WiSci 2015: A Journey of Self Discovery

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An Intel trainer reviews programming language with the WiSci campers.

By Emily Adcock, WiSci STEAM Camp participant Today is our last day in Rwanda, and a few of us got up to watch the sunrise for the last time. As I was reflecting on the past three weeks, I whimsically connected my experience to the sunrise before me. A sunrise universally symbolizes a new beginning. To me, this sunrise was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. In this chapter, my self-concept and global outlook have developed in so many ways, some of which I have yet to realize. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “If you don’t...

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Soft Power: The Monthly Roundup (August Edition)

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Events this month took place in Nairobi, Singapore, Berlin, Toronto, and Edinburgh, among others.

As August, and consequently summer, sadly comes to a close, the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy is back to round up some of this past month’s soft power events. The following selection highlights cultural exchange through community engagement in the globalized world. For the summer season, this interconnectedness means lots of festivals, so read on to see how diverse communities are coming together to celebrate around the world.

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Soft Power: The Monthly Roundup (July edition)

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Featured projects last month happened in Africa, Singapore, New York, Cuba, and Brazil, among other locations.

Welcome to the twelfth edition of the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy’s Soft Power: The Monthly Roundup, a feature that aims to explore unique cultural diplomacy initiatives from around the globe. With the temperatures peaking and summer in full swing, this post travels to nine cultural diplomacy events and celebrations that took place in the month of July:

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Mural Arts Recap: Community Engagement through Art

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Mural arts exchange participants in Tegucigalpa take a group photo with American artist Michelle Angela Ortiz.
21 de Febrero
Honduran artist Walter teaches local youth how to prime the mural wall in 21 de Febrero, Tegucigalpa.

In 2013, Meridian partnered with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to send mural artists abroad for the Community Engagement through the Mural Arts exchange program. While away, these artists were able to collaborate with local groups and artists in various community- based mural arts projects. Their goal: to create tangible pieces of artwork, while simultaneously fostering community engagement with the various populations of each country.

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Soft Power: The Monthly Roundup (June edition)

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Featured projects last month happened in Azerbaijian, Canada, Chile, Russia, and the United Kingdom, among other locations.

With s’mores ingredients and charcoal prominently displayed in supermarkets across the United States, summer is definitely in full swing. The change of seasons comes with an increase in activity, so for this month’s edition of Soft Power, the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy is showcasing eight events from around the globe that brought people together to encourage unexpected dialogue.

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