GlobalPittsburgh Kicking Off Year-End Equipment Campaign on Pittsburgh Foundation's Day of Giving Oct. 3

GlobalPittsburgh will launch a special fundraising campaign on Oct. 3, the PittsburghGives Day of Giving, when all donations will be partially matched by the Pittsburgh Foundation.

Money raised on that day and through the end of the year will go toward the purchase of two important pieces of office equipment to increase the efficiency of producing program materials for GlobalPittsburgh's visiting international delegations, and two custom-made signs to raise our visibility at community events. You can learn more about our entire wish list below.

Your investment in GlobalPittsburgh will help us continue the momentum that we have been building in our three core programs: 

•  Hosting international delegations through the U.S. Department of State and other programming organizations, and encouraging ongoing economic, educational and cultural linkages between these visitors and our community.
• Working with area colleges, universities and English Language programs to attract international students to the region through our Study Pittsburgh initiative.
• Arranging homestays and connecting international students and professionals with Pittsburgh families and individuals, companies and organizations through our GlobalPittsburghCONNECT events and activities.

Last year, GlobalPittsburgh had a banner year of programming, arranging 40 itineraries for 235 emerging leaders from around the world.  We also arranged 137 homestays (totaling nearly 5,000 nights) throughout our last fiscal year. Our international delegations spent more than 800 hotel nights in the Pittsburgh area totaling more than $108,000 at the government room rate, including more than $14,000 in local taxes.

Please keep GlobalPittsburgh in mind as you plan your year-end giving. We appreciate your support of our programs, which provides valuable benefits and international contacts for the companies, organizations and people of the Greater Pittsburgh Region. Our work relies on having the technology to communicate and send information to hosts, professional resources, and visitors in our region and throughout the world.

Your investment will go even further on Wednesday Oct. 3, 2012, the Pittsburgh Day of Giving, when the Pittsburgh Foundation will be enhanced by a pro-rated portion of matching funds totaling $750,000. You must pay with a Visa or MasterCard, and the minimum donation is $25. Only donations made on Oct. 3 will be matched. Just go to http://pittsburghgives.org/ and click on DONATE NOW. Then type in GlobalPittsburgh.

Donations can always be made to GlobalPittsburgh by going to www.globalpittsburgh.org and clicking on SUPPORT GLOBAL PITTSBURGH on the right side of the home page and using our secure credit card payment system.

And what better way to join or give the gift of a GlobalPittsburgh membership than on the Oct. 3 Day of Giving? If you join or buy a gift membership on that day, your membership will extend until the end of 2013 (a two-month bonus). Just let us know after you make your on-line contribution.

Our wish list:

Printer/Copier – GlobalPittsburgh’s operations, particularly preparing for the visiting international delegations that we serve, would be far more efficient if we had a color laser printer/copier capable of collating pages. We currently use a low-end laserjet printer to make large print runs of program packets. As a small, three-person organization, we currently spend an excessive amount of time printing and collating our documents. A higher-quality printer would enable us to produce more materials in-house, allowing us to put more staff and volunteer time into our programs, which produce economic and cultural benefits for the people, institutions and businesses of the Pittsburgh region.

Estimated cost (with service agreement): $3,500

Digital Projector – We often need a digital projector to make presentations to visiting delegations in our office or to outside groups to convey information or publicize GlobalPittsburgh and regional activities. We currently have to borrow a projector or check with hosts to see if they have compatible equipment. Owning our own digital projector would enhance the quality of services we provide to visiting delegations, and reduce staff time spent coordinating the use of third-party equipment.

Estimated cost: $500

GlobalPittsburgh Banner – We would like to have a large (6 feet long), heavy-duty, all-weather banner with the GlobalPittsburgh name and web address to use at events where we may have a table and need to draw attention to our location. This would help us increase our visibility and improve our ability to serve the community.

Estimated cost: $100

GlobalPittsburgh Floor Display Sign – We would like to have a roll-up floor display sign to highlight our services and benefits to use at events where we may have a presence. This would help us increase our visibility and improve our ability to serve the community.

