Articles tagged with "international visitors"

When Hualing Nieh Engle first suggested bringing together a group of established writers from around the globe to nurture their artistic creativity on the University of Iowa campus, Paul Engle told her it was a crazy idea.

While the security threat North Korea poses is often discussed, little is known about the severe human-rights crisis the country is suffering.

This is something the organization Liberty in North Korea, commonly referred to as LiNK, wants to change. The University of Iowa LiNK rescue team hosted its biggest event of the semester Wednesday night. Representatives from LiNK showed a documentary created by the non-governmental organization entitled “The People’s Crisis.” They also presented their Shift campaign, in which their goal is to change the way the media talk about North Korea, moving away from military issues to more humanitarian concerns.

Co-founder and tireless supporter of the International Writing Program (IWP) at the University of Iowa, Hualing Nieh Engle will receive the 2012 International Impact Award as part of the November 2 WorldCanvass program “IWP: Writing the Stories of the World.” The program, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 5-7 p.m., in the Senate Chamber of the Old Capitol Museum. A reception will follow.

Join independent researcher and documentary filmmaker Yousuf Saeed as he discusses his work on the visual, artistic, and religious cultural heritage of India in two separate presentations on the UI campus. The first presentation features the screening of “Four Short Documentaries on Popular Islam in India,” followed by a discussion with Saeed, and will take place at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, in E105 AJB (Adler Journalism and Mass Communication Building).

Feed your hunger for Chinese culture by joining the Confucius Institute at the University of Iowa for a mini lecture series this fall, “Chinese Culture for Lunch,” beginning Tuesday, Oct. 2, with a discussion on Marvelous Chinese Characters. All lectures in this series are free and open to the public and sponsored by the Confucius Institute and International Programs.

ICJ will hold an information session and training workshop Friday, Sept. 14, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. in 1117 University Capitol Centre for potential volunteers. Attend the session to learn more about the program, get tips on presenting to various audiences, and meet other students with similar interests. Refreshments are provided and this events is open to anyone interested in ICJ.

About 700 first-time international students came to Iowa City this fall, bringing the international student total to about 3,700. These students represent 111 countries and are a part of every field of academic study available at UI.

For these students, making the move to Iowa City can be nerve-racking, exciting and, at times, a downright daunting experience. For 41 years, the University of Iowa Friends of International Students has worked to make the transition to America easier by connecting international students with members of the Iowa City community — called friends — to help the students feel more comfortable away from home and introduce them to American culture and customs.