The Global Voices Lecture Series presents prominent speakers and organizes round-table discussion groups and special interest conferences and seminars. As a part of this program, leading figures from the world stage come to share their thoughts and exchange ideas with students and members of Chicago’s civic community on major issues facing the country and the world. The Global Voices Program enables International House to continue to strengthen its links with the University of Chicago and the City of Chicago in ways that are commensurate with its institutional position of promoting cross-cultural understanding and respect and the exchange of ideas among people of all nations and backgrounds.

• To Be Rescheduled
  Adam Michnik Public Talk
  First recognized for his leadership in the Polish dissidence movement during the Cold War, Adam Michnik has gone on an acclaimed career as a journalist and essayist.  During the communist period, Michnik was one of Poland’s best known opposition activists.  He authored seminal writings against government autocracy and was instrumental in fostering Poland’s underground press.  He was also actively involved in organizing public challenges to single-party rule and served as an adviser to the “Solidarity” Trade Union.  His dissident activities led to several stints as a political prisoner.  Due to his vigorous activities in Poland’s democratic opposition, Michnik played a leading role in the country’s peaceful transition from single-party rule in 1989.
  
  In 1989, Michnik also helped found the independent newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza and he continues to serve as the paper’s editor-in-chief.  Michnik’s sustained dedication to political freedom and human welfare has been celebrated around the world.  Among the numerous honors bestowed on Michnik are the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award (1986), the OSCE Prize for Democracy and Journalism (1995), the Netherlands’ Erasmus Prize (2001), and membership in the French Legion of Honor (2003).
  
  Mr. Michnik will be joined by Elzbieta Matynia, a noted scholar of the democratic transitions in Eastern Europe and Associate Professor of Sociology and Liberal Studies at the New School for Social Research.  5:00pm in Assembly Hall.

• November 4-6, 2009
  "With Immediate Effect" - The Events of 1989 Revisited
  A film and discussion series reflecting on the twentieth anniversary of the transitions in Central and Eastern Europe that marked the end of the Cold War and altered the balance of power in the world. Please visit http://cis.uchicago.edu/1989 for more information.
  • Wednesday, November 4, 2009
    Opening Roundtable with the Consuls General of the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary and Poland
    A discussion concerning the historic events of two decades ago in Central and Eastern Europe, and the paths taken since then - through personal reflections and recollections of how the process developed, the spirit of the movements, the leaders, the political atmosphere, and the ways in which the transition has resonated through the past twenty years. With Hon. Marek Skolil of the Czech Republic, Hon. Onno Hückmann of Germany, Hon. Istvan Mezei of Hungary, and Hon. Zygmunt Matynia of Poland.
    6:00 pm in the Assembly Hall
  • Thursday, November 5, 2009
    Film Screening of Rabbit à la Berlin
    Directed by Bartek Konopka Piotr Rosolowski, 2009 (52 minutes)
    For 28 years the Berlin Wall "death zone" was a haven for wild rabbits - full of grass, no predators, guards keeping humans out. They were trapped, but happy. One day the walls around them fell, and the rabbits had to abandon their enclave. They moved to West Berlin, formed a few smaller colonies, and as revealed in this tongue-in-cheek "nature film", are still learning how to live in the free world.
    Coulter Lounge
  • Friday, November 6, 2009
    Film Screening of After the Velvet Revolution
    Directed by Tom Weidlinger, 1993 (58 minutes)
    This documentary features interviews with seven Czechoslovak citizens in 1990 and 1991, and again a year or two later to see how they fared after the end of Communism. The film effectively uses the individual stories to give some background on 1968, the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia, and the economic consequences of the transition. Because the film was made so soon after the transition, it emphasizes uncertainty. A sense of bewilderment or even betrayal is conveyed by the fact that most of the individuals in the film experienced the idealism and hope of the Velvet Revolution only to find the gritty reality of transition more difficult than they had expected. As Vaclav Havel put it in one of the many pieces of historic footage included in the film, people felt "ambushed by freedom."
    Coulter Lounge
• Thursday, November 5, 2009
  Global Voices Lecture Series and Platypus Present:
  “Thirty Years of the Islamic Revolution in Iran: The Tragedy of the Left”
  A moderated panel discussion and audience Q&A on the legacy and effects of the Islamic Revolution for the Left, both in Iran and internationally, addressing the still-vexing questions of the relationship of anti-imperialism, democracy, and religious fundamentalism for potential responses to this year’s election crisis and protests. See flier for more details. 7:00pm – 9:00pm in Assembly Hall.