Estimated cost: $400 READ FULL ARTICLE

Carnegie Mellon Launches Energy Innovation Institute; New University-Wide Research Initiative to Meet Challenges of Changing Global Energy Mix

Carnegie Mellon University has launched the Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, a major research and education initiative focused on improving energy efficiency and developing new, clean, affordable and sustainable energy sources. The institute was made possible by a lead gift from CMU alumni Sherman Scott (E’66), president and founder of Delmar Systems, and his wife, Joyce Bowie Scott (A’65), a trustee of the university. The institute is named for Sherman’s father, Wilton E. Scott.

Energy is a crucial sector of the economy, and, if anything, it will be even more important in the future. A report issued this week by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development highlighted an acute need for energy-related workers before the end of this decade. Through its research and education programs, the institute will develop new innovative energy technologies and create an improved understanding of how to promote their wide adoption through better regulation and public policy. 

“The Scott Institute is a university-wide effort that brings together more than 100 CMU professors and researchers to solve some of our toughest energy challenges,” said CMU President Jared L. Cohon. “I thank Sherman and Joyce Bowie Scott not only for their generous gift, but also for their vision in helping to create this institute. They realize the fundamental importance of developing sustainable energy solutions for America and the world.”

The institute will support teams of CMU engineers, scientists, economists, architects, policy specialists and others to tackle a range of issues, including developing more efficient energy solutions that reduce carbon emissions; smart grid technology to enable the use of large amounts of variable wind and solar power; and new advanced materials and processes to produce and store energy, increase efficiency and reduce waste.

“By bringing together experts from a range of disciplines, Carnegie Mellon is the perfect place to help meet the energy challenges of the future,” said Sherman Scott, who founded Delmar Systems in 1968 and built it into one of the world’s leaders in mooring systems for the offshore oil and gas industry. “Energy is a precious resource, and Carnegie Mellon’s systems approach can create solutions that ensure we produce and use energy more efficiently.” 

CMU faculty and researchers have a successful history in creating innovations in the energy sector. For example, its faculty’s research on carbon capture and sequestration has helped California provide electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and helped protect the U.S. electric system from cyber attacks. Jay Whitacre, an associate professor of materials science and engineering, and engineering and public policy, developed a novel sodium-ion battery capable of storing power for later use in the electrical grid. He founded Aquion Energy based on that technology and will be opening a manufacturing plant near Pittsburgh next year. 

Granger Morgan, the Thomas Lord Professor of Engineering and head of CMU's Department of Engineering and Public Policy, will serve as director of the Scott Institute and Andrew Gellman, head of Carnegie Mellon’s Department of Chemical Engineering, will serve as associate director. 

“In energy, Carnegie Mellon is one of the world’s leaders in smoothly combining technology and policy-focused research,” Morgan said. “This allows us to avoid abstract policy discussions and focus on creating strategies that give the private energy sector the right incentives to advance secure, reliable and low-environmental impact energy sources.”

Located in the resource-rich Western Pennsylvania region, the institute will be based in Sherman and Joyce Bowie Scott Hall, which is being built near Hamerschlag Hall on CMU’s Pittsburgh campus. The building also will house CMU’s Biomedical Engineering Department and a new nanotechnology research facility. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22 at the site. 

Like Carnegie Mellon, the Scotts epitomize the marriage of technology and the arts. The couple met at CMU, with Sherman earning his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering, while Joyce earned a fine arts degree.

In addition to the Scotts, CMU has received support for Scott Hall from CMU alumni John Bertucci (E’63, TPR’65) and his wife, Claire Ruge Bertucci (MM’65); CMU alumnus Jonathan Rothberg (E’85) and his wife, Bonnie Gould Rothberg; and the Eden Hall Foundation. 

The Scotts’ gift continues a history of alumni support for CMU’s energy and environmental initiatives. In 2004, Carnegie Mellon Trustee W. Lowell Steinbrenner (E’55,’60) and his wife, Jan, made a gift to establish the Steinbrenner Institute, which develops and enhances the impact of environmental research and education through graduate student fellowships and grants to fund innovative sustainability projects.

