Neighbors and Neighborhoods is a week-long series of lectures, concerts, presentations, community engagements and conversations between Billings neighbors on pressing issues facing our city as we seek solutions to issues that affect all of us. By utilizing various voices and traditions, both from our region and from afar, the Symposium will focus on five areas that unite all of us in the Billings community. The five broad themes of Education, Culture, Civic Engagement (Democracy, Civil Society), Billings Ethnic Diversity, and Human Security will be explored from multiple perspectives with the goal of fostering a better understanding of what Billings, our home, can offer the world and what the world can teach us.

Each day during the week, the Symposium will hold sessions in small groups across the city, in our schools and institutions, culminating in larger community events open and free to all. The goal is to create the space and opportunity for far-reaching conversations between neighbors and to bring in outside voices to share their experiences with us.  The overarching goal is to remember, re-create and celebrate the feeling of neighborly-ness beginning with cross-the-garden, front-porch conversations between neighbors. The organizers great desire is tie into existing community organizations and pave a path toward action and results.

EVENTS OF THE WEEK, FREE AND OPEN TO PUBLIC:

A Discussion on Global Affairs; Wednesday, April 10; 6:00pm; MSUB Library, Rm 148; Gautam Rana U.S. Ambassador to the Slovak RepublicWednesday April 10th

6:00-8:00pm – A Discussion On Global Affairs – at MSU Billings Library Room 148 – United States Ambassador to Slovak Republic, Gautam Rana, speaks on US foreign policy, followed by Q&A.

Come join us this free event open to public and a rare opportunity to engage with a current U.S. Ambassador - Reception to directly follow the discussion

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Exploration of Careers in U.S. & Foreign Service; Thursday, April 11; 12pm-1:30pm; SUB Banquet A&B ; Gautam Rana U.S. Ambassador to the Slovak RepublicThursday, April 11th

Noon-1:30pm – Exploration of Careers in U.S. & Foreign Service – at MSU Billings SUB Banquet A & B – Ambassador Rana and local representatives from the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps will speak with students about exciting career opportunities in U.S. governmental and non-governmental organizations. Catered lunch will be served

 

 

Moderated Discussion: Education & Global Engagement; Guatam Rana U.S. Ambassador to Slovak Republic ; Dr. Stefani Hicswa Chancellor MSU Billings ; Dr. Bob Wilmouth President Rocky Mountain College ; Bill Cole Mayor of Billings, MT ; Dr. Erwin Garcia Superintendent School District 2Thursday, April 11th

6:00-8:00pm – Education Roundtable – at Great Room at Rocky Mountain College – Moderated discussion on international and global aspects of education in Billings, from K-12 to college/university level. Dr. Paul M. Foster, Executive Director of International Studies at MSU Billings will lead a discussion with the Honorable Gautam Rana, US Ambassador to Slovakia, Montana State University Billings Chancellor Dr. Stefani Hicswa, Rocky Mountain College President Dr. Bob Wilmouth, Billings Mayor Bill Cole and School District 2 Superintendent Dr. Erwin Garcia. The discussion will center on the skills, knowledge and know-how that our students need to compete in the global market place of jobs and ideas. The conversation will also cover such areas as education and civil society, bi-lingual education, diversity and education and how our local education environment is reacting to global disruptors in education.

Jozef Luptak, Boris Lenko, Brano DugovicFriday April 12th

Mayor’s World Language Dinner (registration full)

Saturday April 13th

7:00-9:00pm – Concert in Cisel Hall at MSU-Billings – Jozef Luptak, Boris Lenko, and Brano Dugovic concert

Monday April 15th

4:00-6:00pm – Guided Exhibit Tour – at Western Heritage Center – Private tour of national touring exhibit Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories

6:30-8:30pm – Concert – at Yellowstone Art Museum – Jozef Luptak, Boris Lenko, and Brano Dugovic concert

Tuesday April 16th

5:30pm – Cultural Networking Event – in Glacier Room at MSU Billings – Presentation of Sarah Keller’s Roma film, followed by short panel discussion and a “Meet Your Neighbors” cultural networking event – Registration Required!

Click Here to Register for Free