Thursday, April 11, 2024, Uris Hall, G-08 Speaker: Joseph Kimani, Executive Director, Slum Dweller International (SDI - Kenya)

Join us in Ithaca to discuss the challenges to workers’ power posed by global supply chains and trade agreements, and the tools devised to address them, including new international instruments and global movements.

This conference brings together labor activists, organizers, legal experts, and scholars to discuss how workers may build their power in a contemporary climate of liberalized trade, increasing interconnectivity, and global supply chains. Hear about efforts to advance an ILO standard on decent work in global supply chains, and learn about real-world developments from labor organizers in the Global south.

See our full list of speakers here.

Conference Co-Organizers: Desirée LeClercq (Cornell University) and Hila Shamir (Tel Aviv University)

Sponsors:

American Society of International LawCornell ILR Global Labor InstituteCornell International Law JournalFrank W. Pierce Memorial FundCornell Law School Tel Aviv University Exchange InitiativeMario Einaudi Center for International Studies

Any poem, any language! The Language Resource Center celebrates National Poetry Month. Sweet Poetry is an evening event in April named for enjoying tasty treats while sharing poems in different language.

Join us on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 from 5-7 pm in the Klarman Hall Atrium. During the event, Cornell community members are invited to watch live poetry recitations in multiple languages. The event booklet, available digitally, includes transcriptions of each poem along with approximate English translations.

We look forward to an amazing lineup of poetry readings/signings this April and are excited to celebrate National Poetry Month together!

The event is co-sponsored by the Department of Asian Studies, the Department of Linguistics, and the Department of Romance Studies.

Since the Myanmar military seized power in Burma/Myanmar in a coup d’état in February 2021, People's Defense Forces (PDF) and Ethnic Revolutionary Organizations (ERO) have been fighting to remove this military regime and restore civilian government. In this context, ethnic minority leaders in the country appear determined to seize the current opportunity to propose a fundamental renegotiation of the political and governance arrangements in Myanmar, addressing the historic grievances of the ethnic minorities – and Bamar political leaders have also expressed their willingness to work with all ethnic groups.

This panel of ethnic minority leaders will discuss the structure of a new Myanmar, with a particular focus on the views and expectations of the ethnic minorities.

This panel discussion will take place at the Kahin Center, 640 Stewart Ave; and via Zoom. For questions, contact seap@cornell.edu.

Panelists

1. Evelyn Lyn, Vice-Chairperson, Karenni State Consultative Council (KSCC)

Around 90 percent of Karenni State is no longer under the control of the Military regime. In these areas the KSCC and Karenni armed groups have established a functioning local administration. Evelyn will discuss how the people involved in establishing these new governance structures in Karenni State envisage the new federal, democratic Myanmar.

2. Aung Kyaw Moe, Deputy Minister of Human Rights, National Unity Government

As a prominent, young Rohingya human rights activist, he will discuss how marginalized groups, such as the Rohingya, might fit into the new Myanmar.

3. Naw Hser Hser, a representative of the Women's League of Burma and the Karen Women's Organization.

Naw Say Say will discuss expectations for the future of Myanmar from the perspective of an ERO with a history of governing areas under its control.

4. Zo Tum Hmung, Executive Director, Chin Association of Maryland, and former Executive Director, the Ethnic Nationalities Affairs Center-Union of Burma (ENAC)

Chin armed groups now control a large part of Chin State and are aiming for a similar status to that enjoyed by Mizoram in India. Zo Tum Hmung will discuss the current situation in Chin State and the expectations of the Chin for a new Myanmar.

5. Moon Nay Li, Joint Secretary of the Women's League of Burma

6. Sao Khuen Sai, journalist, and leading advisor to the Chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State, and a former rebel leader

Shan State has the most varied ethnic population and the largest number of EROs of any State or Region in Myanmar. The military recently lost control of large parts of northern Shan State to Kachin, Kokant, Ta’ang, and Wa resistance groups. Sao Khuen Sai will discuss the changing dynamics of ethnic politics in Shan State and how the different ethnic groups in Shan State might envisage the new Myanmar.

The latest in the Tata-Cornell Institute's FAN series, "Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition in South Asia: Building Health, Sustainable Food Systems" provides a snapshot of malnutrition in countries across South Asia, offering a range of policy instruments for improving nutrition outcomes across the region.

At this launch event, report author Milorad Plavsic will present the overall findings of the report. TCI Director Prabhu Pingali will lead a panel discussion on food systems in South Asia featuring Cornell faculty members:

Andrew McDonald, School of Integrative Plant ScienceArnab Basu, Dyson School of Applied Economics and ManagementRamya Ambikapathi, Department of Global DevelopmentAttendees are invited to enjoy refreshments at a post-event reception.

You can download the FAN-South Asia report from the TCI website.