CMU also has benefitted significantly from its collaboration with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), a part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s national laboratory system. As a member of the NETL Regional University Alliance, Carnegie Mellon has partnered with NETL in research, substantially strengthening its energy programs.  

Source: Carnegie Mellon University

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Pittsburgh's Quantum Theatre Staging Grammy Winning Chamber Opera by Argentinean Composer Golijov

Quantum Theatre – known for staging its productions in unique places that aren’t theatres – will present the unique Grammy Award-winning chamber opera Ainadamar by Osvaldo Golijov (Grammy winner in 2006 for best classical contemporary composition and best opera recording). Opening night is scheduled for Oct. 19 in East Liberty Presbyterian Church.

With Ainadamar, Quantum Theatre creates a chamber opera in the tradition of 2010’s acclaimed Maria de Buenos Aires, reassembling many of the artists from that work, including directors Andres Cladera and Karla Boos; performers Raquel Winnica Young and Carolina Loyola-Garcia; and designers Tony Ferrieri, Joe Seamans and Richard Parsakian.

Golijov’s haunting score adopts many flamenco motifs and has a libretto by theatrical giant David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly). Mezzo Raquel Winnica Young and dancer Carolina Loyola-Garcia are joined by sopranos Katy Shackleford Williams, Leah Edmondson Dyer, Erica Olden, and Lara Cottrill, contralto Daphne Alderson, and a sizable orchestra, under Cladera’s direction.

The story:
Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca died at the hands of Franco’s fascists, though his body was never found. Granada’s “fountain of tears” – “ainadamar,” in Arabic – has become the sacred, attributed site of that murder. Lorca’s life as a young artist at the eve of the Spanish revolution and his relationship with Margarita Xirgu, the great Catalan tragedian who was his muse, form the story of the opera. A flamenco-based score - Deep Song, as it’s called – articulates the pounding of horses’ hooves, the guns of the Falangists, and ultimately, the powerful, undeniable cry for freedom that could not be silenced.

Katy Shackleford Williams stars as Margarita Xirgu and the opera begins as she steps onstage in the 1960’s, years after Lorca’s death, for yet another star turn as Mariana Pineda, the historical figure Lorca memorialized in his first play, which had brought them together. Lost in memories, she tells about events thirty years earlier to the student actresses who form a circle of disciples around her, and then assume the personalities she recalls.

Interestingly, the role of Lorca is to be played by a mezzo (Winnica Young), perhaps in a nod to Lorca’s homosexuality – Xirgu was a platonic muse, and Lorca’s evolution as the voice of repressed peoples was in part engendered by his own marginalization as a homosexual in Franco’s time. Xirgu cannot bring him back. But in the opera’s taut 90 minutes, she lets go of her guilt at being unable to prevent his death, and leads a celebration of the freedom he brought to the world.

Boos and Cladera have collaborated on past Quantum productions Candide and Maria de Buenos Aires. Cladera, a native of Montevideo, Uruguay, is co-director of Microscopic Opera in Pittsburgh and currently makes his home in Denver. East Liberty Presbyterian Church is an historic property of monumental spaces filled with meaning for its congregation and the many communities of Pittsburgh which use the building. The opera will be sung in Spanish with English surtitles.

Video design by Joe Seamans will enhance the work with images. Sound design is by Ryan McMasters. Special events occurring through the run of the show include: Community Night, an invited rehearsal for East Liberty residents and groups on October 16; Post Show Discussion with director and cast on October 21; Ladies Night on October 23, a women’s-only viewing with a pre-show gathering; and Grapenuts Night, TBD, which includes a special pre-show wine-tasting.

Source: Quantum Theater

Quantum Theatre
218 N. Highland Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 362-1713
www.quantumtheatre.com
Karla Boos, Artistic Director

Quantum Theatre to open Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar – a chamber opera with libretto by David Henry Hwang; music direction by Andres Cladera; stage direction by Karla Boos
Who: Quantum Theatre
What: Ainadamar by Osvaldo Golijov, libretto by David Henry Hwang, music direction by Andres Cladera; stage direction by Karla Boos
When: October 19 – November 3 (Opening and Press Night October 19) Note unusual schedule: performances Oct. 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 30, Nov. 2, 3, all at 8pm.
Where: East Liberty Presbyterian Church (116 South Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206) (map link)
Tickets: ShowClix 1-888-718-4253; www.quantumtheatre.com or www.showclix.com/event/229382;
$35 - $48 with limited $18 student tix.

