Tuesday, September 9
In the Shadow of Kung Fu: The Afterlife of Colonialist Stereotypes on German Public Television
Time: 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Presenter: Sabine von Dirke, German Department
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall
European Studies Center Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Series
This “lunch and learn” session will present the preliminary results of Dr. von Dirke research for her upcoming book titled "East Asian Diaspora in Germany Today."
Dr. von Dirke will discuss how images of minoritized populations shape perception in today’s highly differentiated media societies. Her research aims to map the circulation of Asian clichés and stereotypes in public discourse. These stereotypes, clichés and tropes are, of course, rooted in the German colonialist project. She uses the 1970s ABC television series, Kung Fu, to analyze how these colonialist images are refracted through US-American popular media, such as television shows, in the case of West Germany since 1945.
Bio:
Sabine von Dirke is Associate Professor in the German Department at Pitt and focuses on the political and cultural developments of Germany since 1945 within a European context. Previous scholarship analyzed sub- and counter-cultural developments in (West) Germany (1960s student movement 1960s, politically motivated violence of the Red Army Faction; the politics of popular culture (Neue Deutsche Welle, German Hip Hop, Pop Literature of the 1990s). Her current research explores the politics of representation with respect to Germans of Color, mostly Asian Germans, within Germany’s public television and digital media landscape, with a focus on the 2nd generation’s self-articulation. A second project explores the ideological labor televisual entertainment formats perform in maintaining the political and economic status quo.
Dietrich to Cyprus: Peace, Migration, Sovereignty Information Session
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Are you interested in learning more about our new semester-long Panther Program in Cyprus? Come by 810 William Pitt Union, speak with program faculty and staff, and ask all your questions!
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Ukrainian Culture Club--Welcome Meeting
Presenter: Andrew Romanchik
Learn about Ukrainian opportunities here at Pitt -- Language, Culture, Advocacy, Community, and More!
Tuesday, September 9 to Tuesday, December 9
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Wednesday, September 10
Open Advising Hours: CEA CAPA and Arcadia Education Abroad
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Stop by 810 William Pitt Union between 1pm and 4pm to speak with Arcadia Abroad and CEA CAPA representatives about their global programs and opportunities!
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, September 10 to Wednesday, December 17
Arabic Club Conversation Table
Join the Arabic Club for biweekly meetings in the Global Hub during Fall 2025 semester, and to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!
Thursday, September 11
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Global Studies Center Welcome Reception
Location: 4130 Wesley W Posvar Hall
Join the Global Studies Center for our annual welcome reception! Meet current and new students, faculty and staff and learn about GSC initiatives while enjoying conversation and refreshments.
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Friday, September 12
First-Time Travelers Workshop
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Are you interesting in studying abroad, but have not traveled before? Come by 810 William Pitt Union at 1:00pm to talk about traveling logistics, what first-time travelers can expect, ask questions, and more!
Monday, September 15
Open Advising Hours: CIEE and IFSA
Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Want to learn more about studying or interning abroad with CIEE or IFSA? Come speak with representatives from the organizations between 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm and ask all your questions!
Shaping Global Citizens: Experiential Learning for Career and Community Impact
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Join us for a panel discussion to hear how experiential learning can help prepare you for a rapidly evolving workforce and equip you with critical skillsets to be an engaged global citizen ready to make a positive impact in the local community. Hear from professionals with a wealth of experience in career development, service learning, and global engagement, as well as from Pitt students themselves who have navigated these transformative experiences and are excited to share their stories with you, too. A networking opportunity will follow the panel discussion. Light refreshments will be served.
This event is part of the UCIS International Career Toolkit Series, and Pitt undergraduate students can earn Global Distinction credit for attending.
Panelists:
- Brandon Blache-Cohen, Executive Director of AllPeopleBeHappy (formerly Amizade)
- Katie Boyes, Undergraduate student, B.A. in Environmental Studies, Minor in Secondary Education, certificates in Global Studies & African Studies
- Rianne Elsadig, Masters student, MID in International Development, Social Policy concentration, certificates in Global Studies & African Studies
- Marie Newkirk, Assistant Director for Experiential Learning, Pitt Career Center
- Rachel Vandevort, Program Manager, Pitt Global Experiences Office
Moderator:
- Molly McSweeney, Assistant Director for Student and Community Engagement, Global Hub, University Center for International Studies
Co-Sponsors:
- University Center for International Studies
- Pitt Global Hub
- Pitt Global Experiences
- Pitt Career Center
- AllPeopleBeHappy
- David C. Frederick Honors College
- Office of PittServes
- Office of Engagement and Community Affairs
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, September 16 to Tuesday, December 16
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Tuesday, September 16
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, September 17
Open Advising Hours: WorldStrides
Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Are you interested in global experiences through WorldStrides? Come speak to a representative in 810 William Pitt Union to speak about WorldStrides' global programs and ask your questions!
Global Appalachia Reading Group: Session 1
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall or via Zoom
The Global Appalachia Reading Group examines the complex intersections of regional identity, global influence, and environmental justice as they pertain to Appalachia and its connections to the wider world. The Fall 2026 theme is "Place."
