FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington will present an exploration of cultural and ethnic diversity in Maine with its third annual Teaching and Working in a Diverse World Conference.

The conference is free and open to the public and will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, at various venues on the UMF campus.

The conversation will begin with a keynote address entitled “The Changing Face of Maine” presented by Reza Jalali, coordinator of multicultural student affairs at University of Southern Maine. The opening session will take a look at the over 50,000 immigrants from more than 100 countries that now call Maine home. It will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., in Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center.

Jalali currently teaches Islam at the Bangor Theological Seminary and serves as the Muslim Chaplain at Bates College.

Following the keynote address, a series of informational sessions will be presented by professionals in the field, faculty members and students that will examine a wide range of topics that impact the changing face of Maine.

Talks will include: “Addressing Anti-Immigrant Bias at Work and in the Community,” “Latino Youth with Disabilities and Their Families” and “Growing Globally-Minded Learners, A Personal Story.”

According to Johanna Prince, UMF instructor and conference organizer, today’s schools have an increasingly diverse student population, one that challenges educators to develop ways for all students to be successful. “Our classrooms are a reflection of the fabric of our society,” said Prince. “As diversity increases, educators need to promote cultural awareness and understanding and help provide the type of learning experiences that can open doors for every child.”

Participants are welcome to attend one or multiple sessions and registration is not required. For more details on the conference, visit teachereducation.umf.maine.edu/diversity-conference/2010-2011/.

The event is sponsored by the UMF Offices of the Associate Provost and the Dean of Education and the UMF Diversity Committee.

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