a language industry expert who speaks at conferences and events around the globe.
Mr. Felipe Queipo began his United Nations career at the NGO Relations & Advocacy Section of the Department of Public Information (DPI) in 2008. He currently serves as the Communications Officer responsible for outreach, engagement and global communications with civil society within the Department of Global Communications (DGC). Felipe is a member of the United Nations Speakers Bureau, and travels extensively invited to speak at conferences, forums and academic institutions on civil society and public diplomacy, the role of youth in the international arena, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, among other subjects. His presentations are dynamic and participatory, and he is often invited to address young audiences given his capacity building approach to youth empowerment and engagement. He has given presentations at conferences in Australia, England, Germany, Kenya, Malaysia and Thailand among others. He is also the focal point for faith-based organizations within DGC. In this capacity, he leads the team that organizes the "Focus on Faith" briefings within the Department, an initiative that studies the links between faith traditions and religious organizations, and the work and mission of the United Nations. Before Graduating from Brigham Young University Idaho, where he studied Political Science, Felipe studied Theology and Biology in Spain, emphasizing his training on Political and Social Theology.
"We encounter the daily health ramifications and anxieties of COVID19. But how does this global pandemic affect those already enduring other humanitarian crises, such as conflict, forced migration, or hurricanes?"
UVU Global Engagement Office joined with World Trade Center Utah, Utah Consular Corps, and Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy for a stimulating conversation on natural disasters and refugee crises worldwide, and COVID19's impact on populations affected by these crises.
Beginning in 2014, Ryan Koch has overseen the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' outreach to the diplomatic communities in New York and at the United Nations, including representing LDS Charities, the Church’s humanitarian arm. Ryan is also responsible for liaising with religious umbrella organizations in New York. Prior to his work for the Church, Ryan spent 11 years as a Public Diplomacy Officer for the U.S. State Department. During this time he served abroad at the U.S. Embassies in Manila, Philippines; Kyiv, Ukraine; and Stockholm, Sweden.
Mark is the Associate Director of Public Engagement and Directorate of Social Impact and Engagement at De Montfort University in Leicester, England. His interests are in community engagement, public engagement through research, universities as a public good, policies on tackling social exclusion through education and social mobility. He is currently manager of the award-winning DMU Square Mile programme that seeks to connect the university with the community demonstrate the university as a public good. Mark's research examines policies that encourage public good in Higher Education and investigates university strategies for tackling social
Samira Harnish is the Founder and Executive Director of Women of the World (WoW). Women of the World is a women refugee, asylum seeker, and immigrant service and capacity building nonprofit that has been in operation in Salt Lake City since 2010.After getting her degree in Civil Engineering, she worked for 17 years as an R&D engineer at the largest domestic manufacturer of semiconductor memory. Samira has received local, national, and international recognition for her service leadership including: The Enlightened 50 Award from the Utah Community Foundation, the 2014 Salt Lake City Human Rights Award, the 2016 Ruby Award from the Soroptomists of Utah, and the 2017 Emerald Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement. In 2018, she was awarded the America’s Region Nansen Award from the United Nations High Commission on Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland, she was chosen from over 450 international nominees. In April 2019 she was awarded the 2019 American Red Cross Hero for her extraordinary Heroic act of Global Citizenship.
Curtis S. Bramble, CPA, is a member of the Utah State Senate and previously served as the Senate Majority Leader. After beginning his college career at the University of Notre Dame, he earned his Bachelors and Masters degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University. He founded Bramble & Company CPA’s in 1986, and in 2001, after being elected to the Utah Senate, merged with Gilbert & Stewart CPA’s in Provo.Senator Bramble currently serves as the International Relations & Trade Committee Chairman of the Utah Senate Legislature.
(Due to commitments on the Senate floor, Senator Bramble was able to join the conversation 11:19 minutes into the Global Dialogue session.)