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Hoverla Ukrainian American Film Festival Runs Oct. 6-27

2012 "HOVERLA" UKRAINIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL

By the Ukrainian Community of Western Pennsylvania

Venue: Frick Fine Arts Auditorium at 650 Schenley Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15213 [ map ]

Film Festival WEBSITE

Saturday, October 6, 2012 5:30 PM

Pittsburgh Premier KLITSCHKO - FIGHTERS - CHAMPIONS - BROTHERS  + Opening Night Reception                  PURCHASE TICKETS

Saturday, October 13, 2012 4:00 PM

Pittsburgh Premier "My Father Evgeni" by Andrei Zagdansky                                                                                                      PURCHASE TICKETS

Screening followed by  a post-film discussion and light refreshments.

Saturday, October 13, 2012 7:00 PM

Pittsburgh Premier "Land of Oblivion" by Michale Boganim                                                                               PURCHASE TICKETS

Preceded by the film short "Chronicle of Severe Days," rough but riveting footage of Chernobyls aftermath captured by filmmaker Vladimir Shevchenko just days after the explosion. Shevchenko died from radiation exposure soon after shooting the film. Director: Vladimir Shevchenko, 18 mins., Silent (w/Eng subtitles), 1986, Ukraine

Screenings are preceded by light refreshments and followed by a post-film discussion. 

Saturday, October 20, 2012 4:00 PM

Pittsburgh Premier "The Orange Chronicles" by Damian Kolodiy                                                                      PURCHASE TICKETS

Screening followed by a post-film discussion and light refreshments.

Saturday, October 20, 2012 7:00 PM

Pittsburgh Premier "The Other Chelsea" by Jakob Preuss                                                                                   PURCHASE TICKETS

Screening preceded by light refreshments and followed by a post-film discussion.

Saturday, October 27, 2012 4:00 PM

"Freedom Had A Price" by Yurij Luhovy                                                                                                                                      PURCHASE TICKETS

Screening followed by  a post-film discussion and light refreshments.

Saturday, October 27, 2012 7:00 PM

Pittsburgh Premier "The Firecrosser" by Mykhailo Illienko                                                                                                       PURCHASE TICKETS

Screening preceded by light refreshments and followed by a post-film discussion.

Ticket Prices:

The University of Pittsburgh full time students and faculty with valid ID - Free

Opening Night (October 6) with Reception: $15

Regular Admission: $10

Full Access Festival Pass (Excluding opening night): $50

Questions: Contact UCOWPA President Svitlana Tomson at (412)953-7701

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Pittsburgh Entrepreneurs Will Have Shot at Success as Part of Global Startup Weekend Activities Sept. 21-23

Pittsburgh will participate in Startup Weekend activities, which bring together entrepreneurs in more than 400 events in 100 countries around the world from Sept. 21-23. Pittsburgh's event will take place at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty.

Startup Weekend is a global grassroots movement of active and empowered entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures. It is the largest community of passionate entrepreneurs with over 400 past events in 100 countries around the world in 2011.

All Startup Weekend events follow the same basic model: anyone is welcome to pitch their startup idea and receive feedback from their peers. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as determined by popular vote) and then it’s a 54-hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing, and market validation.

The weekends culminate with presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback. Whether entrepreneurs found companies, find a cofounder, meet someone new, or learn a skill far outside their usual 9-to-5, everyone is guaranteed to leave the event better prepared to navigate the chaotic but fun world of startups, organizers say. 

The non-profit organization is headquartered in Seattle, Washington but Startup Weekend organizers and facilitators can be found in over 200 cities around the world. From Mongolia to South Africa to London to Brazil, people around the globe are coming together for weekend long workshops to pitch ideas, form teams and start companies.

