UND to sponsor Diversity Conference April 9-10 The University of North Dakota, in conjunction with the North Dakota University System Diversity Council and Multicultural Awareness Committee (MAC), will sponsor the 2008 Diversity Conference April 9-10, at the Memorial Union. This year’s theme, “Understanding the Experience,” provides participants with the opportunity to learn about issues that challenge current understandings of the world around us, including race, ethnicity, religion, culture, sexual orientation, life style, and learning. This year’s keynotes will be delivered by two well-known speakers on diversity issues: Valerie Red-Horse, successful entrepreneur and award-winning filmmaker, is a well-known investment banker on Wall Street, where she is responsible for leading over $2 billion in tribal finance or industry related transactions. Red-Horse is also the founder of an American Indian non-profit training organization and Presbyterian Dance Ministry, is an active mother of three, and has been married to former NFL football player Curt Mohl for 26 years. Her keynote will address the shaping of Hollywood images and how they ultimately affect the Native American community. Ahmed I. Samatar, James Wallace Professor of International Studies and Dean of the Institute for Global Citizenship at Macalester College, has lectured at many universities and colleges in countries across the globe, including Amsterdam, New Zealand, Africa, Brazil, Norway, United Kingdom and Canada, as well as prominent U.S. institutions like Cornell, Harvard, York, Wellesley College, and the University of Pennsylvania. During January 2007 and 2008, Samatar led a seminar on Globalization in Comparative Perspectives at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands for a select cohort of Macalester students. His keynote will address the perspective of global citizenship and will focus on the issues of war and peace, social justice and freedom, and the environment. The two-day conference will feature sessions by faculty and staff from the University of North Dakota and other institutions, as well as other nationally known speakers and panelists. Session topics will include current challenges in education that impact perceptions of economic status, class, sexual orientation, race and ethnic backgrounds, religion and culture, learning styles, images in society, and more. Through “Understanding the Experience,” participants will gain a broader appreciation and commitment to diversity by learning to respect differences and promote support for others in learning environments and broader communities. The purpose of the diversity conference is to educate communities to be responsive to the needs of all publics and encourage training in campus and community human relations. Members of the North Dakota higher education institutions, other institutions within the region, and the public are invited to attend to learn about diversity issues that impact the lives of students, faculty, staff, and the broader community. There is no cost to attend the 2008 Diversity Conference. All participants must pre-register by March 31 to determine counts for meals and materials. Registration includes entry to all panel discussions and conference events, supplemental resource materials, all meals and breaks. The conference is coordinated by the UND Office of Conference Services. For a registration form, complete conference schedule and more information, visit www.conted.und.edu/diversity or call UND Office of Conferences Services at 701-777-2663 or 866-579-2663 (toll free) or e-mail conferences@mail.und.edu (ATTN: NDUS Diversity).