Anne was recognized by the State Department as an Honorary Consul to France on April 27, 2017. She is a native from France and moved to the US when she was 21 years old. She earned a PhD in 19th-century French culture and literature from the Ohio State University (2003), has published articles and a book on symbolism of food, and co-authored beginning and intermediate textbooks in French. She has received several state and national awards for her teaching and work with teachers of French and has been recently recognized as a Knight in the Order of the Academic Palms, a French distinction for her dedication to French culture. She is well involved in the French community and served for three years as President of the Alliance Française in Utah. She currently teaches French at the University of Utah, where she also directs the French Basic Language Program, as well as the Dual Immersion French Bridge Program (10-12 grades). Prior to coming to Utah, she was an Associate Professor of French in Iowa.
Felecia, a native of Utah, joins the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy with extensive experience in government and nonprofit administration. Her prior work history includes the Department of Workforce Services Refugee Services Office, Utah Refugee Coalition, and Wasatch Community Gardens. She has a B.A in Anthropology and a Masters in Public Administration both from the University of Utah. Felecia has extensive experience in oral history and storytelling, and she believes through capturing stories, we create a sense of self, how we orient the world, how we organize and pass knowledge on to others, and create shared humanity. Felecia is passionate about all varieties of music, spends her free time gardening, and adventuring in Moab, Utah.
Iñigo Arbiol is the Director of International Relations at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain. He has a degree in Modern and Contemporary History, a Master's in International Humanitarian Action (NOHA) and a PhD from the University of Deusto, with a thesis on United States foreign policy in the post-cold war period. His teaching activity focuses on the degree in International Relations and Double Degree in International Relations and Law. For years he worked at the United Nations and at research enters for peace. In terms of his research and outreach work, in recent years he has been working on transatlantic security and defense issues and deepening his specialization in US politics.
Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and planet. Yet, due to globalization processes, they are increasingly under threat, or disappearing altogether. When languages fade, so does the world's rich tapestry of cultural diversity. Opportunities, traditions, memory, unique modes of thinking and expression — valuable resources for ensuring a better future — are also lost. At least 43% of the estimated 6000 languages spoken in the world are endangered. Only a few hundred languages have genuinely been given a place in education systems and the public domain, and less than a hundred are used in the digital world.
Karl graduated with a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Spanish. He went on to earn a Master of Education with a major in Educational Administration from the University of Utah and. Karl spent his early career as a teacher of 3rd and 5th grade students both in English and Spanish Immersion and taught technology/computers to 1st through 6th grade students as well. He spent 26 of his 35 years in educational administration and leadership roles in both elementary schools and at the district level; including time as the principal at six different elementary schools.
Karl is currently the Education Specialist for the Utah State Board of Education over World Languages and Dual Language Immersion and has been for the past 3 1/2 years. He is a champion of new and innovative educational models; including the Extended Day model and the development and implementation of Alpine School District's Spanish immersion programs for elementary schools across Utah Valley. Karl is the recipient of various professional awards including the José M Rubio Lifetime Achievement Award from Utah Valley University, the District Distinguished Principal from the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals, the Outstanding School Administrator from the State of Utah PTA, the District Distinguished Principal from the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals and the Innovator of the Year from the Alpine Elementary Principals Association.
Christina "CJ" Hernandez, a Utah native and a recently retired Foreign Service Officer, specializes in operational/management services, human rights, and consular programs. She has served in Los Angeles, California, Merida, Mexico, Washington D.C., Budapest, Hungary, and Mexico City, Mexico. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, CJ managed major acquisitions and public/private partnerships for the U.S. Air Force at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and at the Defense Logistics Agency in Germany and Italy.CJ holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management from Utah State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Weber State University.
Mr. Tichy was accredited by the State Department as the Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic in Salt Lake City on March 30, 2009. He is currently the president of Envoy Legal & Consulting International, a firm that specializes in international legal and governmental relations strategies, where he advises international businesses, non-profit organizations, churches, and governmental agencies. He also serves as a special international legal and governmental relations advisor to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the course of his professional duties he has personally met with hundreds of foreign government leaders and over two dozen presidents, prime ministers, and foreign ministers. He is certified native/near-native fluent in both the Czech and Slovak languages and has basic fluency in the Hawaiian language.
