The 2021-2022 academic year was filled with accomplishments, and had its share of challenges. Our faculty, staff, and students continued to find new ways to connect with each other, despite the ongoing pandemic. We connected with others around the world for brown bag talks and round-table discussions. Our international area and global studies centers and thematic programs continued their teaching, research, and outreach to those in our community and beyond. When we look back at these highlights from this past year, we are proud of the work we did to bring people together and further the mission of the Illinois Global Institute.

We thank you for your support, and we look forward to engaging with you in the coming academic year.

 

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Faculty & Staff
Kasia Szremski flying a drone at a dig site in Peru

Kasia Szremski selected for LAS Academic Professional Award

Kasia Szremski, associate director for Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies, was selected by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences awards committee for the LAS Academic Professional Award. The award, along with the other staff awards, were presented by Venetria K. Patton, the Harry E. Preble Dean of the College of LAS, at the awards ceremony held in March.

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Initiatives

Asian American Education Initiative

The Asian American Education Initiative is co-organized by the College of Education and the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies at the University of Illinois, co-sponsored by the New American Welcome Center and the Asian American Culture Center. The mission of the Asian American Education Initiative is to promote social justice in education by bringing Asian American literature to classrooms and increasing the visibility of Asian American history in the curriculum at schools in the Urbana-Champaign area.

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EUC launches its 'SMAART' initiative

On April 22 (Earth Day), the European Union Center (EUC) organized a symposium on the future of technology, energy, and security in Europe, with a focus on nuclear energy. The symposium marked the start of a new three-year initiative, “Sustainable Methods for Adapting & Adopting Regional Technologies” (SMAART), to identify best practices to encourage democratic interaction and adoption of new technologies among marginalized communities, urban and rural. By focusing on the European Green Deal and its policy and comparable initiatives by the U.S. federal government, SMAART aims at increasing the interest and collaboration between American and European scholars on questions of inequality, accessibility, and sustainability. An interdisciplinary group of UIUC faculty members will support the SMAART project, which will include speaker and lecture series, courses, public events, and outreach initiatives. Funding for the project comes from a Jean Monnet Center of Excellence grant from the European Commission’s Erasmus+ program, which was awarded to the European Union Center this spring.

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Events
Poster advertising the East Asian Story Time - Japanese event

East Asian Story Time

The Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies, in partnership with the Urbana Free Library, presented East Asian Story Time, a monthly family event series celebrating cultural and language diversity in the Urbana-Champaign community. Each bilingual story time event featured a story read in English and Chinese, Japanese, or Korean to spark children’s interest in East Asian languages and cultures.

Photo from "For Ukraine: An Artistic Tribute" showing seated musicians and a performer in traditional clothing

'For Ukraine: An Artistic Tribute' hosted by REEEC and School of Music

On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center and the School of Music hosted the event “For Ukraine: An Artistic Tribute.” This event showcased several performances and exhibits across campus related to the arts, culture, and music of Ukraine. Featuring exhibits at the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures and the Music and Performing Arts Library, attendees were able to view an array of items from Ukraine, including folk instruments, cultural items, textiles, and more. Several musical performances were also presented by the Altgeld Chimes, Balkanalia, and the University of Illinois Hip-Hop Collective.

For Ukraine: An Artistic Tribute

poster for Dr. Hakim Williams talk, Education for Revolutionary Non-violence

CGS Presents 'Education for Revolutionary Non-Violence' as part of Transitional Justice Series

As part of the 2021-2022 Blueprint for Transitional Justice in the US: Building on Lessons and Insights from Global Perspectives Series presented by the Illinois Global Institute, CGS hosted Dr. Hakim Williams of Gettysburg College, who kicked off the spring semester by giving a talk about education for revolutionary non-violence. In his talk he covered topics including neocoloniality, hyperconsumerism, global warming, racialized polarization, forced displacement, and the Covid-19 pandemic, asking how much more can our planet and its inhabitants endure? He called on the audience to recognize that violence in its many forms undergirds much of what ails our planet and its global citizens, and that the path we are on is unsustainable. The planet and our very survival require the enactment of a revolutionary, justice-oriented non-violence. In his talk, Dr. Williams outlined the kind of education required to envision and foster such a healing non-violence. The full video and transcription can be found on CGS’ website linked below.

Dr. Hakim Williams talk, Education for Revolutonary Non-violence