For more information and registration details, go to http://pgh.startupweekend.org/ READ FULL ARTICLE

CMU and WVU Presidents Join 165 Academic Leaders in Urging President and Congress to Allow International Students With Technical Degrees to Receive Green Cards

The presidents of Carnegie Mellon University and West Virginia University were among 165 academic leaders from around the country to sign a letter to President Obama and Congress supporting visa reform to grant green cards to foreign students with advanced degrees in technical fields.

CMU President Jared Cohon and WVU President James Clements signed the letter urging bipartisan support for immigration reform, warning of a "growing skill gap across America's industries" made worse by rules making it difficult for international students with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields to stay in the U.S. after they graduate.

The letter calls this issue “a critical threat to America’s preeminence as a global center of innovation and prosperity” citing a new report, “Patent Pending” that found that in 2011, foreign-born inventors were contributors on 76 percent of patents issued to the top 10 patent-producing universities in the United States.

"New research shows that in 2011, foreign-born inventors were credited contributors on more than 75 percent of patents issued to the top 10 patent-producing universities in the United States – irrefutable proof of the important role immigrants play in American innovation," the letter states. "These inventions lead to new companies and new jobs for American workers, and are an enormous boon to our economy."

The signatories included universities large and small, and from all 50 states, including leading research universities, such as Stanford University, Harvard University, and Cornell University; leading technical universities such as California Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and the leaders of over a dozen state systems of higher education, including University of California System, University of Illinois System and University of Wisconsin System. The schools represent a combined student body of over 4 million students and a total endowment of over $240 billion. A copy of the letter is available here.

The presidents warned “there is a growing skill gap across America’s industries. One quarter of U.S. science and engineering firms already report difficulty hiring, and the problem will only worsen.”

Over the past 10 years, growth in STEM jobs was three times as fast as growth in non-STEM jobs and in the coming years, STEM jobs are projected to grow roughly twice as fast as non-STEM jobs.

The letter was organized by the Partnership for a New American Economy as part of the coalition’s campaign to make STEM immigration reform a priority by repeatedly producing evidence of the value of STEM immigration reform and of broad bipartisan support from Americans.

Partnership research has found that:
- Foreign STEM graduates create American jobs: Every foreign graduate with an advanced degree from a U.S. university who stays and works in a STEM field creates on average 2.62 jobs for American workers.
- Foreign STEM grads drive U.S. innovation: 76% of patents from the top 10 patent-producing US universities (including MIT, Stanford, University of Illinois system, University of Texas System, etc.) in 2011 had a foreign born inventor.
· The U.S. is facing a shortage of STEM workers: By 2018, there will be more than 230,000 advanced degree STEM jobs that will not be filled even if every single new American STEM grad finds a job.
- There is broad support for STEM visa reform among Democratic, Independent, and Republican voters: 76% of all voters support STEM visa reform, including 87% of D’s, 72% of R’s, 65% of I’s, 68% of Tea Party supporters, 90% of Hispanic voters, and 90% of voters under 35.
- The U.S. is losing out to countries that use immigration laws to recruit STEM workers: Canada offers visas to STEM workers even before they’ve earned their degrees and targets its recruitment efforts directly at foreign STEM workers in the US who are frustrated by obstacles to staying. UK and Australia offer ways for STEM grads to stay after graduation so they can find employment.
- More than 40 percent of the Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. These include many of America’s greatest brands – Apple, Google, AT&T, Budweiser, Colgate, eBay, General Electric and McDonald’s just to name a few– and the newest leading companies are also more likely to have an immigrant founder.

About the Partnership for a New American Economy The Partnership for a New American Economy brings together more than 450 Republican, Democratic, and Independent mayors and business leaders who support immigration reforms that will help create jobs for Americans today.

The Partnership’s members include mayors of more than 35 million people nationwide and business leaders of companies that generate more than $1.5 trillion and employ more than 4 million people across all sectors of the economy, from Agriculture to Aerospace, Hospitality to High Tech, and Media to Manufacturing. Partnership members understand that immigration is essential to maintaining the productive, diverse, and flexible workforce that America needs to ensure prosperity over the coming generations. Learn more at www.renewoureconomy.org.
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Ninth Annual WorldQuest International Trivia Competition Scheduled for Oct. 29. Form Your Team Today!

