The University is set to kick off its first in-person Global Week since 2019 this Saturday with events running until October 30. This week of activities will be a combination of in-person, virtual and hybrid events covering global happenings, conversations with those working on a global scale and opportunities to learn more about getting involved globally on Grounds.
Global Week is organized by the Global Affairs unit in the Office of the Provost and gives those interested in global affairs an opportunity to learn more about the various programs, research, collaborations and services that are taking place across the globe. In addition to showcasing the ways in which the University is involved globally, the week will also present many resources for students to get involved as well.
As this is the first Global Week with in-person options since 2019, many events are still being held online, such as the conversation with Motaz Zahran, ambassador of Egypt to the U.S., and the International Development and Humanitarian Aid career panel. All in-person events are taking place in accordance with the University’s mask policy, which requires all members of the University community to wear masks inside University buildings regardless of vaccination status. In order to ensure manageable numbers, many events will also be managed with a registration system.
“Being able to engage with people in person is really a critical component of any event of this type,” said Margaret Walter, senior education abroad advisor and program manager at the International Studies Office.
In order to maintain in-person interactions, the Global Affairs unit also plans to provide information about global affairs in an outdoor environment. Throughout the duration of the week, members of the office will be outside Hotel A, which is located on the East Range across from University Chapel, to share information about events and activities.
Some of the events to be expected at this year’s Global Week include speakers and ambassadors from various parts of the world and presentations on global issues such as Myanmar’s fight for democracy, the crisis in Afghanistan, and Nigeria’s #EndSars protests.
“I think what is really exciting for me to see is the diversity of offerings that are there,” Global Communications Officer Mandira Banerjee said. “The opportunities to engage [are] just so diverse and so exciting and I think that's the most exciting part for me.”
There will also be presentations from various departments at the University regarding their global presence, such as the Batten Hour on “The Crisis in Afghanistan,” a celebration of Global Cultures put on by the International Residential College and walk-in advising hours with the International Studies Office.
Walter also highlighted several key takeaways she hopes students will have upon leaving these events.
“We hope that [students] will understand the variety of global connections that exist at U.Va., that there are a variety of opportunities that students in particular can take advantage of,” Walter said. “But there are also just many different conversations happening in this sphere, and just to understand that there are so many different ways to engage with the global.”
In an email to The Cavalier Daily, Stephen Mull, vice provost for global affairs, framed the event in opposition to the isolation that accompanied the pandemic.
“I hope Global Week this year will send a jolt through our community to remind that we can’t let the pandemic put us in a rut of disengagement from the world,” Mull said. “I hope that Global Week will underscore what we’ve been missing over the past year and half and get us back on track to fully engaged international experiences.”
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