Archive for May, 2010

Fulbright Canada Public Lecture: Robert Pozen (June 1st)

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

A Fulbright Canada Public Lecture featuring Robert Pozen is taking place at the Design Exchange (The Trading Floor), at 234 Bay Street in Toronto on June 1st 2010.  The lecture begins at 5:30 pm and the reception at 6:45 pm.

Robert Pozen, Too Big to Save? How to Fix the U.S. Financial System

Robert Pozen is Chief Executive Officer at MFS Investment Management, Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Business School, and author of the best-selling book Too Big to Save? How to Fix the U.S. Financial System. He has a distinguished record of public service, having served as Associate General Counsel at the SEC, as a member of President Bush’s Commission to Strengthen Social Security, as Secretary of Economic Affairs in Massachusetts under Governor Romney, and as Chair of the SEC’s Committee to Improve Financial Reporting. Mr. Pozen is globally recognized as a leading expert on corporate governance and financial reform.

This event is part of Fulbright Canada’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, and the inaugural public lecture in our ‘Directing the Power of Human Knowledge’ series.  The event, which is taking place just weeks before the G8/G20 meetings in Toronto, and in the midst of what continues to be a very challenging global financial environment, is free and open to anyone with a professional, scholarly, or personal interest in this important topic.

Please RSVP to nelsonsi@fulbright.ca or call Nesreen at 613.688.5521.

The lecture will be followed by a cocktail reception and open discussion on this timely and important topic. Fulbright is pleased to be able to offer a complimentary copy of Robert Pozen’s book to the first fifty participants.

Democracy Video Challenge: Vote for Your Favorite May 15 – June 15!

Monday, May 17th, 2010

Democracy video challenge 2010

Video submissions are in for the second Democracy Video Challenge, and it’s time to exercise your democratic right to vote!! 

The challenge was to create a video short that completes the phrase “Democracy is….”.  There will be seven winners, one each from the Western Hemisphere, Europe, Middle East/North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South & Central Asia, East Asia/Pacific, and one anonymous winner.  The winners will be announced right after June 15th when all the votes have been tallied.  Winners will get an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., New York and Hollywood where their films will be screened, and where they’ll have the opportunity to gain exposure to the U.S. television and film industry.

Check out the Democracy Video Challenge YouTube channel  now to view and vote for your favorite films!!

Birds of a Feather Flock Together: Shared North-American Efforts to Conserve our Feathered Friends

Friday, May 14th, 2010

As part of Mission Canada’s Earth Day programming, our Public Affairs colleagues in Vancouver spearheaded a digital video conference on Migratory Birds with American expert Dr. Gary Langham of the California Audubon Society

The program, which focused on the environmental issues impacting the migratory birds of North America,  involved a presentation follwed by Q&A with audiences in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto.   

The audience itself was impressive:  members included individuals from the Vancouver Aquarium, the David Suzuki Foundation, Environment Canada, Earth Rangers, and the Royal Ontario Museum.  Vancouver Sun Environment writer Larry Pynn also attended and followed up with a great article!  It was a huge success and is bound to generate future opportunities!

But who knew migratory birds would have been such a hot topic??   It only makes sense when, according to a May 13 article on America.gov, of the 882 landbird species in North America 148 species are in immediate need of conservation attention.  That stat might not seem so shocking, but consider that birds are not only an important part of several North American ecosystems, but they are an indicator species too.  Think about that poor canary in the coal mine and what that meant! 

It certainly is reassuring to know that groups like Partners in Flight are doing their part to get the word out!

Fulbright at 20: Celebrate Two Decades of Canada-U.S. Academic Exchanges!

Monday, May 10th, 2010

20yeartitle

 

Fulbright Canada is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year!   To mark this milestone, Fulbright is seeking Alumni volunteers in both the U.S. and Canada to help run community events.  See more info here:

Alumni Community Events

Alumni are also eligible to win an all-expense-paid trip to Ottawa for the 20th Anniversary Gala in September.  Enter by sharing your Fulbright experience through an essay, video or visual art masterpiece.  For details, rules and regulations, click on the link below.

Anniversary Alumni Contest

Can’t make the Fulbright 20th Anniversary Gala in Ottawa this September?  Throw a party for Alumni in your area!!  Check out ideas and details by clicking on the link: 

Host Your Own Fulbright Party!

You Need Global Solutions to Solve Global Problems: Opening Remarks at the Annual Global Classrooms DC Model UN Event

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

Check out Bureau of International Organization Affairs Assistant Secretary Esther Brimmer’s opening remarks at The Seventh Annual Global Classrooms Model UN Conference in Washington. 

Get inspired – read the transcript or view the video here!

A New and Innovative Environment Public Diplomacy Initative

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Environmental awareness is a Public Diplomacy priority at U.S. Missions all over the world. Getting the word out about U.S. initiatives can sometimes prove to be a challenge, but THIS is neat!

Greening of America

This interactive fluidbook was requested by the U.S. Department of Commerce from the Regional Public Diplomacy Hub in Brussels. The intention was to amplify the message of the Department of Commerce’s Green Industry Conference. By creating a narrative filled with embedded videos, Brussels Media Hub produced an online product that would attract more attention and have the possibility of going viral, thereby reaching a broader audience. The viewer has the choice to spend a few minutes getting key points by clicking through the online publication, or spending an hour and viewing the entire product.