News from Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, March 4, 2010

Conference: The Middle East - Making Peace
March 8-10, 2010

As part of a three-day conference sponsored by the Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah, former State Department official Aaron David Miller will give this year's David Gardner Lecture on the Humanities and Fine Arts titled, "Gulliver's Troubles: Obama and America in the Middle East." The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. on March 9 at the I.J. and Jeanne Wagner Jewish Community Center, 2 N. Medical Dr. Additional events will also be held in connection with the Middle East Conference. On March 8, the film Waltz with Bashir will be screened at 7 p.m. at the Fort Douglas Theater, 245 S. Fort Douglas Boulevard, followed by comments by Amos Guiora of the U's S.J. Quinney College of Law. On March 10, three panel discussions involving distinguished experts on the Middle East will be held at the University of Utah and Westminster College. "Israel-Palestine: Making Peace"; "Iran: Internal Change, International Implications"; and "Iraq: The Path Ahead".

Cost: Free and open to the public
For more information and a complete Conference Program, please visit http://www.hum.utah.edu/humcntr.

"Expectations vs. Reality: The Iraqi Elections of 2010"
Featuring Ali Allawi, Author
March 11, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Carolyn Tanner Irish Humanities Building, Auditorium 109, U of U

The Middle East Center at the University of Utah presents "Expectations vs. Reality: The Iraqi Elections of 2010" featuring Ali Allawi, author of the recently published book The Crisis of Islamic Civilization ( Yale University Press, 2009). In April, 2004, Mr. Allawi was appointed to be Iraq's first post-war civilian Minister of Defense. In January 2005, he was elected to Iraq's Transitional National Assembly as a member of the United Iraqi Alliance. In April, 2005, he was appointed to be the Minister of Finance in the Transitional Government headed by Dr. Ibrahim al-Jaffari. He held that post until May 2006 when he returned to private life. Born in Baghdad in December 1947, Mr. Allawi attended MIT from which he graduated in 1968 with a BSc in Civil Engineering. He continued his postgraduate studies at the London School of Economics in Regional Planning, and he went on to obtain an MBA from Harvard University in 1971.

Cost: Free and open to the public
For more information, please visit www.mec.utah.edu.

Bastian Foundation Diversity Lecture Series
Profiles of Transformation for At-risk Youth and Communities
March 11, 2010, 7:30 p.m., Westminster College

Steve Fitzhugh, a strong advocate for youth leadership and empowerment, spends much of his time working with and speaking to youth throughout the U.S. and abroad. As executive director of PowerMoves, his focus is on challenging young people to make positive choices when facing today's critical issues-academic challenges, peer pressure and drug and alcohol use. Relaying experiences from his own life and stories from his time in the NFL, Fitzhugh connects with young people to encourage positive growth. As co-founder of "The House" and collaborator with local churches and ministries, Fitzhugh has worked to transform a crack house in D.C. to a teen drop-in center and to develop youth programs that focus on skill development, academic tutoring, music and physical fitness.

Cost: Free and open to the public
For more information, please visit www.westminstercollege.edu/culturalevents.

Hispanic Media Services: Expo Mujer (Women's Expo)
March 20, 2010, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Utah Cultural Celebration Center, West Valley City

This event will bring women from all walks of life, ages, cultures, and Latin American Countries together to learn about education advancement and business opportunities, health issues, breast cancer, diabetes, cholesterol, aids, personal enrichment and development, family life, beauty and more. These workshops will help them better their lives in a fun friendly environment.

Cost: Free
For more information or to reserve your exhibit table, please call (801) 750-1767. You can also find them on Facebook, Expo Mujer Utah.