Thursday, November 14, 2013

What: Hundreds of middle school students from eastern Iowa and western Illinois will participate in the 17th Annual University of Iowa International Day for Human Rights. Members of the media are invited to attend this hands-on, interactive event, which will focus on “The Human Right to an Adequate Standard of Living.”

Featured activities will include a keynote address presented by a panel from the Iowa City Shelter House, a large group session exploring “Health and Wealth Around the World,” in which students will learn to use an interactive map, and play a card game in small groups to test their knowledge about global conditions. Students will also participate in small group breakout sessions with topics ranging from Operation Smile to violence against women in Guatemala.

When: Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. For a detailed schedule, visit this website.

Where: The Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 300 E. 9th St., Coralville.

Why: UI College of Education professor and event co-coordinator Gregory Hamot says International Day gives students an opportunity to see the world in new ways and experience topics that may not be covered in standard classroom curricula.

“By introducing them to issues, problems, and trends that involve human rights globally, our students get an idea that the world is very different than Iowa,” he says.

Who: The event is hosted by the University of Iowa College of Education in cooperation with the Stanley Foundation. Speakers and presenters come from several UI departments as well as community organizations.

Read about last year’s event here.