Mini-Conference Series

• Wednesday, December 2, 2009
  The Black Panther Party: Looking Back & Forward on the 40th Anniversary of the Assassinations of Fred Hampton & Mark Clark
  December 4, 2009 will mark the 40th anniversary of the murders of Illinois Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton, and party member Mark Clark by the Chicago Police Department.  Party members, scholars and activists examine the impact of this event locally and nationally, and explore the larger context of the history and culture of the Black Panther Party and its relevance for today. This event will be co-sponsored by the  Black Panther Party (BPP) Illinois History Project. 12:00pm – 9:00pm in Assembly Hall.

Author Series

• Monday, September 28, 2009
  Global Voices Author’s Night Series with Ralph Nader
  Former presidential candidate Ralph Nader will be speaking on his book, Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us! This event is co-sponsored by the Seminary Co-op Bookstores. 6:00pm - 7:30pm in Assembly Hall.




• Tuesday, October 20, 2009
  Global Voices Author’s Night Series with Barbara Ehrenreich
  Barbara Ehrenreich, author of the best-selling Nickel and Dimed, will be speaking on her new book entitled Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Undermines America. This event is co-sponsored by the Seminary Co-op Bookstores. 6:00pm - 7:30pm in Home Room.



• Friday, November 13, 2009
  Global Voices Author’s Night Series with David Plouffe
  Chief Obama presidential campaign manager David Plouffe will be speaking on his book, The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory. This event is co-sponsored by the Seminary Co-op Bookstores. 6:00pm - 7:30pm in Assembly Hall.

The World Beyond the Headlines

This popular public lecture series is a collaborative project with the University of Chicago Center for International Studies, the Seminary Coop Bookstores, and the International Global Voices Program with support from the McCormick Foundation. The program brings scholars and journalists together to consider major international news stories and how these stories are covered. - Can't make it to an event? Streaming and downloadable audio and video are now available from CHIASMOS, the University of Chicago's International and Area Studies Multimedia and Outreach Source.

• Thursday, October 8, 2009
  David Bosco, Five to Rule Them All: The U.N. Security Council and the Making of the Modern World
  From the Berlin Airlift to the Iraq War, the UN Security Council has stood at the heart of global politics, always providing a space for the five great powers to sit down together. In Five to Rule Them All, David Bosco (Professor in the School of International Service, American University) tells the inside story of this remarkable diplomatic creation. Drawing on extensive research, including dozens of interviews with serving and former ambassadors on the Council, the book chronicles political battles and personality clashes as it opens the closed doors of its meeting room. 6:00pm - 7:30pm in Home Room.
• Thursday, October 29, 2009
  Neil MacFarquhar, The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah Wishes You a Happy Birthday: Unexpected Encounters in the Changing Middle East
  The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah Wishes You a Happy Birthday reveals a cross-section of unsung, dynamic men and women pioneering political and social change. There is the Kuwaiti sex therapist in a leather suit with matching red headscarf, and the Syrian engineer advocating a less political interpretation of the Koran. Neil MacFarquhar (United Nations bureau chief of The New York Times) interacts with Arabs and Iranians in their everyday lives, removed from the violence we see constantly, yet wrestling with the region's future. This event is co-sponsored by the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. 6:00pm - 7:30pm in Main Lounge.
• Tuesday, November 17, 2009
  Lester Brown, Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization
  As fossil fuel prices rise, oil insecurity deepens, and concerns about climate change cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new energy economy is emerging. Wind, solar, and geothermal energy are replacing oil, coal, and natural gas, at a pace and on a scale we could not have imagined even a year ago. For the first time since the Industrial Revolution, we have begun investing in energy sources that can last forever. In Plan B 4.0, Lester Brown (founder and President of Earth Policy Institute) explores both the nature of this transition to a new energy economy and how it will affect our daily lives. This event is co-sponsored by the Program on the Global Environment. 6:00pm - 7:30pm in Assembly Hall.

