Another successful and engaging season comes to a close as we announce exciting new developments in preparation for the future at ICFRC

We are proud to announce a new partnership has been formed, bringing a "home" for programs to the heart of Iowa City at the Iowa City Public Library. Beginning with our July program with the Mandela Washington Fellows and continuing with our Fall lineup, most of ICFRC's programs - with the exception of special events and some co-sponsored programs - will be held downtown at the Public Library. This mutually beneficial new relationship will put internationally-focused programming squarely in one of Iowa City's most beloved community spaces. We look forward to seeing you all there soon!

We are also excited to share that ICFRC has been discussing new partnership opportunities with three Iowa-based internationally-oriented organizations: Global Ties-Iowa (formally CIVIC) in Iowa City, the Iowa International Center in Des Moines, and the World Affairs Council of the Quad Cities. In future newsletters, we will showcase the great work these nonprofits are doing in our state and share opportunities for you to connect with and participate in their programs and events. Together, we will work together to increase Iowans' access to the world from within our shared communities.

And if that was not enough great news already, we are thrilled to announce that ICFRC has hired James Dykeman as our new Director of Communications. While he formally begins on June 3rd, James has been a volunteer on our Communications Committee for almost two years. James is responsible for ICFRC's new branding, which you've seen in this newsletter, on social media, and our website.

Thank you for your partnership and support,

Peter Gerlach

Executive Director

Join Us in Celebrating 40 Years of Bringing New Perspectives and Promoting Understanding in Iowa Communities

2023 is a year for celebrating the last four decades of distinguished leaders from across the world who have visited our community to speak on topics from across the spectrum of world affairs. More importantly, we look forward to celebrating our members, whose continued and enduring support since the 1980s has ensured that generations of Iowans have been able to engage with and be energized by critical voices sharing perspectives and calls to action on the defining issues affecting our country and world for nearly a half-century. 

Your support and involvement have positioned ICFRC to continue to lead in bringing these voices to Iowa communities. As we look back at all that we have accomplished together, we also look forward to a future that is bright and full of possibility as we work to share our programs and events with an ever-widening audience from across generations and on topics that speak to the urgent and diverse needs of our robust and passionate community. 

We look forward to celebrating our 40th anniversary with you next academic year. Look out for more information about the special events we plan during the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters, celebrating our history, speakers, and you! 

TikTok, Boom.

Learn how social media platforms like TikTok are changing the world as well as the security issues, global political challenges, and racial biases behind the platform in this multi-award nominated documentary. After, meet the acclaimed filmmaker for a lively Q&A.

Speaker: Shalini Kantayya​

Speakers: Dr. Mike Roman,

Kea Ruthford, Lulu DeBoer,

Dr. Maria Teaiwa-Rutherford, Ruth M. Cross, Baniti Semilota

Earth Day in the Pacific

Join us on Earth Day to learn about a beautiful country in the middle of our planet. Located where the international dateline crosses the Equator, this country is the first to see the light of day, year, and Millennium. Standing on the frontlines of climate change, it boasts the 12th largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world, yet its land mass is less than 800 Sq. Km. 



Spring 2023 Programs

The Spring season hosted an incredible variety of speakers and topics and we are grateful to City Channel 4 for recording these events for you to revisit, share, and enjoy. Please visit our events page to view past programs, including:

• Kenneth Quinn | When Iowa Led the World in Moral Humanitarian Leadership 
• Carrie Schuettpelz | The Indian Card: America's Native Identity Problem
• Sarah Glaser | Preventing Future Fish Wars
• Karen Edwards and Jon Edwards | Helping International Students Arrive and Thrive
• Yasmina Sahir and Asel Nasr | Middle Eastern and North African Advocacy at the UI
• Gulnaz Sharafutdinova | From Victimhood to Aggression: Russia's Path to War Against Ukraine
• Saadat Ahmadi and Zainab Afghan | Cedar Rapids’ Afghan Community, 18 Months On
• Dr. Vivienne Wee and Rozana Isa | Islamic Feminism and Women’s Rights
• Shu Wan | We Were Ever Here: Chinese Exchange Students In Iowa (1909-1937)
• Darlene Grant | Peace Corps Volunteer Service as a 50-Year-Old
• Anam Zakaria | Narrative Making and the Politics of Juxtaposition 

Our programming is made possible by support from our members, who have helped us reach communities across Iowa for nearly 40 years. Learn more about how your support is helping uplift communities and raising awareness about issues affecting our world.