Join us April 4 for GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays International Networking Happy Hour at AVA Lounge. This Month's Partner: Pittsburgh Folk Festival

Join us April 4 for GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays international networking happy hour. If you are interested in meeting people from all over the world in Pittsburgh and learning more about different cultures, come to AVA Lounge in East Liberty from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Bring your friends, family and colleagues or come alone - you will make new friends!

In April, GlobalPittsburgh will partner with the Pittsburgh Folk Festival to celebrate "Unity in Diversity." For over 50 years, the Pittsburgh Folk Festival has been a member-based consortium of ethnic community cultural organizations that now celebrates the diversity of more than 30 countries and cultures around the Pittsburgh area. Their 56th Annual International Folk Festival will take place April 19-20, 2013. Come to our networking event on April 4 to learn more about the Pittsburgh Folk Festival.

GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays is a regular monthly night of networking and socializing with different themes and activities on the first Thursday of every month. It's an evening of friends, interesting conversation and good spirits with an international flair. Everyone is welcome.

AVA Lounge is located at 126 S Highland Avenue in East Liberty.

Admission is FREE for paid GlobalPittsburgh members. Admission is $5 at the door for everyone else. Membership information will be available at the event, but you may also join GlobalPittsburgh now at www.globalpittsburgh.org/membership and get in free on the night of the event.

If you have questions, please contact Nadya Kessler in the GlobalPittsburgh office at 412-392-4513 or by email at nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org. Photos from past First Thursdays and a few other GlobalPittsburgh events, activities, and programs can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/globalpittsburgh. See you there!

READ FULL ARTICLE

Israel-Based Ness Technologies Announces Opening of New Software Development Center in Pittsburgh Employing 200; Veteran Employment Targeted

Ness Technologies, a global information technology and software development company based in Israel, has announced the opening of a new development center in the Pittsburgh area, creating as many as 200 jobs.

The Ness Pittsburgh Development Center will focus on mobility and business analytics, as well as a full spectrum of software engineering services, the company said in a statement.

Ness said the "strategically-desirable Pittsburgh location" provides proximity to U.S. corporate locations, offering the advantages of better collaboration and flexibility of resources across a smaller geography, fewer cultural barriers, availability of relevant technology and domain expertise, and less time zone disparity.

"The placement of a development center in Pittsburgh gives Ness access to a highly-educated talent pool that is constantly renewed from the area's major universities, including University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University and Carnegie Mellon University, whose Computer Science, Information Systems and Engineering graduate programs rank in the top 10 in the U.S.," the company said.

Ness said Pittsburgh also will served as the pilot location for its Returning Veterans Career Development initiative.

"In addition to serving as the global headquarters of major corporations such as Heinz, PNC and U.S. Steel, the greater Pittsburgh area is also one of the six major regions in the United States where military veterans reside," the company said.

"The value of our client partnership model goes beyond engineering excellence to focus on helping our clients achieve competitive advantage," said Joe Lagioia, President, Ness Software Engineering Services. "Today's business environment demands speed-to-market with the highest quality, and our clients are responding by looking for more personal and responsive service options, including domestic outsourcing services that enable seamless collaboration, more frequent face-to-face visits, and more effective development teams. Opening the Ness Pittsburgh Development Center is another step to address our clients' needs for speed, value and quality."

Pittsburgh Regional Alliance President Dewitt Peart applauded the Ness announcement, saying, "Innovation and technology are baked into the Pittsburgh region's economy. They influence all of our key industry sectors-including information and communications technology-the latter composed of 1,600 firms, which employ more than 26,000 individuals. The tech scene here is vibrant, professionally and academically. Our region's 35 colleges and universities are producing an abundance of top-rate IT talent. 

"When compared to our benchmark regions, Pittsburgh ranks second to Boston in the total number of IT degrees conferred annually. When considering the total package that the region provides -- ample talent, low cost of doing business and high quality of life, to name a few -- I am confident that Ness will find the Pittsburgh region to be a location that more than meets expectations for its new world-class software development center," Peart said.

Ness Technologies is a global provider of IT and business services and solutions with specialized expertise in software product engineering and systems integration, application development, consulting, and software distribution. Ness delivers its portfolio of solutions and services using a global delivery model that offers the flexibility and efficiencies of on-site, on-shore, near-shore and off-shore sourcing. Its team of nearly 7,000 employees services customers in over 20 countries and partners with numerous software and hardware vendors worldwide. Visit http://www.ness.com for more information. READ FULL ARTICLE

Partnership Between GlobalPittsburgh and Holy Family Institute Expands Homestay Opportunities For International Students, Promotes Local Education Assets

A newly-signed cooperation agreement between GlobalPittsburgh and the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program (HFI-CPP) will expand homestay opportunities for international high school students and enhance efforts by both organizations to promote the region around the world as an education hub and attract more international students to the region, according to leaders of the two non-profit organizations.