Session 1 Book, September 17, 2025: Appalachia in Regional Context: Place Matters, edited by Dwight B. Billings and Ann E. Kingsolver
Session 2 Book, October 22, 2025: Affrilachia by Frank X. Walker
Session 3 Book, November 19, 2025: Making Our Future: Visionary Folklore and Everyday Culture in Appalachia by Emily Hilliard
Copies of the books will be available for those planning to attend the event. Please stop by the Global Studies Center (4100 Posvar Hall) to pick up your copy. If you need the books shipped, that can be arranged.
Note: We are able to fund and distribute books to registrants as funding allows. Registration will remain open after this amount is reached. Registrants will be notified if we are unable to provide them with the reading material.
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Liebe, D-Mark_und Tod (Love, Deutschmarks and Death)
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
As part of the "German Pop and Pittsburgh N'at: Cool Culture, Crass Cultivation and Cosmopolitan Connections"
Documentary, 96 min, Germany 2022
Directed by Cem Kaya
LOVE, DEUTSCHMARKS AND DEATH tells the story of the independent and largely unknown music of immigrants from Turkey and their children and grandchildren in Germany in a very lively way, full of rhythm. In the form of a documentary essay, director Cem Kaya takes his viewers into a dazzling universe of musical diversity. In a cinematic experience of the highest sound quality, he brings the energy and spirit of those years to life.
Thursday, September 18 to Saturday, September 20
Celebrate Africa Festival
Presenter: Center for African Studies
The Celebrate Africa Festival brings students, faculty, and staff together with the vibrant African diaspora community in Pittsburgh. There is food, song & dance, artisans, children's activities, and more! It is a wonderful opportunity to engage with the diversity of Africa and the Pittsburgh community, as well as network with local African organizations and businesses.
Thursday, September 18
Open Advising Hours: AIFS and IES
Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Want to learn more about global opportunities with AIFS and/or IES? Come speak with representatives from both organizations in 810 William Pitt Union about their study and internship abroad programs!
CLAS Speaker Series
Drug trafficking, repression, and foreign mercenaries: a transnational perspective on the García Meza dictatorship in Bolivia
Presenter: Dr. Vito Ruggiero
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall and Zoom
Vito Ruggiero is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellow at Ca' Foscari University in Venice. He is currently working on a European Commission-funded project entitled: "Drug Trafficking and Politics: Structuring and Adaptation of Organized Crime in Bolivia's Last Authoritarian Decade (1971–1982). He is the author of the book The Anti-Communist Dream: Italian Neo-Fascists in Latin America (Roma Tre University Press, 2023).
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Thursday, September 18 to Friday, September 19
Continental Connections: Africa and the African Diaspora Research Conference
Location: Various locations in Posvar
The University of Pittsburgh’s Continental Connection: Africa and the African Diaspora Research Conference and Celebration will be a dynamic gathering that brings together faculty and students from across the University—including the Department of Africana Studies, Center for African Studies, Center for Ethnic Studies, Center on Race and Social Problems, Center for Health Equity, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Social Work.
Experience the power of connection as faculty and students share their research through captivating presentations and hands-on interactive poster sessions on September 18.
This conference creates a vibrant space where scholarship transcends geographical boundaries, sparking meaningful collaborations and amplifying the vital voices and contributions of African and diaspora communities worldwide.
Planned events will continue on September 19-20 with the Celebrate Africa & African Diaspora Festival hosted by the Center for African Studies.
Friday, September 19
Celebrate Africa Fashion Show
Location: Ground Floor, Posvar Hall
Join us for an African fashion show to kick off our Celebrate Africa Festival!
Saturday, September 20
Women In Byzantium
Women Archetypes in Greek Tragedy: From Ancient to Modern - A Lecture Series
Presenter: Giovanna Liveri
The Greek Nationality Room is launching the new program period with a lecture series that will feature and explore women archetypes in Greek Tragedy, from ancient to modern times:
pahellenicfoundation.org/Tragedy
The first two lectures/presentations, scheduled for September 20 and 27, both at 7 PM explore enduring female archetypes in ancient Greek tragedy (September 20) and Byzantine culture (September 27). These presentations will offer insights into how archetypal patterns of female behavior have evolved and continue to evolve and influence modern identity, thought, and action.
The explorations will:
- interpret archetypal female behavior through literary and historic women.
- highlight the timeless power of archetypes that continue to shape contemporary consciousness.
- create a clear link between past and present, fostering reflection on personal and societal levels.
On the day following each presentation (September 21 and 28, respectively), participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and engage in live discussion with the presenter.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER, GIOVANNA LIVERI:
Giovanna Liveri is a philologist and educator with extensive experience in teaching Ancient and Modern Greek language and literature, both as a native and a foreign language. Founder of the website “Language and Culture Dialogues” and the educational platform “e-Dialogos”. She organizes interactive cultural workshops and seminars for Greek and international audiences and designs speaking and cultural courses through literature and culture for Greeks in the diaspora. She specializes in innovative, experiential teaching methods, combining traditional philological knowledge with modern educational approaches. She has taught in private schools, educational centers, and IB programs, with a focus on Greek language and literature studies.