The Global Voices Film Series provides a forum for filmmakers and guest speakers to showcase films that address social, political and environmental world issues and to lead discussions amongst audience members, building civic engagement and cultural understanding.

In the spirit of community building, International House has partnered with the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture; Columbia College Chicago and the Consulate General of Canada in presenting these films.

• Tuesday, October 13, 2009
  Global Voices Film Series and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies Present: Encounter Point
  Encounter Point, 2006 winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the San Francisco International Film Festival and the Rencontres Film Festival in Montreal, follows a former Israeli settler, a Palestinian ex-prisoner, a bereaved Israeli mother and a wounded Palestinian bereaved brother who risk their lives and public standing to promote a nonviolent end to the conflict. This event is co-sponsored by the Center for International Studies and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. 6:00pm - 9:00pm in Assembly Hall.
  See flier for more details

The Global Voices Program provides a showcase for all performing arts at the University of Chicago's International House. The International House Global Voices Performing Arts Series has established a vibrant exchange with a wide range of Chicago-area cultural institutions, arts organizations, dance companies, ethnic and folk arts groups, and music and theater groups. Programs showcase individual artists as well as performing arts groups and support educational programs, art exhibitions and cultural celebrations throughout the year. These programs provide substantive interaction between master artists from around the world and the greater community including the University, the City of Chicago and with regional artists throughout Illinois. Programs are also used to raise awareness of important contemporary issues in different regions of the world. Whether it’s a world music, a cultural celebration, visual and performing arts, seminars, dances or recitals International House offers a setting unlike any other in the city.

Autumn Events

• Sunday, September 20, 2009
  Viva Brazil Festival 2009
  The Global Voices Performing Arts Series and the Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago, a nonprofit cultural and educational organization, are pleased to present this festival celebrating the diverse cultural heritage of Brazil through its music, art, dance, and cuisine. This popular cultural festival has been a community favorite dating back to 2004 offering fun and enjoyment for all ages. Whether it’s listening to samba and bossa nova classics, dancing the samba, visiting arts and crafts vendors or partaking in delicious traditional Brazilian food, attendees enjoy celebrating and learning about Brazilian culture. 12:00pm - 5:00pm in Assembly Hall. See flier for more details.
• Sunday, September 20, 2009
  Concert by the Orchestra of Tetouan (Morocco)
  The Global Voices Performing Arts Series and the World Music Festival Chicago 2009 presents the Orchestra of Tetouan, founded in Tetouan, Morocco in 1944. The Orchestra has performed in the prestigious Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA) in Paris, France, and has represented Morocco to perform Adalusian Music in many international music concerts in Europe. Concert at 8:00pm in Assembly Hall. See flier for more details. See flier for more details.
• Saturday, September 26, 2009
  Hyde Park Jazz Festival
  The Global Voices Performing Arts Series and the 3rd Annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival will bring together world-class headliners and local emerging artists for 15 hours of FREE nonstop jazz. International House is proud to serve as one of the venues for these concerts. 5:30pm - 2:00am in National Room, Assembly Hall and Courtyard. Visit: hydeparkjazzfestival.org.
  
  
• Sunday, October 4, 2009
  Indian Classical Music Concert
  The Global Voices Performing Arts Series and the India Classical Music Society present the first concert in the series. Featured artists are Anupama Bhagwat (Sitar) and Samar Saha (Tabla). 3:30pm - 5:30pm in Assembly Hall. For complete program and ticket information, visit www.icmschicago.org.
• Wednesday, October 7, 2009
  Improv Olympics Text Theater Tour at the University of Chicago
  Improv Olympics will be holding an audience participation comedy show - text in suggestions and watch them acted out live onstage. Bring a cell phone along with your most creative ideas and be ready to be entertained. This event is co-sponsored by the Office of the Reynolds Club and Student Activities (ORCSA).
• Sunday, October 11, 2009
  Chicago Ensemble Concert
  Concert will take place from 3:00pm to 5:00 pm in Assembly Hall. For complete program and ticket information, visit www.thechicagoensemble.org. Click here for season brochure.
  