“We are happy to enter into this partnership that will connect the GlobalPittsburgh network of host families and globally-minded individuals with the good work that Holy Family has been doing to expand Pittsburgh’s visibility around the world,” said Michael Malloy, Chairman of the GlobalPittsburgh Board of Directors. “It is in keeping with one of our core beliefs: that education is one of the Pittsburgh region’s major exports and top economic drivers, and we welcome the opportunity to promote our shared interests of helping and growing the community.”

Sister Linda Yankoski, Chief Executive Officer of Holy Family Institute, said “This partnership is vital to our vision of providing a global campus with a structured environment where intellectual, social and emotional learning are equally valued. We are grateful for this exciting cooperative effort to bridge education and cultural awareness within our community.”

Through the new Memorandum of Understanding, GlobalPittsburgh will promote homestay opportunities among its network of members and host families, and also promote the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program through its Study Pittsburgh initiative as a valuable opportunity for international students interested in attending high school, and eventually college, in the United States.

Anyone interested in hosting international students for a semester or a school year, with monthly compensation, should contact Nadya Kessler of GlobalPittsburgh at 412-392-4513 or nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org.

GlobalPittsburgh also will provide enrichment programs to the students and their host families through its CONNECT membership program, which provides a year-round schedule of activities and events to engage newcomers and globally-minded residents.

GlobalPittsburgh, formerly known as the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors, promotes the Pittsburgh region and its many educational assets around the world through its Study Pittsburgh initiative, which was formed in 2010. In addition, the organization has for the past 53 years hosted international delegations through the U.S. Department of State and other programming organizations, and connected a network of people and organizations in the region sharing a common vision of advancing the Pittsburgh region as a truly global community.

The mission of the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program is to provide international students with a comprehensive educational program which will lead to their development as young adults with proficiency in verbal and written comprehension of the English language; excellent academic credentials; and strong moral values.

Students enrolled in the HFI-CPP currently attend one of five private high schools in the Pittsburgh region: North Catholic High School, Bishop Canevin High School, Seton-La Salle High School Quigley Catholic High School and Vincentian Academy. The 2013-2014 academic year will add St. Joseph High School in Natrona Heights. Many of the students live in residential facilities on the Holy Family campus while others stay with local families, who receive compensation for hosting the students.

In economic terms, international students make a significant positive impact in the region, contributing an estimated $270 million in tuition and living expenses to the regional economy, according to the Institute for International Education. More than 9,800 international students are enrolled in the Greater Pittsburgh region, IIE reported.

For information about GlobalPittsburgh and the Study Pittsburgh initiative, contact Thomas Buell, Jr., Director of Marketing & Study Pittsburgh, at 412-392-4513, by email at tbuell@globalpittsburgh.org, or go to www.globalpittsburgh.org.

For more information about the Holy Family International College Preparatory Program, contact Lynn Guerra, Home Stay Coordinator, HFI-CPP, at 412-766-9020 x304, or by email at guerra.lynn@hfi-pgh.org.

READ FULL ARTICLE

International Women of Courage Honorees Start Their Tour of United States in Pittsburgh; Local Arrangements Made by GlobalPittsburgh

Four winners of the 2013 International Women of Courage award from the U.S. Department of State launched their tour of the United States in Pittsburgh Monday with two days of meetings and speaking events arranged by GlobalPittsburgh.

International Women of Courage
Honorees in Pittsburgh with
Thomas Buell, Jr. of
GlobalPittsburgh and Angela
Oatis-Ashby of the U.S.
Department of State (right).

Stopping in Pittsburgh were (from left in photo) Fartuun Adan, Executive Director, Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre (Somalia); Malalai Bahaduri, First Sergeant, Afghan National Interdiction Unit (Afghanistan); Dr. Josephine Obiajulu Odumakin, President, Campaign for Democracy (Nigeria); and Samira Ibrahim, Coordinator, Know Your Rights (Egypt).

Since their visit, it has been announced that Ibrahim will not be honored due to apparent anti-semitic remarks on her Twitter feed. Read more at http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/egyptian-activist-subjected-to-virginity-test-dropped-from-u-s-honors-list-for-tweets/?ref=world.

The other winners, announced Monday by the State Department, are:
Julieta Castellanos, Rector, National Autonomous University of Honduras (Honduras)
Elena Milashina, journalist, human rights activist (Russia)
Tsering Woeser, human rights activist (China) *
Razan Zeitunah, human rights lawyer and Founder, Local Coordination Committees (Syria) *
Ta Phong Tan, blogger (Vietnam) *
* Will be awarded in absentia.