Although the presentations will be open to everyone, to participate in the live discussion and Q&A period, we kindly ask those interested to register. Details are inside the program website:
pahellenicfoundation.org/Tragedy
We look forward to these presentations as well as other events in motion for this fall season.
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - The Things You Kill
Location: David Lawrence Hall 121
American-educated, comparative literature professor Ali feels that he has shed his familial baggage, and with it, his father’s patriarchal, draconian sensibilities. Ali’s long-simmering resentment, however, resurfaces as he becomes aware that his mother’s untimely death may not have been natural.
When a mysterious drifter Riza turns up at his rural cabin looking for work, Ali thinks that Riza may be able to solve several problems. As the revenge scheme spins out of control, Ali’s generational trauma threatens to overturn everything he’s worked for. Part David Lynch, part Turkish realism, The Things You Kill explores how the power of the patriarchy is built on an unreal scaffolding, one that crumbles as soon as any pressure is exerted.
Winner, Sundance 2025 World Cinema Award
Sunday, September 21
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - Blue Sun Palace
Location: Alumni Hall 343
In Blue Sun Palace’s Chinese-speaking Queens, Cheung is a migrant laborer and Didi works at a massage parlor with other Chinese immigrants. Among them is Amy (Ke-Xi Wu), a gifted cook who dreams of opening her own restaurant. When Didi is tragically killed, Cheung and Amy form an unexpected bond as they navigate their grief and search for connection. Blue Sun Palace offers a quiet, realistic portrayal of immigrant life in New York, where English is rarely spoken and interactions with non-immigrant Americans are largely commodified. While there are daily indignities foisted upon the immigrants, Blue Sun Palace is no misery showcase. Intimacy and warmth co-exist with economic anxieties and deep grief that are articulated with uncommon intelligence and understanding of how adults endure any given day. Director Constance Tsang gives us confident direction in her debut feature, bringing a fresh exploration to how American newcomers might find comfort and solace in one another in an otherwise alienating land.
Monday, September 22
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - Cactus Pears
Location: David Lawrence Hall 121
The 2025 Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, a love story set in a traditional Maharashtrian village, follows Anand, a city dweller who, during a 10-day mourning period for his father, rekindles a tender bond with his childhood friend. At the beginning of Cactus Pears, protagonist Anand has to leave his urban world to mourn his beloved father in his ancestral home, where he is inundated with memories and his relations question his marital status. Anand finds himself drawn to his childhood friend Balya, as their personal and emotional struggles bring them closer during Anand’s 10-day mourning period. Cactus Pears is a refreshingly intimate film that explores queer life in rural India in a new way. Far from imagining the region as inherently hostile to queerness, the film explores the deep complexities around family obligation, loss, and desire. By casting local actors and filming in his ancestral village, Cactus Pears becomes a semi-autobiographical portrait of love and hope found. even in the most unusual of places.
Winner, Sundance Grand Jury Prize 2025
Tuesday, September 23
Open Advising Hours: SFS (School for Field Studies)
Time: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Drop by 810 William Pitt Union anytime between 12pm and 3pm to speak with a representative from SFS (School for Field Studies) about their programming, studying abroad, and more!
The Bridge over the Strait of Messina: “Security,” Integration, and the High Stakes of Seismicity in Schengen-Era Sicily
Time: 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Presenter: Lina Insana, Department of French and Italian
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall
European Studies Center Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Series
In 2022, the Meloni government renewed plans to connect Sicily and the Italian mainland— plans that had lain dormant for more than a decade—and build the largest single-span suspension bridge in the world. What does this most recent chapter of the bridge’s story tell us about Sicily’s place in the Italian nation, in Europe, and in frameworks of integration
and security? And how do the politics of this moment resonate with earlier plans to bind this notoriously “seismic” island to more “stable” ground?
Bio:
Dr. Lina Insana
Associate Prof of Italian
Director of Italian Graduate Studies
Italian Program Coordinator
Lina Insana’s research and teaching focuses on modern and contemporary Italian cultural production. Most of her work on Italian writer and Holocaust survivor Primo Levi is concerned with textual mediation, translation, and adaptation; newer research—on Sicilian cultural belonging and manifestations of italianità in the American interwar period (1919-1939)—seeks to interrogate formations of transnational identity at the margins of conventionally accepted definitions of Italianness.
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - Missing Child Videotape
Location: Kelly Strayhorn Alloy Studies
In the feature film debut of director Kondo Ryota, winner of the Grand Prize at the Japan Horror Film Competition, and produced by legendary J-Horror director, Shimizu Takashi, this film’s quiet horror allows viewers to experience slow-burning dread trapped in the coarse image of a VHS tape. One day, Keita unexpectedly receives an old videotape from his mother. As the tape plays, the grainy images reveal the moment of his brother’s mysterious disappearance years earlier forcing Keita to reckon with a past he has long tried to forget. As unforgettable and ghastly as this revelation might be, Keita decides to confront the incident once more and retrace the past, heading to the ruins of a mountain that should never have existed.