  
• Wednesday, October 14, 2009
  Bukhara Cultural Night Concert
  Maqam is a Bukharan Jewish music ensemble that plays in the Central Asian music style of shashmaqam, a classical music style incorporating vocal performance and stringed percussion instruments. Join us for this unique music experience, as part of Bukhara Cultural Night. Performances 6:00pm-8:00pm and Traditional Dinner at 8:00pm. See flier for more details.
• Saturday, October 17, 2009
  Chicago Humanities Festival: Clown Doctors
  Send in the clown doctors! Big Apple Circus’s Clown Care Unit brings the joy of the classical circus to patients at pediatric hospitals across the country. Here, Nurse Grandma and Dr. Sparkle Gong demonstrate how their program empowers children and improves staff and parent morale. 12:00pm - 1:00pm in Assembly Hall.
• Saturday, October 17, 2009
  Chicago Humanities Festival: Chicago Sports
  Chicago sports fans spend a lot of time - out of necessity, really - laughing at themselves and their teams. Join sportswriter Lester Munson and a panel of writers and athletes for a Chicago-style mash-up of sports stories and commentary. 2:00pm-3:00pm in Assembly Hall.
• Saturday, October 17, 2009
  Chicago Humanities Festival: An Incomplete History of Comedy in Hyde Park
  Delve into the Hyde Park history of Chicago icon The Second City with executive artistic director Anne Libera, founding member Sheldon Patinkin, and former Saturday Night Live cast member Tim Kazurinsky. This program is presented in partnership with The Second City. 4:30pm - 5:30 pm in Assembly Hall.

• October 23-25, 2009
  Anila Sinha Foundation in collaboration with the International House presents leading kathak artists and scholars in the 2nd International Kathak Festival. Visit www.asfkathak.net.



• Sunday, November 1, 2009
  India Classical Music Concert
  The Global Voices Performing Arts Series and the India Classical Music Society present the second concert in the series. 2009 Grammy nominee Debashish Bhattacharya will be performing a guitar concert with Samar Saha on the tabla. 3:30pm in Assembly Hall. Click here to see the flier.
• Saturday, November 14, 2009
  Global Voices Performing Arts Series
  Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Opening Night and Gala Reception, “Strings and Things That Swing”
  This evening will launch and premiere a Chicago Jazz Philharmonic (CJP) chamber group comprised of 10-15 musicians. Repertoire will include works that demonstrate how jazz and classical can indeed fuse, creating a new genre; works by Bill Russo, David Baker, Gunther Schuller, Daniel Schnieder and Orbert Davis. To celebrate the special occasion, a reception will precede the concert and will provide exclusive opportunities to meet the artists.
  
  A post-concert discussion from the stage will be open to all audience members who wish to participate and hear Artistic Director, Orbert Davis, and other CJP musicians talk about the intersections of jazz and classical; chamber group versus orchestra; and why CJP is "the only orchestra of its kind in the entire United States." (Gunther Schuller) Click here for ticket information. 7:30pm in Assembly Hall.
  
  
• Sunday, November 29, 2009
  The Chicago Ensemble
  Join The Chicago Ensemble for its 33rd season of eclectic classical chamber music performances, featuring Gerald Rizzer, artistic director/piano, and leading Chicago artists. Every concert includes an intimate setting, complimentary reception and informal spoken program notes, providing the perfect chamber music experience.
  Olga Kaler, violin • Andrew Snow, cello
  Gerald Rizzer, piano
  Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 2 in G Major, op. 1, no. 2
  Shostakovich: Piano Trio No. 2, op. 67 (1944)
  Dvořák: Piano Trio No. 3 in F Minor, op. 65
  For complete program and ticket information, visit www.thechicagoensemble.org.
  3:00pm – 5:00pm in Assembly Hall