Essay

Global Week is Here

his week from November 4–16, UVA kicks off its annual celebration of Global Week with a rich array of programming aimed at students, faculty, staff, and the broader Charlottesville community. This year’s schedule offers opportunities to examine international challenges, encounter another culture, and discover how global engagement enriches our University and the communities we serve. Whether you are considering an international experience or simply curious about the world, there is something for you.

For those interested in geopolitics, November 4 offers two timely discussions. Jewish Studies and the Miller Center bring together Ned Lazarus, Ghaith al-Omari, and UVA’s Glenn Dynner to consider the implications of the U.S. midterm and Israeli elections for Israeli-Palestinian peace. A separate virtual roundtable, Brazil Votes: Post-Election Realities and the Road Ahead, examines Brazil’s election results, democratic future, and relationship with the United States. On November 10, hear from Morocco’s Ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, or explore France’s upcoming presidential election with visiting French Fulbright Scholar Nicolas Audignon.

Global health programming highlights the connections between research, clinical care, and community well-being. On November 4, Alanna Bergman will discuss nurses’ work confronting tuberculosis, challenging stigma, and advancing health equity. An open house at the Center for Global Health Equity offers another opportunity to learn about UVA’s engagement with health challenges around the world.

I hope you will bring a colleague or friend, try something unfamiliar, and make a new connection.

Arts and culture provide equally inviting ways to explore the world. On November 10, Cine Cafeína pairs Which Way Home, a documentary following unaccompanied children traveling north from Central America, with tamales, café, and pan dulce. Explore dance around the world at the VISAS Global Café on November 11, enjoy handwritten Chinese calligraphy from UVA students on November 12, and join the East Asia Center for an evening with contemporary Chinese author Yao Emei on November 13.

Global Week also offers practical ways to get involved. Multilingual participants can help translate documents for Charlottesville neighbors at the November 11 Translate-a-thon. An International Center open house, education abroad workshops, fellowship sessions, and conversations with alumni about global careers offer opportunities to discover where your own interests might lead.

I am grateful to the organizers and participants who make Global Week possible, and to the international students and scholars whose perspectives enrich life on Grounds throughout the year. I hope you will bring a colleague or friend, try something unfamiliar, and make a new connection. Please explore the full schedule, check registration details, and join us in celebrating UVA’s engagement with the world.