Tuesday, September 23 to Tuesday, December 23
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Wednesday, September 24
Pop Germany! Blotted Line Print Workshop
Location: Center for Creativity- Hillman Library 4th Floor
Please join the staff of the Andy Warhol Museum, as they provide an overview of Warhol's blotted line technique. Registration is required due to limited space.
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - Pavane For an Infant
Location: Cathedral of Learning G24
In conservative Malaysia, the mere existence of a baby hatch—in which one can safely abandon newborns– remains a whispered taboo, condemned by the rising tide of social conservatism that brands it as an enabler of moral decay. Lai Sum, Fatimah, Kam, and Nurul, committed employees of a Kuala Lumpur baby hatch, navigate a maze of societal opposition to empower women from diverse backgrounds grappling with the complex notion of bodily autonomy. As Ramadan ends, a dire situation unfolds when Siew Man, an underage girl, teeters on the brink of a life-altering decision. Lai Sum endeavors to rescue her from the depths of despair. However, her well-intentioned intervention unwittingly entangles them both in the perilous currents of theocratic and patriarchal forces, threatening to dictate their fates.
Nominee, Tokyo International Film Festival best film 2024
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - The Botanist
Location: Mount Lebanon Public Library
In a village in a remote valley on the northern border of Xinjiang, China, a lonely Kazakh boy named Arsin nurses fading memories of his family. He finds solace in the company of plants. The arrival of Meiyu, a Han Chinese girl, is like the discovery of a plant he has never seen before, bringing him comfort and a strange sense of wonder. Together, they grow like two distinct species, rooted in a shared corner of the world, imagining the valley as an endless ocean. But one day, Arsin learns that Meiyu will be moving to Shanghai, which is 4,792 kilometres away – a distance he struggles to comprehend. She is headed to a city where the ocean actually exists. Arsin is left alone to grapple with the quiet shifts in their small, fragile world.
2025 Berlin Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus Winner, Best Film
Two Shows: Friday, Sept 26 at 1:00 PM (Univ. of Pitt, G24) and Wednesday, Sept 24 at 7PM (Mt. Lebanon Library)
Wednesday, September 24 to Wednesday, December 31
Arabic Club Conversation Table
Join the Arabic Club for biweekly meetings in the Global Hub during Fall 2025 semester, and to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!
Thursday, September 25
CLAS Speaker Series
Presenter: Loretta Fernandez
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Suchitra: Hindi Language Table
Practice Hindi and play games with the Less-Commonly-Taught-Languages Center and students! No knowledge of Hindi required.
There will be three meetings in the Global Hub during Fall semester, each from 6-7 pm:
- September 25
- October 23
- November 20
Global Issues Through Literature: The U.S. in the World
"Lark Ascending," by Silas House
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 “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, 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.
The September 25, 2025 workshop will focus on the book, "Lark Ascending," by Silas House.
For more information and to register, please go to: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/GILS .
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - Winter in Sokcho
In Sokcho, a small seaside village in South Korea, a young woman, Soo-Ha, lives in a bit of a rut, rhythmed by visits to her mother, a fishmonger, and her relationship with her boyfriend, Jun-Ho. When a French man named Yan Kerrand arrives in the boarding house where Soo-Ha works, it awakens within her questions about her own identity, and that of her French father, of whom she knows almost nothing. As winter settles over the town, Soo-Ha and Kerrand will observe and gauge each other, trying to communicate any way they can – through cooking for one and drawing for the other – delicately weaving a fragile bond between them.
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - Mikusu Modan
Time: 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Hiro and his wife Sono run an okonomiyaki restaurant which employs ex-youth offenders to help support their rehabilitation. Since an incident with a former employee a year ago, Hiro has been hounded by hate speech online. Nevertheless, he sticks to his principles at the restaurant. When he interviews the 18-year-old Yuto in the detention center, the young man tells him: “I want the chance to start over!”, and Hiro hires him. After receiving his first pay packet, Yuto returns to his hometown to buy his father a gift but discovers that he has left town. Yuto’s mother already abandoned him when he was a child and now his father is gone, too. While out at a club, Yuto becomes fascinated with Yukiha, a 17-year-old dancer at the club who was also recently released from juvenile detention.
Berlin Film Festival Panorama 2025
Friday, September 26
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - The Botanist
Location: Cathedral of Learning G24
In a village in a remote valley on the northern border of Xinjiang, China, a lonely Kazakh boy named Arsin nurses fading memories of his family. He finds solace in the company of plants. The arrival of Meiyu, a Han Chinese girl, is like the discovery of a plant he has never seen before, bringing him comfort and a strange sense of wonder. Together, they grow like two distinct species, rooted in a shared corner of the world, imagining the valley as an endless ocean. But one day, Arsin learns that Meiyu will be moving to Shanghai, which is 4,792 kilometres away – a distance he struggles to comprehend. She is headed to a city where the ocean actually exists. Arsin is left alone to grapple with the quiet shifts in their small, fragile world.
