As UB commences its annual celebration of International Education Week this Monday, the Student Union will transform into a hub of international activity, as student groups perform traditional dances, host fashion shows and demonstrate martial arts.
The event, which is being held Nov. 11-15, will feature student performances, cultural workshops, academic presentations and a keynote speaker and film, which will address the week's theme of women's human rights.
Ellen Dussourd, assistant vice provost and director of the Office of International Student and Scholars Services, noted the relevance of this year's theme.
"In the past year or so, we have seen coverage of the prevalence of sexual assault in the U.S. military, the gang rape of [an] Indian medical student and resulting protests, attempted assassination of Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan and other acts of violence against women," Dussourd said. "Accordingly, we felt that the theme of women's human rights would be timely."
Liesl Gerntholtz, executive director of the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, will address this topic in her keynote presentation, "Women's Human Rights: The Unfinished Revolution." The event will take place at 4 p.m. on Nov. 14 in Slee Hall.
Gerntholtz will discuss the efforts of the Women's Rights Division, which seeks to prevent abuses against women on an international scale and supports their efforts to gain marital, reproductive and economic rights.
The screening of the film Salma will continue the discussion of the fight for women's rights worldwide.Christopher Lee, a professor at Canisius College who specializes in the anthropology of religion and religion in South Asia, will offer commentary on the film, which tells the story of Salma, a young Muslim girl in a south Indian village.
Denied an education and forced into seclusion and early marriage by her family, Salma managed to defy the odds and become a famous Tamil poet. The film traces her unlikely journey to success and follows her on an eye-opening trip back to her village. The screening will be held in the Student Union Theater Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.
Throughout the week, UB professors will participate in a series of internationally oriented presentations, representing a diverse selection of disciplines from nursing, architecture, engineering and law, to name a few.
Dr. Davina Porock, associate dean for research and scholarship and a professor in the School of Nursing, will discuss her study of dementia and care giving on a global scale.
"The nature of the disease means that it can and does affect people of any culture no matter what their status, wealth, family circumstance," Porock said. "The driving force behind my research is the desire to ensure that no one has a miserable end to their life. Across the world, the work of caring for people who are ill or infirm traditionally falls to women. Caregiving is often hidden work which goes unacknowledged and unrewarded."
Professor Sebastiano Andreana, who will present on behalf of the UB School of Dentistry, also described the need for greater awareness of underserved populations' access to health care. He hopes to encourage students to consider the international potential of a profession like dentistry.
"Every year, faculty members and students go abroad to deliver dental procedures and spread the word on oral care in different countries," Andreana said. "Our work opens new horizons to people that maybe want to consider dentistry as a profession and as a humanitarian mission."
More than a dozen international student groups are slated to take the stage in the Union next week as part of the week's festivities. Many will perform dances representing styles from Russia, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and the Middle East. Various styles of martial arts, including Kendo and Tae Kwon Do, will be featured, as well as a Korean percussion performance and an international fashion show.
Tazrin Hossain, president of the Bangladeshi Student Association (BSA), expressed excitement about her club's involvement. The group will be performing a dance that meshes traditional Bengali folk dance with American hip-hop.
"This performance is meant to express the duality of the students living the States - the potentially clashing aspects of their culture and the influence of their surroundings," Hossain said. "This is BSA's first ever performance as a club. International Education Week is always a great week and we are very happy to be a part of it."
For a full schedule of events, visit the ISSS website. All events are open and free to the public.
email: news@ubspectrum.com