Ninth Annual WorldQuest International Trivia Competition Hosted by the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh October 29, 2012 6:00 p.m.: Check in 6:30 p.m.: Let the games begin!  Cabaret Theater, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Join us for a fun evening of food, drinks, prizes, unique networking opportunities, and friendly competition. Show off your knowledge of the world and help support the work of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. The competition will again be held at the Cabaret Theater in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. The event will feature teams of four to accommodate more teams at a cost-friendly rate. In addition to competing for prizes, participants will have an opportunity to enter a raffle to win exciting prizes! All proceeds for this event go to support the Council’s over 200 annual events reaching the region’s secondary schools and professional community. Raffles and Prizes! Stay tuned for prize and raffle lists! Start Studying Now! Use this link for the 2011 WorldQuest questions and answers. What are you waiting for? Register your team today! Not interested in competing? Why don’t you come and cheer on the competitors? Just like last year, you can watch WorldQuest from the “Cheering Section” and support a team of your choice. Team of 4: $120 Single Competitor: $30 (Those registered as single competitors will be placed in teams of 4 on the day of the competition). Cheering Section: $30 Dinner included in the ticket price. Cash bar. When registering a team, please include the team name, identify the team captain, and include the names of the other team members. Pre-payment is required for all players and teams. Questions? Contact Dan Law at 412-281-1259 or dan@worldpittsburgh.org. WorldQuest 2012 Sponsorship and Donor Opportunities We are looking for sponsors who will also field one or more teams. This year's sponsorship opportunities include: Bronze: $500 One team of 4 competitors Table for organizational materials Recognition in all event materials and signage Silver: $1,000 One team of 4 competitors Table for organizational materials Recognition in all event materials and signage Admittance for 2 to the “Cheering Section.” Free table of 8 at an upcoming World Affairs Council luncheon. Gold: $2,500 Two teams of 4 competitors Table for organizational materials Recognition in all event materials and signage Admittance for 4 to the “Cheering Section.” Free table of 8 at an upcoming World Affairs Council luncheon. One Corporate Level membership to the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. Please contact Dan Law, at 412-281-1259, or email dan@worldpittsburgh.org for more information. Download a PDF description by clicking here!

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Allegheny County to Host International Food Fridays in Courthouse Courtyard Sept. 14 to Oct. 5

The Allegheny County Special Events Office will host International Food Fridays in the Courthouse Courtyard from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each Friday between September 14 and October 5.

The events will feature local restaurants serving the food of Trinidad & Tobago, Peru, Bulgaria and Haiti. Lunch specials will be priced from $5 to $7.

“Our International Food Fridays have been very popular over the years,” said Special Events Manager Bill Deasy. “Once again this year, we invite everyone to take a break from their brown bag lunch and enjoy the unique cuisine that other countries have to offer.”

The schedule for International Food Fridays is:
- Sept. 14 – Ola Apettit Café serving Trinidadian & Tobagonian food
- Sept. 21 – AJ's Burger & Peruvian Chicken serving Peruvian food
- Sept. 28 – Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational & Cultural Center serving Bulgarian food
- Oct. 5 – Kazanda’s Café serving Haitian
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Celebrate Oktoberfest and Continue Welcoming International Students at Next GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays Networking Event - Oct. 4 at Hilton Garden Inn

Please join us for festivities on Thursday, October 4 as we celebrate Oktoberfest and continue to welcome back international students and globally-minded local scholars, entrepreneurs and friends at the next GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays international networking event at the Hilton Garden Inn in Oakland from 5:30-8:00 p.m.

Students, faculty and friends of many of the region's great colleges and universities in attendance, along with many GlobalPittsburgh hosts and members for this all-ages event. There will be free appetizers, bar specials, raffles, cash bar and more. Bring your friends! Meet our visiting international delegations and mingle with many of the region's entrepreneurs and innovators.

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

The Hilton Garden Inn is located at 3454 Forbes Avenue near the University of Pittsburgh campus in Oakland.

Admission is FREE for paid GlobalPittsburgh members and students with a valid student identification. Admission is $5 at the door for non-members and non-students. 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 Oct. 4.