2025 Berlin Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus Winner, Best Film
Two Shows: Friday, Sept 26 at 1:00 PM (Univ. of Pitt, G24) and Wednesday, Sept 24 at 7PM (Mt. Lebanon Library)
Being LGBTQ+ Abroad
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Are you part of the LGBTQ+ community? Are you interested in studying abroad? Come by 810 William Pitt Union for a presentation and discussion with staff members and students about safe practices and expectations for LGBTQ+ students studying abroad. Bring all of your questions!
Extractive Empire: Bricks, Cement, and Soviet Material Movements after WWII
Presenter: Katherine Zubovich (SUNY Buffalo)
Location: Baker Hall 246A, Carnegie Mellon University
After World War II, the USSR's leaders relied heavily on construction materials mined and produced in recently liberated territories to rebuild the country's ruined cities. This paper traces the material networks linking Soviet cities to forests, quarries, and factories supplying the wood, marble, brick, and cement integral to Soviet rebuilding. Focusing on the Aseri Brickworks and Kunda Cement Factory, both located along Estonia's northern coast, the paper examines the interplay between Soviet occupation and materials extraction. Part of the Socialist Studies Seminar series.
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - A Useful Ghost
At the beginning of the Cannes Film Festival Critics’ Week winner A Useful Ghost (Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, 2025), we learn that March has lost his beloved wife Nat, whose work in the family factory has left her—and many other workers—poisoned. Their relationship gets a second chance, however, when she comes back to him, reincarnated as a vacuum cleaner. His family is less pleased by her reincarnation and finds their rather unconventional love disturbing. Anxious to be the good daughter-in-law again, Nat decides to become useful by setting herself against the other ghosts who have revenge on their minds. As she becomes involved in banishing other spirits, the question of a ghost’s usefulness clashes with Thailand’s recent authoritarian history. With its tonal shifts and fractious genre changes, A Useful Ghost should not work. But the fact that it does—and does so brilliantly—is a credit to the debut film director’s sense of humor and razor-sharp political vision.
Toronto International Film Festival 2025, Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize 2025
Saturday, September 27
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - Daughter's Daughter
Location: Frick Fine Arts 125
Jin Aixia (Chang) has two daughters, but Emma (Karena Lam), who grew up in New York, and Fan Zuer (Eugenie Liu), who grew up in Taipei, never knew about each other until well into adulthood. When Zuer and her partner decide to try and get pregnant via in vitro fertilization, they wind up travelling to the US for treatments. Tragically, the couple die there in an accident, but their embryo remains alive and well — and Aixia is left as its legal guardian. Arriving in New York overwhelmed with grief, she is faced with the choice to donate, terminate, or find a surrogate for the embryo. But after a life spent feeling like she’s fallen short as a mother, who is she to decide what to do with her deceased daughter’s unborn child?
2024 Toronto International Film Festival Platform Award winner, 2024 Golden Horse winner, best original screenplay
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - A Better Tomorrow (Special 4K restoration)
When A Better Tomorrow debuted in 1986, it spawned the Hong Kong gangster cinematic craze, propelled the careers of John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat to international stardom and made Hong Kong cool an aesthetic across the world. We are celebrating the 2025 4k of this film and the entire Golden Princess Collection at the Harris Theater. In the original HK gangster film– A Better Tomorrow, two estranged brothers — Leslie Cheung’s fresh-faced cop Kit, and Ti lung’s jaded criminal Ho — struggle to reconnect after Ho serves three years in prison. As Ho attempts to stay out of gangster life, both are drawn into crime, violence and the Hong Kong underworld. Not only does Woo’s A Better Tomorrow set the gold standard for intense corridor shootouts but also laid the foundation for a stylistic template that would resonate throughout Woo’s illustrious career.
Sunday, September 28
SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival - Tripoli/A Tale of Three Cities
While living abroad, a filmmaker returns to Tripoli, Lebanon to confront a hometown that once rejected him as a queer child. With a microphone in hand, he walks around coffee shops, public squares and a park to ask the city’s inhabitants about their cultural and social beliefs and their embrace of new ideas. Gradually, he meets a group of marginalized individuals whose eccentric life choices contradict the general lifestyle in this religiously and socially conservative city. Through intimate conversations with a communist activist, a queer music producer, and other unconventional characters, Tripoli/A Tale of Three Cities explores the complicated relations one forms with a hometown in crisis. This contemplative urban symphony paints a picture of a city trapped in a self-spun web, paralyzed by a deep economic crisis, a faltering revolution, and a looming doomsday.
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
Co-sponsored by The Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University and Backyard Docs
Monday, September 29
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, September 30 to Tuesday, December 30
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Tuesday, September 30
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, October 1
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Turkish Language Table: Board Game Night
Join the Turkish Language Table in the Global Hub to learn about Turkish language, culture, and community.
There will be three meetings in the Global Hub during Fall semester, each from 8-9 pm:
- October 1 - Board Game Night!
- October 15
- November 12
Thursday, October 2
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Vira I. Heinz Program Information Session
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Want to study abroad this summer? You could be selected for a scholarship of $5,000+! Learn more about the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership (VIH Program) by stopping by this info session. Qualified students will be female-identifying, have a QPA of 3.0 and be a current sophomore or junior with no prior travel experience beyond Canada. Come by even if you are thinking about it for next year!