He spent over seven years living and working abroad in significant business, legal, academic, and governmental capacities. In the late 1990s he received a special diplomatic appointment by President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to work at the U.S. Embassy in Prague. For his work there, he was awarded the State Department’s prestigious Meritorious Honor Medal. Mr. Tichy also served as the senior Staff Aide (chief of staff) to an Assistant Secretary of State and ambassador, and was a Fascell Fellow at the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs in Washington, D.C. In 2011, he received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from Brigham Young University. He served for several years as executive vice-president of the board of the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, and is currently on the boards of the Salt Lake Film Society, the Wallace Toronto Foundation, and the Czech & Slovak School of Utah.
Franz Kolb was recognized by the State Department as an Honorary Consul to Austria on June 14, 2002. He is the Regional Director for International Trade and Diplomacy responsible for Europe, India, Middle East and Africa in the State of Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development. His previous experience includes: President of the Kolb Group, an international business consulting company specializing in international business development, Deputy Director for the State of Utah’s International Business Development Office, Director of International Services of Ernst & Young, and President of an international business consulting firm which specialized in the high-tech industry. Mr. Kolb was educated in Austria and the United States. He received an Associate, Bachelor, and Master’s degree from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Mr. Kolb has been appointed by the United States Secretary of Commerce to the Utah District Export Council.
Dr. Scott Sprenger began his tenure as President of The American University of Rome on 1 July, 2020. He came to the post after serving as Dean of the College of Arts & Humanities at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah and formerly was Provost of The American University of Paris as well as associate dean of the College of Humanities at Brigham Young University (BYU).
Dr. Sprenger has a vast experience with foreign language programming and with connecting the liberal arts to global career opportunities. His administrative work as both provost and dean has covered a broad range of areas, such as strategic planning, institutional budgeting, faculty hiring and promotions, curriculum development and oversight, international programs, college and university advising, the creation and oversight of research centers, grant writing and fundraising. At AUP, he secured Andrew W. Mellon institutional grants to improve first-year programs and to open a Civic Media Lab and a Center for Critical Democracy Studies. With private funding, he founded a Center for the Study of Genocide, Human Rights and Conflict Prevention. Dr. Sprenger's graduate degrees in French Studies are from Johns Hopkins University and Emory. In 2009, he was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholar award in Brussels/Paris. He did post-doc work at UCLA from 1999 to 2001.
In the spring of 2018, Franz Sedelmayer spoke at UVU and presented excerpts from his memoir “Welcome to Putingrad”, highlighting the case he won against President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation.
On April 6, Sedelmayer made his “Return to Putingrad” for a virtual lecture and where he offered his perspective on Putin’s answer to the Navalny “problem”. Alexei Navalny returned to Russia this January after recuperating in Germany from being poisoned with a suspected nerve agent. The Kremlin has denied involvement. Navalny, one of Putin’s most prominent critics, has recently been jailed for parole violations and is now in a corrective penal colony about 60 east of Moscow.
On April 14 at 12:00pm, students from the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition of student clubs at UVU, presented their impressions and achievements gained from hosting a parallel event at the recent United Nations 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65). Their UN presentation was titled, “Mountain Women Empowerment Through The Inclusive Student Engaged Learning Model.” The Student Engaged Learning (SEL) approach encourages students to gain professional skills while addressing real-world issues on the local and international levels with university faculty serving as mentors.
As part of our observation of International Earth Day, the Office for Global Engagement partnered with Orem Rotary and UVU Rotaract for a Provo Canyon service project to clean up and beautify the area.
A visiting delegation of government leaders from Peru met with UVU faculty and toured campus.
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August 26-28, Salt Lake City became the host city for the 68th United Nations Civil Society Conference. This conference was very unique to the United Nations as it was the first time in history that this world-wide event was held anywhere in the United States other than New York City.
Iñigo Arbiol is the Director of International Relations at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain. He has a degree in Modern and Contemporary History, a Master's in International Humanitarian Action (NOHA) and a PhD from the University of Deusto, with a thesis on United States foreign policy in the post-cold war period. His teaching activity focuses on the degree in International Relations and Double Degree in International Relations and Law. For years he worked at the United Nations and at research enters for peace. In terms of his research and outreach work, in recent years he has been working on transatlantic security and defense issues and deepening his specialization in US politics.
