Two upcoming Community Conversations will focus on international topics. Organized by the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the events will take place June 6 and 7 and are free and open to the public.
Cuba’s New Constitution: A Giant Step Forward
On Thursday, June 6, Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, Cuban ambassador to Canada, will join Julio Fonseca, a contract faculty member in the Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics (DLLL), to discuss Cuba’s new constitution in the context of the current geopolitical situation in Latin America. The community conversation will take place in Room 802, South Ross Building, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
The Modern Portugal, A Journey to…
On Friday, June 7, Inês Cardoso, Camões, visiting professor with DLLL, will join University of Helsinki contract faculty member Sofia Palma for a discussion about how Portugal’s food, weather, landscapes and soccer play significant roles in the connections that the Portuguese diaspora and Luso-Canadians nourish with Portugal, the country of their ancestors. This discussion will examine the rich history, literature and culture that contributes to Portugal’s international reputation. This Community Conversation will take place off campus at 766 College St. in Toronto (Toronto Public Library’s Shaw Branch) from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
The Community Conversations series is a community engagement initiative organized with
a goal to enhance public engagement by taking important discussions out of the classroom and into public spaces across the Greater Toronto Area.
The events provide an avenue for academics to connect with the public about complex global and local issues facing our society. Community Conversations raise central questions about identity, responsibility, privilege and race as they relate to political science, the humanities, the environment and the arts.
Some past discussions have included: the effects of social media on today’s society, the complexities of guests’/settlers’ roles and responsibilities and how labour market changes affect newcomers to Canada.