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Monday, October 6
Before and after 1989: The Short History of Liberal Democracy in Hungary
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
Victoria Harms, Associate Teaching Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University and author of the book The Making of Dissidents: Hungary’s Democratic Opposition and Its Western Friends, 1973-1998 (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2024) in conversation with Gregor Thum, Associate Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh. Introduction by Kati R. Csoman, Director of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs.
Co-sponsors to list are: Hungarian Room Committee of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs, the History Department, World History Center, European Studies Center, Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies.
Where: 4130 Posvar Hall
When: 4pm - 5pm October 6th
What: Interview followed by a Q&A segment
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, October 7 to Tuesday, January 6
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Tuesday, October 7
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, October 8
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, October 8 to Wednesday, January 14
Arabic Club Conversation Table
Join the Arabic Club for biweekly meetings in the Global Hub during Fall 2025 semester, and to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!
Thursday, October 9
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Friday, October 10
Phonographic Paleontology: Excavating the Sounds of Georgian Nationality, 1935
Presenter: Brian Fairley (UCIS/REEES Postdoctoral Fellow)
Location: Baker Hall 246A, Carnegie Mellon University
Part of the Socialist Studies Seminar series.
Monday, October 13
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, October 14 to Tuesday, January 13
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Tuesday, October 14
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, October 15
Faculty Roundtable: Displacing Territory
Displacement, Territory, and Belonging Exploring Critical Global Challenges Through Refugee Narratives
Presenter: Drs. Karen Culcasi, Michael Glass and Robert Ross
Displacement disrupts our understandings of borders, identity, and home. We invite you to a dynamic, faculty-led roundtable that explores the pressing and complex themes of displacement, territoriality, and belonging through a multidisciplinary lens. Drawing on the lived experiences of Palestinian and Syrian refugees in Jordan, this discussion will delve into how these realities challenge traditional frameworks and open new avenues for research and teaching.
Together, we’ll critically examine the varied roles and responsibilities of the Global North and South in addressing the ongoing refugee crisis. The roundtable will also spotlight a range of innovative research methodologies for engaging with transnational, interdisciplinary issues.
Faculty participants will receive a complimentary copy of Displacing Territory: Syrian and Palestinian Refugees in Jordan.
Register Here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqum4WVIt0eVH8PjsM9RYc0ztFJyMg...
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Displacing Territory: K-12 Educator PD Workshop
Presenter: Dr. Karen Culcasi, Michael-Ann Cerniglia
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall and via Zoom
Join the Global Studies Center on Wednesday, October 15 from 6:00-7:30 PM ET in 4130 or via Zoom for a presentation by Dr. Karen Culcasi on her book, Displacing Territory: Syrian and Palestinian Refugees in Jordan. Curriculum strategies and resources for K-12 classroom use will also be shared. A limited number of books will be mailed to registrants in advance of the workshop.
Turkish Language Table
Join the Turkish Language Table in the Global Hub to learn about Turkish language, culture, and community.
There will be three meetings in the Global Hub during Fall semester, each from 8-9 pm:
- October 1 - Board Game Night!
- October 15
- November 12
Thursday, October 16
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Vira I. Heinz Program Information Session
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Want to study abroad this summer? You could be selected for a scholarship of $5,000+! Learn more about the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership (VIH Program) by stopping by this info session. Qualified students will be female-identifying, have a QPA of 3.0 and be a current sophomore or junior with no prior travel experience beyond Canada. Come by even if you are thinking about it for next year!
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Monday, October 20
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, October 21 to Tuesday, January 20
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Tuesday, October 21
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, October 22
Global Appalachia Reading Group: Session 2
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall or via Zoom
The Global Appalachia Reading Group examines the complex intersections of regional identity, global influence, and environmental justice as they pertain to Appalachia and its connections to the wider world. The Fall 2026 theme is "Place."
Session 1 Book, September 17, 2025: Appalachia in Regional Context: Place Matters, edited by Dwight B. Billings and Ann E. Kingsolver
Session 2 Book, October 22, 2025: Affrilachia by Frank X. Walker
Session 3 Book, November 19, 2025: Making Our Future: Visionary Folklore and Everyday Culture in Appalachia by Emily Hilliard
Copies of the books will be available for those planning to attend the event. Please stop by the Global Studies Center (4100 Posvar Hall) to pick up your copy. If you need the books shipped, that can be arranged.
Note: We are able to fund and distribute books to registrants as funding allows. Registration will remain open after this amount is reached. Registrants will be notified if we are unable to provide them with the reading material.
Vira I. Heinz Program Information Session
Location: 810 William Pitt Union
Want to study abroad this summer? You could be selected for a scholarship of $5,000+! Learn more about the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership (VIH Program) by stopping by this info session. Qualified students will be female-identifying, have a QPA of 3.0 and be a current sophomore or junior with no prior travel experience beyond Canada. Come by even if you are thinking about it for next year!
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, October 22 to Wednesday, January 28
Arabic Club Conversation Table
Join the Arabic Club for biweekly meetings in the Global Hub during Fall 2025 semester, and to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!