Heidi Almosara
She is a visual artist and full time faculty member in the Art & Design Department at UVU. She received her B.F.A. from Texas Christian University and an M.A. and M.F.A. from the University of Dallas in Texas. Since receiving her masters, she has taught at several colleges and universities and has had over a decade of teaching experience. Heidi specializes in screenprinting and actively exhibits internationally. She has had exhibitions in the continental US, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as, but not limited to, Russia, Peru, Japan, New Zealand, Finland, Taiwan, and Guatemala. Before coming to UVU, she lived abroad in Japan for 3 years. While in Japan, she studied at the Sogetsu Foundation in Tokyo and learned the art of Sogetsu ikebana – the Japanese art form of flower arranging. She completed the required 5 levels of study to receive a teachers certification in this special art form and was awarded the Teacher’s Diploma 4th Grade from the Sogetsu Foundation. Ikebana has become Heidi’s primary source for inspiration and has greatly transformed her artwork.
Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday honoring ancestors, dating back hundreds of years. Our office collaborated with other groups from the Center for Global and Intercultural Engagement to celebrate this holiday and share cultural experiences.
At this year's annual Diplomatic Conference on International Trade Relations, 20 foreign diplomats, including ambassadors, consuls general and trade commissioners, visited the State of Utah to present and dialogue with local government, business, academicians, students, and the public at large, on a variety of current topics related to international trade. The objective of this conference is to engage in a global conversation that may lead to building international relationships and business opportunities. This conference serves as a learning venue where local and foreign representatives exchange ideas, network, and develop potential collaborations.
Kim Nielsen
Prof. Nielsen was born and raised in Denmark, where he received a B.S. in Physics from University of Copenhagen, Denmark. A one-year visit to University of Alaska, Fairbanks, transcended into a four-year stay an a M.S. in Physics. Eager to see another part of the US, he attended Utah State University where he received his Ph.D. in Physics. After graduation, he was selected as a postdoctoral fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC., before moving to Boulder, Colorado as a research scientist. After working on NSF and NASA projects, he made his best career move and joined the UVU Department of Physics in 2012. Prof. Nielsen specializes in energy transfer through wave and particle dynamics in the atmosphere and near-space environment, and works closely with students and collaborators in Japan.UVU continued to work with India and hosted Ambassador Sanjay Panda. During his stay, Amb. Panda visited several community entities including government and humanitarian agencies.
Visit to UVU by academic and administrative leaders from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Zhengzhou, China.
Utah Valley University hosted its first ever Model United Nations Conference for Utah High Schools on February 1, 2020. We were honored to have as our opening plenary keynote speaker, Mr. Felipe Queipo, Communications Officer, Civil Society Unit, Department of Global Communications, at the United Nations. A total of 5 schools, 106 high school students and 10 UVU student volunteers participated in the UVU Model UN conference. The Secretary General for the UVUMUN was Andrew Jensen.
Presentation by Jon Smith
Date and Time: Tuesday, February 4, 2020; 11:00 AM Location: LA 116 - Center for Global Engagement
Abstract: While horror narratives have long been part of Japanese folklore and mythology, the
horror genre within Japanese cinema did not solidify until after World War II. Instead,
horror cinema took root within the national traumas of the war, the Allied occupation,
and the subsequent radical transformations in government, economy, and cultural mores.
In particular, 1950s landmarks like Godzilla and Ugetsu revised different myth and
folk narratives to address contemporary concerns through innovative new forms of cinematic
expression. Japan’s radical and tumultuous transformation continued through the second
half of the 20th-century, giving rise to new cultural divisions. Within this social
context, Japanese horror cinema offers some of the most urgent, compelling, and artistically
innovative genre cinema ever created. These films not only push the boundaries of
content and form, but they also represent a frequently sophisticated appropriation
of traditional folktales, as well as formal components of traditions like Kabuki and
Noh theater. In many respects, the modern Japanese horror film is a modern folktale,
proliferating within an increasingly complex technological and multicultural landscape,
an ever-expanding field of anxiety and fear that shows no sign of abating.