Many thanks to support from Vibrant Pittsburgh, whose mini-grant program helps make these events possible.

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!

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New International Fashion House Offers Multicultural Styles and Job Opportunities for Aspiring Artisans and Entrepreneurs

A new International Fashion House combining a fabric production studio and global style boutique offering culturally inspired clothing, accessories and arts & crafts from around the world opened in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood on Friday, Sept. 21.

An initiative of Christian Evangelistic Economic Development (CEED), a Pittsburgh-based non-profit community development organization, the International Fashion House is located at 4705 Liberty Avenue, across from St. Joseph Catholic Church.

The mission of the International Fashion House is to celebrate, showcase, market and retail creative, ethnic-inspired goods and services from an assorted pool of artists and artisans, while promoting cultural diversity in the city of Pittsburgh.

“The International Fashion House brings together a wide range of skills and strengths of the international immigrant community and the local community in Pittsburgh to create an opportunity for jobs and economic growth to benefit everyone in the Pittsburgh region,” said Rufus Idris, CEED Executive Director. “It is a mix of arts, crafts and economic growth that is a positive force for the community.”

The International Fashion House offers a four dimensional fold services to its customers. First is the IFH Boutique which will offer authentic international fashion products from ready-to-wear clothing and accessories to unsewn fabrics, giving the customer the option of making their own outfits from scratch, tailored to their specifications. 

Secondly, IFH will offer consignment products from CEED vendors who are currently participating in the International Marketplace which takes place every Saturday at the Pittsburgh Public Market. These vendors will get the opportunity to sell their products in a storefront with regular public access, providing a cost-effective way of selling their products and gain broader exposure. 

Thirdly, the IFH will offer a sewing incubator with the professional equipment and materials, where upcoming seamstresses can utilize production space and equipment for a fee. As part of the tailoring incubator, IFH will also hire well-qualified seamstresses and craftsmen on a contractual basis to help work on specific projects upon demand. 

Lastly, the International Fashion House will hold on-site training and classes in different artistic disciplines such as: tailoring, quilting, knitting, etc. with the goal of promoting diversity and community inclusion between the immigrant community and local populations in the city of Pittsburgh. 

“The International Fashion offers a complete wearing solution where customers have the unique opportunity to come into the store, purchase a fabric of choice, pick a design and have it tailored to their specification and design,” said Adedoyin Adeniyi, a CEED program officer who has helped plan the Fashion House. “A customer never has to worry about the fabric, stitching, embroidery, designing or any other thing as the team at IFH will take care of everything.” 

After its Grand opening, the store will be open for customers Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The store is located on 4705 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh Pa 15224. 

For more information call 412-450-8070 or send email to ifh@usaceed.org. 

About Christian Evangelistic Economic Development 
The mission of CEED is to revitalize, strengthen and produce healthy, self-sustaining communities through innovative programs and projects that put community members and stakeholders in the forefront of economic growth and self-sufficiency. For more information, please go to www.usaceed.org. READ FULL ARTICLE

GlobalPittsburgh Hosts Delegation of Serbian Riverfront Development Experts Studying Pittsburgh Development and Meeting with Local Leaders

GlobalPittsburgh recently hosted a delegation of six riverfront development leaders from Serbia from September 7-15. They were participating in a professional exchange program on the theme of “Accountable Governance: Riverfront Development” funded by the Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

The delegation’s week-long program in Pittsburgh focused on issues relating to water and urban planning.

The Open World Program enables emerging Eurasian political and civic leaders to work with their U.S. counterparts and experience American-style democracy at the local level.

The group participated in a round table discussion at the Remaking Cities Institute in the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University.

The delegates also met with a local Senator’s offices to discuss federal oversight and accountability of water-related issues. They will have an opportunity to discuss the regulatory role played by Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. The delegates will learn about riverfront development from the Urban Redevelopment Authority and will meet with leaders from Riverlife, Friends of the Riverfront, Inc., and Venture Outdoors, among others.

The delegates also took a walking tour along the North Shore Trail and view the development along the point where Pittsburgh’s three rivers converge.

In order to experience American life and culture, all delegates stayed in the homes of local families, taking part in social and cultural events organized by GlobalPittsburgh members including a pot luck dinner.