Thursday, October 23
CLAS Speaker Series
Presenter: Thatiellen Ribeiro and Ruth Jimenez
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Suchitra: Hindi Language Table
Practice Hindi and play games with the Less-Commonly-Taught-Languages Center and students! No knowledge of Hindi required.
There will be three meetings in the Global Hub during Fall semester, each from 6-7 pm:
- September 25
- October 23
- November 20
Camera as Passport: The Ship of Photographers
Curated by Deobrah Dash Moore and Louis Kaplan
Location: American Jewish Museum, JCC of Greater Pittsburgh, 5738 Forbes Ave, Pgh, PA 15217
Cost: Free (RSVP's are encouraged)
This powerful exhibition features 36 striking images that trace the remarkable journeys of eight European photographers who, facing Nazi persecution in the 1930s and ’40s, used their cameras as tools of escape, survival, and reinvention.
Curated by:
Deborah Dash Moore
Jonathan Freedman Distinguished University Professor of History & Judaic Studies, University of Michigan
Louis Kaplan
Professor of History and Theory of Photography and New Media, University of Toronto
Exhibition will be on view from August 20, 2025-Jan 30, 2026
Global Issues Through Literature: The U.S. in the World
"Ashes of Roses," by by Mary Jane Auch
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 “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, 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.
The October 23 workshop will focus on the book, "Ashes of Rose," by Mary Jane Auch.
For more information and to register, please go to: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/GILS
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Monday, October 27
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, October 28
Pitt Model United Nations 2025
Location: William Pitt Union and O'Hara Student Center, Pitt-Oakland Campus
Through experiential learning, high school students engage directly with global issues by assuming the role of world leaders and negotiating responses to timely topics.
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Tuesday, October 28 to Tuesday, January 27
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Wednesday, October 29
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Thursday, October 30 to Tuesday, November 4
CLAS Day of the Dead Altar
Ofrenda/Altar Display
October 28 – November 4, 2025
Global Hub
No need to register. Stop by any time between October 28th-November 4th to see the display.
Thursday, October 30
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
CLAS Day of the dead and saints day Celebrations! ¡DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS Y DÍA DE LOS SANTOS FESTIVITIES!
CLAS Day of the dead and saints day Celebrations!
¡DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS Y DÍA DE LOS SANTOS FESTIVITIES!
Ofrenda/Altar Display
October 28 – November 4, 2025
Global Hub
All are welcome to take part in this beautiful tradition!
Help us celebrate the lives of departed loved ones—family, friends, or pets—by adding photos, mementos, artificial flowers, or small ofrendas to the community altar. You’re also invited to paint a Monarch butterfly with their name to honor their memory. The Ofrenda/Altar will be lovingly created by Lisa DiGioia Nutini (Mexico Lindo), and Luz Amanda Hank (CLAS).
Workshops on Wednesday, October 30, 2025
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Learn about the Day of the Dead Celebration: Lisa DiGioia Nutini, Mexico Lindo and Dr. Manuel Roman-Lacayo, Deputy Director, LASA
3:15-4:15 p.m. Learn how to make Papel Picado
4:25-6:00 p.m. Paint your own Alebrije
This event is organized by the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS), and co-sponsored by the Global Hub, the Latin American Cultural Center (LACC), and the Center for Ethnic Studies Research (CESR).
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Monday, November 3
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, November 4
CLAS Speaker Series
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Tuesday, November 4 to Tuesday, February 3
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Wednesday, November 5
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, November 5 to Wednesday, February 11
Arabic Club Conversation Table
Time: 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Join the Arabic Club for biweekly meetings in the Global Hub during Fall 2025 semester, and to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!
Thursday, November 6
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Monday, November 10
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, November 11 to Tuesday, February 10
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Tuesday, November 11
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, November 12
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Turkish Language Table
Join the Turkish Language Table in the Global Hub to learn about Turkish language, culture, and community.
There will be three meetings in the Global Hub during Fall semester, each from 8-9 pm:
- October 1 - Board Game Night!
- October 15
- November 12
Thursday, November 13
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Friday, November 14
Our Town Is Now a Cemetery: Soviet Yiddish Amateur Songs and the Rituals of Holocaust Commemoration, 1945–1947
Presenter: Anna Shternshis (University of Toronto)
Location: Baker Hall 246A, Carnegie Mellon University
Part of the Socialist Studies Seminar series.
Monday, November 17
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, November 18 to Tuesday, February 17
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Tuesday, November 18
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, November 19
21st Annual High School Model European Union
Location: William Pitt Union
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.
CLAS Speaker Series
Presenter: Scott Morgenstern
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
Global Appalachia Reading Group: Session 3
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall or via Zoom
The Global Appalachia Reading Group examines the complex intersections of regional identity, global influence, and environmental justice as they pertain to Appalachia and its connections to the wider world. The Fall 2026 theme is "Place."
Session 1 Book, September 17, 2025: Appalachia in Regional Context: Place Matters, edited by Dwight B. Billings and Ann E. Kingsolver
Session 2 Book, October 22, 2025: Affrilachia by Frank X. Walker
Session 3 Book, November 19, 2025: Making Our Future: Visionary Folklore and Everyday Culture in Appalachia by Emily Hilliard
Copies of the books will be available for those planning to attend the event. Please stop by the Global Studies Center (4100 Posvar Hall) to pick up your copy. If you need the books shipped, that can be arranged.
