Join CBA Executive-in-Residence Michael R. Johns as he provides insights from his 11+ years living and working in Japan. This informal discussion will include an overview of Mr. Johns’ experiences as well as an opportunity to ask questions. This talk is ideal for undergraduates with an interest in Japan and Asia, but will offer wisdom relevant to all audiences. Refreshments will be served.

In this year's annual cultural program from Handa City, Aichi prefecture, Japan, participants will work with a master wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets and food) maker to learn how to make odango desserts as well as the history and culture of Japanese sweet-makers.

Registration is required and space is limited! First priority will be given to current Asian Studies Certificate students. Contact Christina Unger (cmu11@pitt.edu) for more information, or to register.

The East Asian Library, located on the second floor of the Hillman Library, has outstanding staff and resources, including many books and periodicals in the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages, access to scholarly and news online databases, special collections (such as Japanese company histories, Chinese land records, North Korean textbooks and films, etc.), English language materials, and more. The EAL librarians and bibliographers will give an overview of the services and resources available to Pitt students and faculty, including how they can help you with your own research!

The University of Pittsburgh's Confucius Institute is offering a basic Chinese language class for students and the general public. The course is designed to give beginners a solid foundation in Chinese pronunciation, as well as a strong introduction to practical conversation and Chinese culture. The class will be held on Tuesday and Thursdays from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM, and will run from September 24 - December 5. Enrollment is limited to 24 participants.

For more information about the class, please contact the instructor, Frank M. Dolce (杜启天), at fdolce1458@gmail.com or (716)628-6016.

China Today is a one-credit (Pitt)/ three-unit (CMU) mini course, consisting of 14 hours of classes over a weekend, with a major paper assignment to be completed for credit. This course is created for undergraduate and graduate students. However, K-12 educators, business and community members are welcome to attend all or sections of the course for free. The course will open with two keynote lectures on Friday evening on an overview of the issues. This will be followed by instructional lectures on Saturday on the various themes by experts in the fields.

The Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) will lead this simulation, which turns individuals into lead negotiators for one of the six countries involved in the North Korea nuclear negotiations. (North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia, and the United States.) As government representatives, participants will be tasked to reach a comprehensive agreement for North Korea’s denuclearization. With private information, resources, and their own wit, negotiators are out to win the best outcome for their respective governments.

Tablaphilia is a tabla symphony based on the central theme of Chaturashram, the four stages of human life. Composed and directed by renowned tabla maestro, Pandit Samir Chatterjee, the Chhandayan Tabla Symphony brings together the power of 22 thundering tablas and four gifted vocalists to produce a moving and inspiring sound experience.

Film Screening and Q&A with Indian Documentary Filmmaker Paromita Vohra
Screening: Partners in Crime (Paromita Vohra, India, 2011, 94 mins.)

The film explores music piracy in the Indian film industry and the "copyleft" and copyright debates it has generated. For reviews, see:

http://www.timeoutbengaluru.net/film/features/moral-compass
and
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/we-are-pirates-all

Professor Manalansan will discuss his book, Global Divas: