Be informed.

UNC Charlotte has several opportunities to broaden its international perspective in the next few weeks. In order to highlight and add some depth to these intiatives, here is some recent news on the areas and topics that will be coming soon. These events are open to faculty, staff and students.

International Women's Day - March 25, 3:30-5:00 PM in Student Union 340 G-I
Reception, recognition ceremony and special remarks by Ambassador Linda Tarr-Whelan

Though this day will take the time to honor the achievements of women around the world and at UNC Charlotte, there is still much to be done. In a recent article The Economist shed light on a rising number of girls who do not make it to achieve their full potential due to social, political, cultural and other factors.

"Imagine you are one half of a young couple expecting your first child in a fast-growing, poor country. You are part of the new middle class; your income is rising; you want a small family. But traditional mores hold sway around you, most important is the preference for sons over daughters..." Read more.

International Film Series: What a Wonderful World - March 30, 4:00-6:00 PM in CHHS 281
Set in Morocco, this is a film of romance, intrigue, cybercrime, murder and a tangled web of acquaintance. In French and Arabic with English subtitles.

Of a less dramatic nature, is this story looking at social trends in Morocco as young families balance the responsibilities that come with two working parents. Read more.

One source for a variety of topics and content related to Morocco is www.morocco.com/news.

International Speaker Series: Executive Director of Doctors without Borders
"From Haiti to Afghanistan: On the Frontlines of Humanitarian Crises"
April 1, 3:30-4:30 PM, Atkins Library, the Dale Halton Reading Room

Sophie DeLaunay leads the U.S. division of Doctors without Borders/Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) after over ten years working in places such as China and Rwanda. Recent events in Haiti and Chile have highlighted the importance of these organizations in emergency response situations.

In an article from their website, MSF quotes Pierre Garrigou, a MSF logistician in Argentina, speaking to the devastation suffered in Chile after the massive earthquake: "Inland, in the areas far from the coast, there were lots of destroyed buildings, lots of rubble. Yet on the coast, earth tremors were compounded by a tsunami, which really devastated everything. While your home may collapse as a result of the earthquake, you may still be able to rescue something amongst the rubble; yet on coastal areas houses were literally swallowed by the tide." Read more.

For more information on these programs or for special accomodations, contact rebecca.vincent@uncc.edu.