Past Events

Learn more about all that is planned for the 2022-23 academic year by the Asian Studies Center, the Center for African Studies, the Center for Ethnic Studies Research, the Center for Latin American Studies, the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, the European Studies Center, and the Global Studies Center. Celebrate with us the recent award of 12 new federal grants and learn how that money will support faculty and students interested in the world. Find new opportunities to study, research, or teach about the world. This event is open to all faculty and students and is an opportunity to meet others who share similar interests. Representatives from Pitt's Global Experiences Office and Office of International Studies, as well as the Nationality Rooms, will also be on hand.

Henry Koerner's transformative years as a poster artist in WWII. Join Dr. Florian Traussnig for an illuminating lecture on the Vienna-born, Jewish refugee Heinrich Sieghart Korner, later Henry Koerner, who created some of the most iconic posters for the US Office of War Information and later became known as a Pittsburgh-based "master of magical realism." Learn how the artist fused the kulturellen Rucksackhe brought from Austria to American art and culture. REGISTER: https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctduqoqj0rGtbDhe99CTdiCnu0I65-jkRm Sponsors: Austrian Nationality Room Committee European Studies Center The OrJames Lab University of Graz, Austria

Paul Riis was a Swiss-born landscape architect who served as the first director of Allegheny County Parks from 1928 to 1932. He designed numerous nature-inspired features in both North Park and South Park. Anne Oyler, who coordinates the Paul Riis Legacy Preservation Volunteers, will tell us about the history and restoration processes related to these beautiful landscape installations. Please visit http://paulriis.org/ for more information about the sites. The walking and driving tour will visit several of the South Park installations. The starting point is The Cascades, near the Oliver Miller Homestead and other locations will follow. Light refreshments are available. Free of charge. RSVP by August 25 to Nancy Carlson, Swiss Committee Sponsors: Swiss Nationality Room Committee Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Program / UCIS Paul Riis Legacy Preservation Volunteers

Due to ongoing efforts to maintain a healthy community during COVID-19, the Indian Nationality Room Committee will not host an in-person celebration at the Cathedral of Learning this year
We hope to resume regular programming next year, including an outreach opportunity being planned for January 2023. Please check the upcoming events section of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs website for up-to-date information. Jai Hind!

The Women’s International Club of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs at the University of Pittsburgh cordially invites you to a tea and conversation to commemorate the birthday of Ruth Crawford Mitchell. Pitt graduate and Quo Vadis alumna Emily Wilk will share her research on the fascinating life of Ruth Crawford Mitchell. Ruth Crawford Mitchell (June 2, 1890 – February 7, 1984) joined the University of Pittsburgh in 1924 as a lecturer on the history of immigration. Years later, Ms. Mitchell became an advisor to the then-Chancellor John G. Bowman, guiding him on the building of the Cathedral of Learning and the development of the Nationality Rooms. Ms. Mitchell worked closely with the Pittsburgh ethnic communities to raise funds for the building of the Nationality Rooms, over which she had major oversight during the design, drafting, and creation between 1926 through 1956 as the first director of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs.

Join us for a presentation live on April 8 from the Scottish Nationality Room celebrating the Tartan Week 2022! This free event will celebrate Scottish heritage in the Pittsburgh region, promote the new Glasgow Sister City initiative and showcase Scottish innovation! Speakers:
- Neil Owen (Host, Scottish Business Network)
- Kathy Risko (Sister Cities International)
- Fergus Bruce (Edify.ac)
- Bill McShane, Associate Director for Integrated Learning at the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business & Scottish Nationality Room Secretary Co-Sponsors:
- University Center for International Studies
- Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs
- European Studies Center
- Scottish Nationality Room
- Scottish Business Network
- Sister Cities International (SCI)
- Edify In-Person: Scottish Nationality Room, Cathedral of Learning, Room #139, First Floor, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260 Please note, in-person capacity is limited and will be offered to the first registrants to select that they plan to attend in-person. Effective March 28, the University has announced that masks are optional indoors. Further information can be found at the Power of Pitt: Building a Healthy and Resilient Community: https://www.coronavirus.pitt.edu/healthy-community/pitts-health-rules If you are attending this event in-person, parking is available on-street or in Soldiers and Sailors parking garage. A small reception will take place in the Schenley Croghan Room following the event. Virtual: Please indicate that you plan to attend virtually when registering via Eventbrite. The virtual meeting link will be sent prior to the date of the event.

Learn the history of mărțișor and watch the Romanian Room committee make them and talk about this old tradition. Falling on March 1 of every year, Mărțișor is an old Romanian tradition of gifting a red and white string attached to a small piece of jewelry or a flower. This is believed to bring health and luck to the wearer.