Bio:
Jonathan Smith has an MA in Comparative Studies in the Humanities from BYU. Since
2016, he has been an adjunct instructor at UVU since 2016. Areas of specialization
and study include horror & Gothic cinema and literature; theories of adaptation, and
film genres; German cinema of the Weimar Republic and the New German Cinema; and British
Romanticism. His own independent work within the arts includes film, photography,
and writing. He currently also works at the Main branch of the Salt Lake City Library.
UVU marked the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the Untited Nations by hosting an event in collaboration with the Utah International Mountain Forum. The anniversary served as a moment to reaffirm the commitment to multilateralism and the overall ideals of the United Nations.
Utah and Morocco Partnership, Keith Martin, Honorary Consul for Morocco in Utah and Major General Jeff Burton, U.S. Army, Ret.
The goal of this collaborative event was to bring together American and Japanese stakeholders in Utah and identify Japan's furture investment interests in the United States as well as the kind of workforce needed in Utah to support these investments. A round table discussion was led by Osamu Taki, Chief Executive Director of Japan External Trade Organization; Benjamin Hart, Deputy Director, Governor's Office of Economic Development, State of Utah; Bryce Hunt, Customer Success Manager for Podium. Midori Takeuchi, Consul-General of Japan in Denver also gave remarks at the event.
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| 2025 Spring - Global Events Calendar | ||
| January 2025 | February 2025 | |
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Jan 8 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - LA 210b, 9:00am Jan 13 -Global Spotlight: Old New Year (Slavic), in collaboration with the Russian Program of Languages and Cultures - CB 510-511, 4-6pm. Food, fun and a visit from Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden. Everyone welcome! Jan 20 - Martin Luther King Day, office closed Jan 21 - Global Faculty/Staff Networking - LA 210b, 11a - 12p Jan 22 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - LA 210b, 9:00am Jan 30 - Global Spotlight: EL CEREBRO Y LA ADQUISICIÓN DE UN SEGUNDO IDIOMA, by Dr. Baldomero Lago(presentation will be given in Spanish for Spanish Health Professionals) - CB 113, 2:30pm |
Feb 4 - Really Really Free Market - SB Atrium, 10:00am - 2:00pm Feb 5 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - LA 210b, 9:00am Feb 8 - High School Model UN Competition - Clarke Building, 9:00am - 3:00pm Feb 11 - Global Faculty/Staff Networking - LA 210b, 1 - 2pm Feb 17 - Presidents Day, office closed Feb 19 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - LA 210b, 9:00am Feb 19 - Global Engagement UNESCO Announcement - SC 213a, 2:00pm Feb 20 - “Exploring the Intersection of AI and Global Governance” – lecture by UN Communication Officer, Felipe Queipo, in collaboration with the UVU AI Institute - SC 206A, 1-2:15pm Feb 25 - International Travel Workshop - LA 210b - 11a - 12p Feb 26 - Global Spotlight: Living in the United Kingdom & the Quill Project (presentation by guests from England) - PS 102, 1:00pm |
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| March 2025 | April 2025 | |
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Mar 4 - International Travel Workshop - LA 210b - 1-2p Mar 5 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - LA 210b, 9:00am Mar 5 - International Women's Day Panel and Service Project - UVU Science Building Atrium, 12 - 3pm Mar 6 - Global Faculty/Staff Networking - LA 210b, 10 - 11a Mar 10-14 - Student's Spring Break Mar 14 - Staff Spring Break, office closed Mar 18 - International Travel Workshop - LA 210b - 11a - 12p Mar 19 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - LA 210b, 9:00am Mar 20 - Global Spotlight: Francophone Day - A Focus on French language Asian authors, in collaboration with Languages and Cultures (Thierno