On Sunday, November 1, 2026, from 12:00PM to 4:00PM, the Slovak Studies Program with the help of our generous sponsors will host the 36th Annual Slovak Heritage Festival in the Commons Room of the Cathedral of Learning on the University of Pittsburgh campus in Oakland. We are excited to be back again for a joyous day of Slovak culture, music, history, food and education. At Slovak Fest, you can wander through our vendors and informational display tables, explore the Czechoslovak Room, enjoy a lineup of traditional music and dance performances, attend lectures on Slovak culture, and maybe even meet the ambassador! Admission is free, and parking in Oakland is free on Sundays.

The Slavic Languages and Literatures Department at the University of Pittsburgh is proud to be the home of the only permanent Slovak Studies Program in the United States. Our goal is to encourage young people to learn more about Slovakia and the role of Slovaks in America, and to promote and preserve Slovak heritage, language, and culture. There is no better place to do it than right here in Pittsburgh! Thanks to all the organizations and individuals whose combined support has allowed Pitt to serve as a beacon of the Slovak diaspora.

The European Studies Center invites you to an open series with hybrid and asynchronous forms. The series takes participants from a shared research foundation in European policy to a finished policy brief published in the Interdisciplinary Review of ValEUs (IRV).

The series teaches the craft of writing for impact and how to transform complex political, economic, and cultural questions into clear, concise, and persuasive policy briefs that reach governmental, non-governmental, and international audiences.

Participants will learn to: 
Identify and define a policy problem with precision 
Conduct concise, evidence-based analysis grounded in real research 
Communicate complex issues in accessible, policy-oriented formats 
Develop practical, actionable recommendations for decision-makers.

Who Should Participate:
Faculty and researchers seeking to broaden their academic work
Humanities Scholars
Graduate and undergraduate students
Educators (Continued-Education Certificate)
Professionals interested in public policy, international affairs, transatlantic relations/European Studies.

No prior policy-writing experience is required.

Pitt’s Global Health Case Competition is an intensive and exciting dive into a real-world global health problem. The competition is designed to give undergraduate and graduate students professional experience in developing innovative 21st century solutions and strategies to address a real-world global health issue. We welcome all students from the University of Pittsburgh.

Over a two-week timeframe, interdisciplinary teams of four to six graduate and undergraduate students will develop a plan to address a scenario in a holistic way based on information garnered during a series of presentation/workshop by experts along with a comprehensive library guide prepared specifically for the case study.

The top teams will receive cash prizes and support to register and, if accepted, to attend the Emory Morningside Global Health Case Competition. (Pitt cannot guarantee a slot in the Emory Case Competition.)

2026 Global Health Case Competition
Case Competition Timeline
October 20, 2026 Signup deadline*
November 7, 2026 8:30 am - 4 pm In-person workshop (case reveal, team assignments, lectures, etc). All students must participate in person. Breakfast and lunch provided.
November 10, 2026 7:00 - 9:30 pm Online workshop
November 12, 2026 7:00 - 9:30 pm Online workshop
November 14, 2026 11:59 pm Team video due
November 20, 2026 1:00 - 4 pm In-person final round case presentation
* University of Pittsburgh students participating in the competition have the option to earn one academic credit, either at the undergraduate or graduate level (depending on their status). The course must be added before the add/drop period, September 4, 2026. Students can also earn credit towards OCC, Global Distinction, and Honors OCC.
Course number:

Undergraduate: PUBHLT 1902
Graduate: BCHS 2511-1001

The High School Model European Union is an annual event for area high school students. The goal of the Model EU is to give high school students a chance to learn about the workings of the European Union through a hands-on simulation. Playing the roles of presidents and prime ministers, students spend a day engaged in intense negotiations over conflicting issues about the EU. The objective is to simulate a specific European Council meeting that focuses on recent current events impacting the EU. Model EU enhances students’ understanding of classroom learning and gives them a real sense of the challenges involved in the decision-making process of the European Union.

Registration cost: $35 per student

The High School Model European Union is an annual event for area high school students. The goal of the Model EU is to give high school students a chance to learn about the workings of the European Union through a hands-on simulation. Playing the roles of presidents and prime ministers, students spend a day engaged in intense negotiations over conflicting issues about the EU. The objective is to simulate a specific European Council meeting that focuses on recent current events impacting the EU. Model EU enhances students’ understanding of classroom learning and gives them a real sense of the challenges involved in the decision-making process of the European Union.

The European Studies Center invites you to an open series with hybrid and asynchronous forms. The series takes participants from a shared research foundation in European policy to a finished policy brief published in the Interdisciplinary Review of ValEUs (IRV).

The series teaches the craft of writing for impact and how to transform complex political, economic, and cultural questions into clear, concise, and persuasive policy briefs that reach governmental, non-governmental, and international audiences.

Participants will learn to: 
Identify and define a policy problem with precision 
Conduct concise, evidence-based analysis grounded in real research 
Communicate complex issues in accessible, policy-oriented formats 
Develop practical, actionable recommendations for decision-makers.

Who Should Participate:
Faculty and researchers seeking to broaden their academic work
Humanities Scholars
Graduate and undergraduate students
Educators (Continued-Education Certificate)
Professionals interested in public policy, international affairs, transatlantic relations/European Studies.

No prior policy-writing experience is required.

Thinking about earning a graduate degree outside the United States? Hear from a panel of Pitt alumni who have successfully navigated the process of applying to and attending graduate programs abroad. Learn about finding programs, preparing competitive applications, funding your education, and making the most of the international experience.

2026 - 2027 Series
Re-Centering Narratives: Indigenous and Island Peoples

This professional development workshop series is designed for K-12 educators seeking to deepen their understanding of global issues through literature. This year, we will explore the theme of "Re-Centering Narratives: Indigenous and Island Peoples." Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of Indigenous and Island Peoples, whose identities, spaces, and lived experiences are informed by global phenomena such as migration and displacement, economic and political struggles, environmental issues, human rights, and human conditions. By exploring compelling stories from diverse cultural perspectives, educators will gain insights into the complexities of this theme, its impact on individuals and communities, and how to engage students in meaningful discussions around these topics.

Each session features a carefully selected book, paired with historically contextualized presentations, interactive discussions, teaching strategies, and cross-disciplinary activities to inspire classroom implementation.

Sessions this year will take place virtually on Thursday evenings from 6:00-7:30 p.m. (ET). Three Act 48 credit hours (for PA educators) and a copy of the book are provided for each session.

This lecture is part of the Socialist Studies Seminar. 

Why did ordinary young women from interwar Poland leave everything behind to fight for Republican Spain? Through interconnected biographies, this paper examines how calss, gender, education, and ethnicity shaped women's paths toward political radicalization, socialism, and communism. Some encountered radical politics through universities, travel, and intellectual circles; others through hospitals, factories, poverty, and prison. Despite varied trajectories, their paths converged in Spain, where commitments to socialism, communism, and above all anti-fascism, gave political meaning to experiences shaped by inequality, care, and social change.

Co-sponsored by the World History Center at Pitt and the Carnegie Mellon University Department of History