ABOUT
US - HISTORY
Global
Connections Pittsburgh began in 1999 as a pilot project
of InterAction, a membership alliance of over 160 U.S.-based
international development and humanitarian organizations.
Pittsburgh was one of five cities chosen nationally for
the project, funded by a grant from the Ford Foundation
and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Global Connections was designed
as a constituency building initiative to create an
active and vocal network supporting greater engagement
with the developing world.
When the national grant ended in 2001, at the urging
of many in the community, Global Connections agreed
to continue to build a regional network of organizations,
institutions and individuals working on issues of
concern in the developing world and highlighting Pittsburgh's
global interconnectedness.
In 2002, Global Connections Pittsburgh became a membership based
organization.
WHAT WE DO
Sponsor networking and educational
events throughout the region, often cosponsoring with
member organizations.
Conduct public deliberations on critical
international issues in conjunction with the National
Issues Forum (NIF).
Publish the Pittsburgh Area International
Resources Directory (PAIRD).
Offer skills training workshops for
members and related nonprofits, in conjunction with
national organizations.
Support member organizations by facilitating
collaboration and resource-sharing, and by raising
visibility.
Publicize
international events to the greater community through a web-based
calendar.
HIGHLIGHTS
-
Member picnic featuring informal discussion with
Post-Gazette editors Dan Simpson and Greg Victor.
- Participate
as one of three community partners in Chatham College's "Engaging
Communities and Campuses" program.
- Co-sponsored
with Building New Hope and the Center for Latin
American Studies, a program on the global coffee
crisis as part of the University of Pittsburgh's
International Week.
- Celebrated
U.N. Day with a members' reception at Reed Smith
office, in conjunction with the United Nations
Association and the World Federalist Association.
- Several
skills training workshops for members, related nonprofits, teachers
and students, on advocacy and effective communication about international
issues. These were conducted with the assistance of InterAction,
the Kettering foundation, the Aspen Intitute, Frameworks Institute,
and the Pennsylvania Ethnic Heritage Studies Center.
e-Newsletter
Our
e-Newsletter lets you know about upcoming events with an international
flavor. (IMPORTANT NOTE: The newsletter is "on
sabbatical" as of April 2004, but sign up and you will be added
to the list when it resumes.)
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