Diallo, assistant professor of French) with guest presenter associate professor, Dr. Xinyi Tan, Coastal Carolina Univeisity)- 12:00pm, CB 101a Mar 21 - GEO Open House at the School of Education, 10am - 12:00pm Mar 26 - Global Spotlight: The Founder Mindset: Gilbert Lee, CMO and Co-founder of Torus, in collaboration with UVU Information Systems & Technology. TIME has officially named Torus Nova Spin as one of 2024's Best Inventions. Originally from the Philippines, Gilbert has held pivotal roles in product, design, and marketing across various industries and organizations. - UVU Computer Science , CS 615C - 4-5:00pm. Mar 27 - Global Spotlight: The International Presence of AI, student led presentation by Alyssa Grover, UVU Computer Science, CS 504 - 12:30pm |
Apr 1 - International Travel Workshop - LA 210b - 1-2p Apr 1 - Finnish Concert, highlighting the works of Jean Sibelius, featuring concert violinist Aubree Oliverson - To purchase tickets, visit: https://uvunoorda.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=2416 -Noorda Music Hall at UVU, 7:00pm Apr 2 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - LA 210b, 9:00am Apr 3 - World Autism Awareness Day presentation , in collaboration with the School of Education, ME 118 - 11 - 11:30am Apr 3 - International Day of Zero Waste - Sustainable Fashion Show and Really, Really free market commemorating the March 30 International Day of Zero Waste, Science Building Atrium - 11:00am - 2:00pm April 3 - Global Spotlight: India - Sustainability and Nature, with Mohan Vilas Dasa from the Govardhan Ecovillage in India, SC 206C, 1:00 - 2:30pm Apr 9 - Global Spotlight: Language Service Industry Day - career fair, in collaboration with Languages and Cultures - CB 101C, 12:00-3:00pm Apr 15 - International Travel Workshop - LA 210b - 11a - 12p Apr 16 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - LA 210b, 9:00am Apr 16 - Global Faculty/Staff Networking - LA 210b - 1 - 2pm (tentative) Apr 17 - Dignitary Visit: Mme. Elsie Effange-Mbella, UN Advisor for Women's Rights, Notable of the Buea Community and Diplomat of Cameroon, presentation on Cultural Promotion and Sustainable Development- 1:00 - 2:15pm, EN 112 (accessed from the Hall of Flags) Apr 18 - GSLC, Global Fellows and Global Scholars Recognition Ceremony - SC 213ab, 12:00 - 1:30pm (by invitation only) |
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| May 2025 | June 2025 | |
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May - |
June - |
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| Global Events Calendar | ||
| November 2024 | December 2024 | |
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Nov 6 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - 12:00pm Nov 7 - Global Spotlight: UVU German Day, Clarke Building, 9:00am - 12:30pm (in partnership with UVU Languages and Cultures) Nov 13 - Really Really Free Market - SB Atrium, 10:00am - 3:00pm Nov 13 - Global Spotlight: World Kindness Day, CB 101c, 9:30-11:00am (with Becky Pickle, CEO Huntsman Medical Health Foundation and Gordon Hunt, UVU Psychology & Counseling Dept) Nov 13 - Global Spotlight: China Dream, Library Lakeview Rm., 10-11:30am (with presentations by Dr. Frederick Crook and Dr. Elizabeth Crook and in partnership with UVU Languages and Cultures) Nov 14 - Global Faculty/Staff Networking - LA 210b, 1:00pm Nov 18 - Global Spotlight: Cross-Cultural Business Strategies, KB306, 10:00am (presentation by Rita Schwisow from the Woodbury School of Business) Nov 20 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - 12:00pm Nov 28-29 - Thanksgiving Holiday, office closed |
Dec 2 - Global Spotlight: Counterterrorism and the Israeli Response in Gaza, FL 120, 1:00pm (presentation by John McClure from National Security Studies) Dec 3 - Global Spotlight: Climate Change: Who pays the price?, EN 102, 9:00am (with Dr. Hilary Hungerford from the Department of Earth Science and student presenters) Dec 4 - Fullbright Info Session, SC 206 g/h, 8:30 - 9:30am Dec 4 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - 12:00pm Dec 6 - Global Faculty/Staff Networking / Holiday Social - LA 210b, 12:00pm Dec 23-Jan 1 - Holiday Break, office closed |