To read biographies and see pictures of all the International Women of Courage honorees, go to http://www.state.gov/s/gwi/programs/iwoc/2013/bio/index.htm.

While in Pittsburgh, the group met with representatives of the Women & Girl's Foundation, Chatham University, the University of Pittsburgh Law School and Gwen's Girls. Chatham University and GlobalPittsburgh partnered together on an invitation-only event for the group Monday night.

The International Women of Courage awards event, held on International Women’s Day on March 8, annually recognizes women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since the inception of this award in 2007, the Department of State has honored 69 women from 45 different countries.

In addition, Secretary Kerry will posthumously recognize the courage of Nirbhaya (Braveheart), the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern whose brutal gang rape in Delhi has inspired a popular movement to end violence against women in India.

Following the award ceremony in Washington, the honorees will travel separately to cities across the United States to engage with the American people through the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program. They will visit Indianapolis, Portland, OR, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa, and Jackson Hole, WY. The women will reconvene in San Diego to reflect on their visit and discuss ways to work together to improve the lives of women and girls around the world.

The group's national itinerary was developed by Meridian International Center in Washington, D.C.

Read an article about the group's visit in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/us/4-international-women-of-courage-make-pittsburgh-stop-677789/


READ FULL ARTICLE

Pittsburgh Region to Host 2015 Professional Disc Golf World Championships in Summer 2015

The Pittsburgh region will host the Professional Disc Golf Association 2015 World Championships, hosted by the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS), organizers announced today.

Scheduled for July 25 – August 1, 2015, the tournament will be held on four courses in the region: Deer Lakes Park, Knob Hill Community Park, Moraine State Park Lakeview and Slippery Rock University, with the final day’s events being hosted by Slippery Rock University.

“We are really excited to host the PDGA World Championships here,” said J. Gary Dropcho, 2015 PDGA Pro Disc Golf World Championships Tournament Co-Director, who also serves as Course Superintendent of the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society. “In addition to having an opportunity to showcase our region to the competitors and visitors, the event will have a significant financial impact. The 2005 Championships, held in Allentown, resulted in spending totaling $1.5 million.”

Representatives from the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS), the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) – Moraine State Park, the Allegheny County Parks Department, the Greater Pittsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau (VisitPittsburgh), Slippery Rock University, the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, and Marshall Township Parks & Recreation were all on hand for the announcement. Following the press conference, the partners also demonstrated disc golf and made the first tee shot of the Throwdown tournament. The “Throwdown and Hoedown” celebrates 25 years of accomplishments by the Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society.

“After much hard work, we are proud to announce that this exciting event is coming to our region,” said Jack Cohen, President of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau (BCTCB). “The proposal process began in 2009 and, due to the growth of disc golf in our area, it is finally ours to share with our residents, as well as the athletes, their families, fans and spectators that will travel to enjoy it with us.”

BCTCB partnered with The Pittsburgh Flying Disc Society (PFDS) on the bid. PFDS is the host club for the Championship. An unincorporated charitable non-profit, the group is an association of flying disc enthusiasts which has organized and run clinics and leagues, as well as local and regional tournaments since 1988. The organization hosted 200 of the best professional and amateur players in the country at Scholl’s Bicycle Centers Pittsburgh Flying Disc Open National Tour event in August 2011, and has consistently ranked in the top 25 PDGA tournaments in payout value and field sizes for 24 years.

Allegheny County Parks Director Andy Baechle spoke to the unique partnership that resulted in the selection of the region for the Championship, “This group of partners really focused on what we could do as a region. Rather than working against each other, we were able to cooperate to bid on, and now host, this event where participants will compete at sites in both Allegheny County and Butler County. We are really proud that Deer Lakes Park is one of those courses.”

Deer Lakes Park (Tarentum Borough, Allegheny County) is a par-66 course with an even mix of tee shots, fairway approaches and putting greens that feature elevation changes, open air grass and mature forest corridors, a lake hazard and other out of bounds challenges. Knob Hill Park (Marshall Township, Allegheny County) is a par-59 course with elevation changes, grassy and tree lined fairways, fast greens, creek hazards and other out of bounds challenges. Moraine State Park Lakeview (Portersville Borough, Butler County) is a par-66 course which features a mix of elevated and flat tee shots, open grass fairway approaches and putting greens with deciduous and conifer defined corridors, a creek hazard and other out of bounds challenges. Slippery Rock University (Slippery Rock Township, Butler County) is a par-64 course which features a mix of elevated and flat tee shots, fairway approaches and putting greens with a front 9 that is open, airy and grassy with two ponds, a creek hazard as well as other out of bounds challenges.

READ FULL ARTICLE