Note: We are able to fund and distribute books to registrants as funding allows. Registration will remain open after this amount is reached. Registrants will be notified if we are unable to provide them with the reading material.
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, November 19 to Wednesday, February 25
Arabic Club Conversation Table
Time: 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Join the Arabic Club for biweekly meetings in the Global Hub during Fall 2025 semester, and to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!
Thursday, November 20
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Suchitra: Hindi Language Table
Practice Hindi and play games with the Less-Commonly-Taught-Languages Center and students! No knowledge of Hindi required.
There will be three meetings in the Global Hub during Fall semester, each from 6-7 pm:
- September 25
- October 23
- November 20
Global Issues Through Literature: The U.S. in the World
Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me by Lurline Wailana McGregor
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 “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, 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.
The November 20, 2025 workshop will focus on the book, "Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me," by Lurline Wailana McGregor.
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.
For more information and to register, please go to: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/GILS .
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Monday, December 1
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Claire Meachen
Join German Club at Pitt weekly meetings to improve language skills and cultural knowledge of German speaking regions!
German Club will meet in the Global Hub every Monday during Fall 2025 semester, starting September 8 and ending December 1, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, December 2 to Tuesday, March 3
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Tuesday, December 2
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, December 3
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, December 3 to Wednesday, March 11
Arabic Club Conversation Table
Time: 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Join the Arabic Club for biweekly meetings in the Global Hub during Fall 2025 semester, and to practice Arabic language, structured by varying geographic dialects and level of speaker proficiency!
Thursday, December 4
Tavola Italiana
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tavola Italiana will meet on Thursdays during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 27.
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Pitt students: Join Kya Baat Hai, a Hindi-Urdu conversational club that practices language and celebrates South Asian culture, for weekly conversation hours!
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Thursdays, during the Fall semester, EXCEPT on Thursday, November 27.
Sunday, December 7
Holiday Open House 2025
The 34th Nationality and Intercultural Exchange Programs Holiday Open House Sunday, December 7, 2025 from 12-4 pm | Cathedral of Learning Commons| Nationality and Heritage Rooms
Time: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Location: Cathedral of Learning Commons Room
In the spirit of an open house tradition and to foster connections among neighbors, members of the Nationality and Heritage Room Committees will welcome guests into the Cathedral of Learning for an afternoon of exploration and engagement. Guests will be invited into the Nationality and Heritage Rooms which will be decorated for the holiday season and can participate in traditional crafts and cultural demonstrations to learn about the rooms, the committees, and their ethnic communities and traditions. In the Cathedral of Learning Commons, guests will enjoy traditional treats as they listen to world and holiday music and shop for handcrafted and cultural wares and other items that represent the cultural diversity of the Nationality and Heritage Rooms.
The event is free and open to the public. No prior registration is required. Food and gift items will be available for purchase.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Monday, December 8
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
Tuesday, December 9 to Tuesday, March 10
Fall 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Tuesday, December 9
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Wednesday, December 10
French Club Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
UPDATE: On September 10 (only), the French Club and the French Department will have a joint event in the Global Hub, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2025, EXCEPT on November 25 and November 26.
Monday, December 15
Bate-Papo Portuguese Conversation Hour
Presenter: Jennifer Villanueva
Join us in the Global Hub for to meet other students and to practice Portuguese of all levels!
Bate-Papo meet on Mondays, during Fall 2025, starting September 8 and ending December 15, EXCEPT on November 24.
Thursday, January 22
Global Issues Through Literature: The U.S. in the World
"Forty Autumns," by Nina Willner
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 “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, 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.
The January 22, 2026 workshop will focus on the book, "Forty Autumns," by Nina Willner.
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.
For more information and to register, please go to: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/GILS .
Friday, February 6 to Saturday, February 7
Revolutions in Sound: Auditory Cultures of Global Socialism
Thursday, February 19
Global Issues Through Literature: The U.S. in the World
"Messy Roots," by Laura Gao
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 “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, 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.
The workshop for February 19, 2026 will focus on the book, "Messy Roots," by Laura Gao.
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.
For more information and to register, please go to: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/GILS
Thursday, March 19
Global Issues Through Literature: The U.S. in the World
"The Last Watchman of Old Cairo," by Michael David Lukas
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 “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, 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.
The workshop for March 19, 2026 will focus on the book, "The Last Watchman of Old Cairo," by by Michael David Lukas.
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.
For more information and to register, please go to: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/GILS .
Thursday, April 23
Global Issues Through Literature: The U.S. in the World
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 “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, 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.
The April 23, 2026 workshop will focus on the book, "Grenade," by Alan Gratz.
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.
For more information and to register, please go to: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/GILS .
Thursday, May 14
Global Issues Through Literature: The U.S. in the World
Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings by Margarita Engle
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 “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, 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.
The May 14, 2026 workshop will focus on the book, "Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings" by Margarita Engle.
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.
For more information and to register, please go to: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/GILS .