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| September 2024 | October 2024 | |
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Sept 2 - Labor Day, office closed Sept 4 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - 12:00pm Sept 11 - Really Really Free Market - SB Atrium, 10:00am - 3:00pm Sept 12 - Doing Business with the Hispanic World: Challenges and Opportunities , UVU Grand Ballroom, 9:30am - 12:30pm *event in Spanish and English Sept 17 - Global Faculty/Staff Networking - LA 210b, 1:00pm Sept 18 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - 12:00pm Sept 26 - Symphonic Celebration - Noorda Theatre - 7:30pm |
Oct 2 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - 12:00pm Oct 8 - Utah DLI Advisory Council meeting at UVU, Clarke Building, 9am-12pm Oct 9 - Really Really Free Market - SB Atrium, 10:00am - 3:00pm Oct 10 - Global Spotlight: Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, CB 101B, 12:00pm (presentation by UVU grad, Stephan Brailsford on living and working in Japan) Oct 16 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - 12:00pm Oct 17-18 - Student Fall Break Oct 24 -United Nations Day: Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, Ambassador Michelle Sison - US Leadership in Multilateral Diplomacy, 10:00am - 11:15am, FL 120 Oct 25 - Ukrainian Textile Art Display - Center Stage, 5:00 - 7:00pm (free and open to the public) Oct 26 - Ukrainian Textile Art Display - Center Stage, 10:00am - 2:00pm (free and open to the public) Oct 30 - Global Faculty/Staff Networking - LA 210b, 2:30pm Oct 30 - Global Spotlight: Philippines - Comparative Insights on Cybersecurityy Laws, Ethics, and Privacy, UVU Thanksgiving Point, Rm 109, 5:30-6:30pm (with Dr. Carl Canlas and guest panelists from the Far Eastern University Institute of Technology in Manila, Philippines) Oct 31 - Global Spotlight: India and Bangladesh - Preventing Ransomware, CS 411, 2:30pm (presentation by Dr. Saikat Das) |
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| July 2024 | August 2024 | |
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Jul 29 - Aug 2 - Clarke Building, Annual Utah Dual Language Immersion Institute (AUDII) |
Aug 8 - Global Community Advisory Board meeting - SC 213c, 12:00pm Aug 16 - Global Student Leadership Council Retreat - LA 210, 9:00am - 1:00pm Aug 21 - Global Student Leadership Council meeting - LA 210, 12:00pm Aug 26 - Global Faculty/Staff Opening Social - Center Stage, 4:00pm - 6:00pm |
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| Global Events Calendar | ||
| January 2024 | February 2024 | |
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Jan 12 - Global Spotlight: Slavic Old New Year - 6:00pm - 8:00pm - UVU Sorensen Center, Center Stage Jan 17 - Really, Really Free Market - 10:00am - 4:00pm - SB Atrium Jan 17 - International Faculty/Staff Networking - 2:00pm - LA 210b Jan 25 - Global Spotlight: Japanese New Year Celebration - 9:00am - 2:00pm (reoccurring activities throughout the day) - CB 511 Jan 29 - Global Spotlight: Russian Language Jobs - 12:00pm - CB 204 |
Feb 3 - High School Model UN - 9:30am - 3:30pm - Clarke Building Feb 9 - Global Spotlight: Chinese New Year - 6-9:00pm - Grand Ballroom Feb 20 - International Faculty/Staff Networking - 1:00pm - LA210b Feb 21 - Really, Really Free Market - 10:00am - 4:00pm - SB Atrium Feb 21 - Global Spotlight: Mother Language Day - 1-2:30pm - Ragan Theater Feb 23 - Autism Conference - Global Keynote Dr. Eduardo Canal "Identifying Signs of Risk in the Early Development of Autism: Current Challenges and New Research Proposals in Europe" - 2:00pm - Center Stage |
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| March 2024 | April 2024 | |
