Community College of Philadelphia has announced that through June 30, in place of its annual study abroad program, it will host its first Global Studies Summit. This virtual summit will feature a month-long series of events aimed at exploring the theme of global social justice.
Free and open to the public, attendees will have the opportunity to explore the three countries students would have visited if not for the COVID-19 pandemic: Cambodia, South Africa, and Costa Rica.
The summit will wrap up with the Diaspora Connect Series from June 28 to June 30, which will highlight the work of local-global changemakers in Philadelphia who are fostering community building across the African diaspora.
“Among local calls for racial, gender and economic justice, Community College of Philadelphia is proud to explore these themes through an international lens,” said Dr. Donald Guy Generals, college president. “While we may not be able to take our students abroad due to COVID-19 public health concerns, we are still committed to keeping them engaged and connected to the diverse communities from across the globe. Our inaugural Global Studies Summit will invite not only our students, but the larger Philadelphia community to participate in timely and thought-provoking discussions as it relates to the enduring global struggle for human rights.”
From June 7 to June 10, the summit will explore the fall and recovery of Cambodia more than 40 years following the brutal four-year genocide that claimed the lives of more than two million Cambodians.
From June 14 to June 17, attendees will have the opportunity to explore South Africa through a Black studies lens with a variety of lecturers, presentations, film screenings and a virtual African art exhibition at the Barnes Foundation.
From June 21 to June 24, participants will become immersed in Costa Rican culture and community through conversations with diverse business leaders and student to student dialogue.
“The Study Abroad program at CCP has had to re-shift its thinking around student engagement due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said assistant professor of English and study abroad coordinator Boi-Lucia Gbaya-Kanga. “According to many students who have participated in the College’s study abroad program, the heart of the experience lies in the expansion of their worldview, the connections to a moment or a place, and how they have been deeply, forever changed.”
“Our team came to realize that a virtual platform provided an opportunity to keep with the spirit of these connections, and even maximize these interactions in a way we would not have been able to do in person,” she added.
Additional information on the College’s Global Studies Summit, including the full list of events and associated speakers, can be found online at: www.ccp.edu/global-studies-summit.
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