Annual High School Model African Union

At Woodland High School, students recently attended a classroom presentation led by a Fulbright scholar from Kenya, focusing on the Swahili language and culture. During the presentation, students were introduced to the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of Swahili-speaking communities in East Africa. The scholar provided insights into the origins and significance of the Swahili language and its role as a lingua franca across various East African countries.

World Culture Day at Avella Sr/Jr High School took place on Wednesday, May 21, with a focus on celebrating cultural diversity and global awareness. Five Outreach Engagement Coordinators from the University of Pittsburgh participated in the event, which featured various activities designed to showcase different cultures from around the world. The coordinators engaged approximately 200-250 students through interactive games, performances, presentations, and other cultural activities.

The Spring Festival of the Egg is a family-oriented event welcoming the coming of Spring in many ethnic traditions as featured by members and friends of the Nationality and Heritage Room Committees at the University of Pittsburgh. Many hands-on activities will be made available.

This event is eligible for Outside of the Classroom Curriculum Credit for Pitt Students. Please refer to

Since the nineteenth century, the West has targeted the Senegal River Valley as an ideal location for environmental and agricultural improvement projects. In the early 1800s, French trading companies hoped to transform the Lower Senegal Valley into a massive plantation economy – one that would replace the devastating loss of Saint-Domingue to the Haitian Revolution.

Jason Rohr is Professor of Biological Sciences, Ludmilla F., Stephen J., and Robert T. Galla College Professor & Department Chair, University of Notre Dame

Professor Rohr will give an overview on Schistosomiasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease.

This talk offers a historical critique of the Great Green Wall Initiative of the Sahel and the Sahara (GGW) – an audacious project to stop the southern encroachment of the Sahara Desert by constructing a wall of trees across the continent. From the start, the initiative attracted scrutiny from ecologist and climate scientists who argue, rightly, that the GGW was based on the notion of a universally advancing desert border.

In the sixth installment of the Global Issues Through Literature Series (GILS), educators will convene to discuss Run for It: Stories Of Slaves Who Fought For Their Freedom by author Marcelo d'Salete. This graphic novel tells unforgettable stories about Afro-Brazilian slaves who rebelled against oppression.

Celebrate Africa culminates in a day-long festival that features a live band, a DJ, a marketplace of African food and craft vendors, and dancing and drum workshops by Camara Drum and Dance. This event has something for everyone. Come try some new food, check out our craft market, listen to African music, and check out colorful African fashions!