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Mar 8 - International Women's Day Panel, 11:00am - 12:15pm - SC213ab Mar 20 - International Faculty/Staff Networking (Nowruz celebration) - 2:30pm - LA 210b Mar 20 - Really, Really Free Market - 10:00am - 4:00pm - SB Atrium Mar 28 - Academic Freedom Symposium, Keynote: Lily Gray, Sr. Liason Officer for UNESCO - 11:00am - 12:30pm - UVU Sorensen Center, Center Stage |
Apr 5 - Consul General of Peru, Czibor Chicata-Sutmoller - campus visit Apr 9 - Gentrification, Homlessness and Poverty - 2pm - Roots of Knowledge Apr 11 - International Faculty/Staff Networking - 11:00am - LA 210b Apr 17 - Really, Really Free Market - 10:00am - 4:00pm - SB Atrium Apr 17 - Greek Architectual Engineering, Dr. Ganiatsas - 6:00pm-7:00pm - FL 428 Apr 23 - Global Spotlight Fellows and Global Leadership Program - Recognition Luncheon - by invitation |
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| May 2024 | June 2024 | |
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May 15 - Really, Really Free Market - 10:00am - 4:00pm - SB Atrium |
| Global Events Calendar | ||
| August 2023 | September 2023 | |
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Aug 22 - Global Leadership Program Meeting Aug 25 - International Faculty/Staff Social - 4:30pm - SC Center Stage Aug 30 - Really Really Free Market - 10:00am - 3:00pm - SB Atrium Aug 31 - UN International Day of African Descent - 6-9pm - Courtyard |
Sept 5 - Global Leadership Program Meeting Sept 13 - United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - 12:00pm - 1:00pm - Roots of Knowledge, Bingham Gallery Sept 20 - Really Really Free Market - 10:00am - 3:00pm - SB Atrium Sept 20 - International Faculty/Staff Networking - 10:00am - 11:00am - LA 210B Sept 20 - UN International Day of Peace - Felipe Quiepo, UN Dept of Global Communication - 1:00pm - 2:15pm - LA 232 Sept 21 - Ethics Awareness Week - Felipe Quiepo, UN Dept of Global Communication - A Quest for a Global Civil Society - 10:00am - 11:15am - CB 511 Sept 22 - Dual Language Immersion Prinicpals Advisory Board Meeting Sept 29 - Global Spotlight: Kyrgys Republic-Utah IT Forum with Ambassador Baktybek Amanbaev - 12pm - Lakeview (FL 428) |
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| October 2023 | November 2023 | |
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Oct 3 - Global Leadership Program Meeting Oct 11 - Really Really Free Market - 10:00am - 3:00pm - SB Atrium Oct 12 - Global Spotlight: Utah's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Juan Pascua, Executive Director - 10am - FL 421 *in Spanish Oct 17 - Fulbright Scholars Info Session - 8:30am - 9:30am - LA 210 Oct 24 - Global Community Advisory Board Meeting Oct 24 - United Nations Day (tabling LA Concourse) Oct 24 - World Polio Day with UVU Rotaract - 2:30pm - 3:30pm - Roots of Knowledge, Bingham Gallery Oct 26 - International Faculty/Staff Networking - 2:00pm - 3:00pm - LA 210B |
Nov 1 - Really Really Free Market - 10:00am - 3:00pm - SB Atrium Nov 1 - Global Spotlight: Rescuing Children in Uganda from Human Trafficking with Peter Sewakiryanga, Kyampisi Childcare Ministeries - 1:00pm - 2:15pm - CB 416 Nov 7 - Global Leadership Program Meeting Nov 14 - Global Spotlight: France and Human Rights with Anne Lair, Hon. Consul of France in Utah - 10:00am - CB 101c *in French Nov 14 - International Faculty/Staff Networking - 1:00pm - 2:00pm - LA 210B Nov 15 - Dr. Sari Kojkander, Counselor for Science and Higher Ed. for the Consulate General of Finland, Los Angeles, "Finland and Higher Education" - 4:00pm - ME 101c Nov 28 - Ukrainian Culture Night - 6:30pm - 8:30pm - CB 510-511 |
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| December 2023 | ||
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Dec 5 - Global Leadership Program Meeting Dec 5 - Permanent Representative from the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN, Ambassador Aida Kasymalieva for International Mountain Day - 11:30am - 12:45pm - LA 114 Dec 6 - Really Really Free Market - 10:00am - 3:00pm - SB Atrium Dec 6 - 75th Declaration of Human Rights Celebration - SB Atrium |