The delegation included Ms. Vanja Barisic-Jokovic, Head of Department for Public Relations, Public Water Management Company “Vode Vojvodine”, and a member of Regional Election headquarters, Democratic Party; Ms. Marija Kolarov, Head of Department for Urbanism, Municipality of Backa Palanka; Ms. Ivana Vujanic, Monitoring Engineer at the Department of Development and Marketing, Public Water Management Company “Srbijavode’’; Ms. Anka Vukanic, Advisor on Water Pollution Protection, Ministry of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning. Mr. Velimir Lukic, Teaching Assistant, Department of Economics at the University of Belgrade, accompanies them as a facilitator.

The most important results of these “Citizen Diplomacy” programs are that visitors return home with a totally changed perception of America and a strong desire to strengthen friendly relationships between our cities and countries. Their word of mouth communication with professional colleagues, family and friends at home has greater credibility overseas than professional diplomacy or the national media.

The Open World Leadership Center has awarded a grant to FHI 360 to administer this and similar exchanges in 2012. The Open World Program is a unique, nonpartisan initiative of the U.S. Congress designed to build mutual understanding between the United States and Eurasia. Over 16,000 Open World participants have been hosted in all 50 U.S. states since the program’s inception in 1999. Delegates range from members of parliament to mayors, from innovative nonprofit directors to experienced journalists, and from political party activists to regional administrators.

For more information, please contact Gail Shrott, Director of International Leaders Program, GlobalPittsburgh, phone 412-392-4513, e-mail gshrott@globallpittsburgh.org. For more information on Open World, go to http://www.openworld.gov. READ FULL ARTICLE

Zipcar Waives $75 Sign-Up Fee for GlobalPittsburgh Members and Offers Discounts on Hourly Rates. Another Reason to Join the GlobalPittsburgh Network Today!

Zipcar is waiving its $75 sign-up fee for GlobalPittsburgh members and offering discounted hourly rates for Zipcar's shared vehicle service. Use a Zipcar for offsite business trips or personal errands anytime you like. Zipcar operates in Pittsburgh and dozens of cities across North America.

SPECIAL DISCOUNTED WEEKDAY RATES for Pittsburgh:

·         No Application Fee (normally $75)

·         Discounted Annual Fee (just $25 a year)

Discounted Hourly Rate:  $9.25

Business Day Rate (7am-7pm):  $53

Overnight Rate: $36

24-Hour Day Rate:  $63

All rates include gas, insurance, and 180 miles/day ($0.45/mile thereafter) for a $25 annual membership fee. These special rates cover all vehicles except BMWs, Mercedes and convertibles. Weekend rates vary depending on length of reservation.

This offer is available to paid members of the GlobalPittsburgh Network, including hosts, supporters and members of the GlobalPittsburgh Connect program. If you're already a member of the GlobalPittsburgh Network, or have any questions, please contact Nadya Kessler of GlobalPittsburgh at 412-392-4513 or at nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org.

If you're not a GlobalPittsburgh member, you can also call Nadya at the number above to register by phone, and she can give you details of how to get the Zipcar membership and discounts. Individual memberships in the GlobalPittsburgh Network cost $40 per year and $50 per household. CLICK HERE to register online.

To Sign Up: 

Contact Zipcar’s Chris Mutty directly (see contact information below), and he can apply the free set up promotion. Sign up takes about 5 minutes. You’ll need your driver’s license and credit card. After you’re approved, your Zipcard will arrive at your billing address in 5-7 days.  Alternatively, you can elect to pick-up your Zipcard at the local Pittsburgh office. 

How it Works:

Once you’ve received your Zipcard in the mail, simply make a reservation online and use your Zipcard to access the reserved vehicle.  Invoices are online and updated after each reservation (click on “my stuff” then “my bill” to view your invoice).  Your company or personal credit card will be charged after the end of each reservation.

Already a Zipcar member?  Call or email Chris at 215-307-4867 or cmutty@zipcar.com and your account can be upgraded to reflect the business discounts.

Learn more about Zipcar at www.zipcar.com.

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