Monday, January 31, 2011

Experience the performances, stories, rhythms, food and artwork of cultures around the world. The University of North Carolina Wilmington's Office of International Programs is hosting the 18th annual Intercultural Week (iWeek), Feb. 7-12. Nearly 20 events throughout the week will celebrate the theme of Shifting Perspectives in the Global Village. The public is welcome to attend all iWeek events.

The annual iWeek is a growing UNC Wilmington tradition, celebrating a variety of cultures while opening a dialogue on campus about the importance of diversity in our community.
"For people who are unable to travel or study abroad, or who want to continue to learn even more about other cultures, these events provide an opportunity for cultural immersion and interaction," said Jennifer Fernandez-Villa, UNCW's international student services director. We try to bring the world to campus, creating global perspectives."

The schedule for iWeek 2011 includes:

Monday, Feb. 7, 12-1:30 p.m., Fisher University Union (FUU), Azalea Coast Room
Love in Any Language: Matchmaking via Technology
The "Love in Any Language" program provides education and discussion about loving relationships across cultures. This year, the focus is on matchmaking via technology. Topics include matchmaking from various cultural perspectives, use of internet dating and changes in perspectives on matchmaking due to technology. Sponsored by the UNCW Counseling Center.

Monday, Feb. 7, 2-3 p.m., FUU, Port City Room
The Self as a Global Position: 10 Lists Where You Exist
Darrell Irwin, associate professor of sociology and criminology, will present a typical UNCW student's position in the world, contrasting it with students' lives on different continents.

Monday, Feb. 7, 7-8:30 p.m., Fisher Student Center (FSC), Lumina Theater
30 Mosques in 30 Days - An American Ramadan Road trip Adventure
During Ramadan 2010, Islam's holy month of fasting and reflection, New Yorkers Aman Ali and Bassam Tariq took a road trip across America, stopping each evening to break their fasts at a different mosque in a different state. Aman Ali will speak about their journey and what it means to be Muslim in America today. Their story has received coverage on ABC News, CNN, Time, NPR, Fox News, Huffington Post and Al-Jazeera English. Co-sponsored by the Office of International Programs and the Muslim Student Association.

Tuesday, Feb. 8, 5-7 p.m., Wagoner Dining Hall
Lunar New Year Celebration
Festivities include Asian-themed cuisine, a chopsticks race, fan painting, name translations to an Asian language, and learning about study abroad opportunities in Asia. The event is open to the public. Tickets for non-UNCW students are $10 and include food and activities. Sponsored by the Office of International Programs.

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. FSC, Lumina Theater
Music Around the World
UNCW professor of philosophy and religion, Don Habibi, will play a variety of recorded music from many cultures including Jamaica, Peru, China, Hungary, Finland, Russia, Italy, Ireland, Britain, Lebanon, Pakistan, China, the U.S. and more, using the Lumina Theater's state-of-the-art sound system.

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 7-9:30 p.m. FSC, Lumina Theater
Days of Glory/Indigènes
An introduction to the 2006 French film and follow-up discussion by P.J. Lapaire, professor of foreign languages and literatures, who will lead inquiry into the representations of the Algerian War for Independence and the importance of this film in reconciling several important social injustices regarding Algerians' active participation in the Franco- Algerian War. Sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

Thursday, Feb. 10, 5 p.m., Morton Hall, Room 100, Bryan Auditorium
Marjorie Agosín: Life and Work of the Chilean American Poet, Author, Critic and Human Rights Activist
Associate professor of Spanish at Wellesley College, Marjorie Agosín , will speak of her personal experience as a child in Chile, an author in exile and her work against the Chilean dictatorship of Pinochet. Co-sponsored by the Office of International Programs and the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

Friday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m., Kenan Auditorium
Jake Shimabukuro
Musician Jake Shimabukuro, known for his lightning-fast fingers and revolutionary playing techniques, will perform jazz, blues, funk, classical, bluegrass, folk, flamenco and rock on the ukulele. He has made it his mission to show the ukulele's capabilities beyond the traditional Hawaiian music many associate with it. Tickets: $22 public, $18 senior citizens, $18 UNCW faculty/staff, $8 non-UNCW students, $6 UNCW students with valid ID. Call Kenan Box Office at 910.962.3500. Sponsored by UNCW Presents.

Saturday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m.-3p.m. Burney Center and Warwick Center
18th Annual Intercultural Festival
A celebration highlighting cultures and countries represented in Wilmington and at UNCW. Food, dance, music, performances and exhibits showcase the rich cultural diversity of our community and beyond. A new event included this year is the First Annual Intercultural Bazaar in the Warwick Center, where attendees can purchase gifts, décor, jewelry and accessories from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, while supporting fair trade. Among the global crafts and artisans will be Ten Thousand Villages, one of the world's largest fair trade organizations. Sponsored by UNCW Presents and International Programs.

The events of iWeek are hosted by the Office of International Programs. For a detailed schedule of all events, visit www.uncw.edu/iweek.

Media contact:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.508.3127 or fischettid@uncw.edu