FARMINGTON – The University of Maine at Farmington invites the public to attend its third annual Global Affairs Forum, Oct. 22 and 23 as a distinguished panel of international experts discusses “Globalization and Maine: The Way Life Should Be?”

This year’s two-day conference focuses on globalization and its impact on Maine. Panelists will examine how Maine’s economy can flourish in today’s global economy. They will also discuss the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on Maine. Panelists will also examine immigration, emigration and Maine’s labor market and how educators can meet the diverse needs of Maine’s immigrant populations.

Keynote speaker will be Thomas Pickering, a senior vice president for International Relations at The Boeing Co., former U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and ambassador and representative to the United Nations. He will discuss globalization as it pertains to U.S. politics and today’s world.

Other speakers include Julianna Acheson, University of Maine at Farmington assistant professor of anthropology; Deborah Baker, University of Maine at Farmington student teacher supervisor; S. Waleck Dalpour, professor of business and chairperson of the University of Maine at Farmington Department of Social Sciences and Business; Brad Dearden, University of Maine at Farmington instructor of geography; Clyde Dyar, candidate for state Senate-District 18 and owner of Meadow Brook Consulting/Somerset Economic Development Corp; Paul Frederic, University of Maine at Farmington professor of geography; Wendy Harper, University of Maine at Farmington assistant professor of economics.

Also, Ken Kunin, former principal at Reiche Elementary School, Portland; Heidi LeBlanc, University of Maine at Farmington business economics student from Temple; Vaughn LeBlanc, foreign labor specialist, Maine Department of Labor; Heather Lindkvist, Bates College assistant professor of anthropology; Marguerite MacDonald, program coordinator of the Portland School Department Office of Multilingual and Multicultural Program; Ned McCann, secretary-treasurer of the Maine AFL-CIO; Philip Nadeau, assistant of administration, City of Lewiston; Pirun Sen, parent-community specialist: Cambodian, in Multilingual and Multicultural Programs; Beth Stickney of the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project; and Philip Trostel, University of Maine associate professor of economics.

The Global Affairs Forum is sponsored by the International Studies Committee at UMF. It is open to the public. Registration is $30 for all conference activities, including attendance at the keynote luncheon. The first 50 UMF students to register for the forum may attend for free.

For more information or to register, contact conference coordinator, Julianna Acheson, assistant professor of anthropology, julianna.acheson@maine.edu or 207-778-7573.



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