AIEA 2009 American Indian Parent Conference Announcement

The Arizona Indian Education Association is proud to announce this year's

2009 American Indian Parent Conference

"Tradition of Life Long Learning: Mapping out a Child's Journey through Education"

March 16th and 17th, 2009

Glendale Community College

Glendale, Arizona

Conference Goals:

• To serve as a network for information regarding parent advocacy and involvement.
• To present effective and culturally relevant education services and strategies.
• To identify resources, research, and information related to education, health, community, and culture.
• To showcase successful collaborations between schools and human services programs.
• To present education policy issues and initiatives, including the potential impact on the education of Indian children and their parents.

Conference Features:

Keynote Presentations*Educational Workshops*College/Education/Career/Money Management Information

Pre-Registration Fee: $75.00 per registrant (Ends February 20, 2009)
Regular Registration Fee: $85.00

Conference Registration Packet can be downloaded on the AIEA website at
www.aieacorp.org

For additional information, contact
Pam Yabeny, Co-Chair: Phone (480)731-8744 or email:
pam.yabeny@domail.maricopa.edu
Suzette Johnson, Co-Chair: Phone (480) 284-0909 or email:
suzette.johnson@kyrene.org

This conference brought to you by the following generous sponsors:

• ACE Plus Program at Glendale Community College
• Arizona Department of Education
• Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc.
• Maricopa ACE Programs
• Wal Mart

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UCI American Indian Summer Program for High School Students

American Indian Summer Program for High School Students

June 27 - July 12, 2009

University of California, Irvine

Applications available at www.airp.uci.edu and are due April 30th

AISICS is a free two-week residential summer program where students will work with professors, college students, and invited American Indian community members to develop interactive story projects that combine computer game technology with traditional American Indian culture. At AISICS, students will learn about computer science and technology fields and they will be introduced to a university environment. Students will also have the opportunity to tour various departments at UCI so that they will be better informed when selecting a major. In the Communication Skills segment of the program, students will write down traditional stories, create videos to post on YouTube, give short presentations to other students, and complete a college application form.

All students in the program will receive follow-up mentorship by UCI staff and students throughout their remaining years of high school, which will include guidance in choosing their coursework, financial aid, and applying to a university. Please email or call Yolanda Leon for more information: yleon@uci.edu / 949-824-0291.

--
Yolanda Leon Polequaptewa, M.A.
Coordinator
American Indian Resource Program
Center for Educational Partnerships
University of California, Irvine
(949) 824-0291
(949) 824-8219 fax
yleon@uci.edu
www.airp.uci.edu

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Work with Indigenous Mayan Communities in Guatemala: Summer 2009 Ethnographic Field School

North Carolina State University announces the Sixteenth Annual

Ethnographic Field School, Summer 2009

Lake Atitlán, Guatemala

May 22 - July 12, 2009

Nature, Heritage, Identity, and Globalization in Mayan Communities

Field school website: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~twallace or through the NCSU Study Abroad Office website: http://studyabroad.ncsu.edu/

Objectives

Learn how to design, conduct and write-up your own independent research project while on the shores of a crystal lake framed by volcanoes! During the seven week program time, live and work with an indigenous Guatemalan family in the Lake Atitlán area of the Western Highlands. Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, training as an ethnographic researcher can prove to be beneficial for a variety of majors, such as anthropology, sociology, international affairs, history, education, textiles, natural resource management business and management, political science, psychology, and public health. All students are encouraged to apply, especially students interested in topics concerning the environment, globalization, social justice, tourism, conservation, language, development, poverty and health. Not sure how your interests may fit into the topics listed? The program is tailored individually to maximize the participant's potential for understanding and developing the skills needed for ethnographic research. Students also will have opportunities to pursue an applied, service-learning project in lieu of a research project. Contact the Program Directors (tmwallace@mindspring.com; carla.pezzia@gmail.com) to discuss potential opportunities for your areas of interest.

The program and eligibility

Within the supportive framework of the NC State Guatemala Program students learn the fundamentals of ethnographic fieldwork, including project design and management, data collection and report writing. Students also quickly improve their Spanish language skills through intensive, daily interaction with their homestay families and other community members. Guatemalans are friendly and outgoing with an ancient and rich, Mayan cultural heritage. The program is designed for 13-14 participants who may be either undergraduates, graduate students or post-baccalaureate students. Students will learn how the contemporary Maya of the Lake Atitlán area are adapting to changing demographics, the effects of the global economic slowdown on traditional exports such as coffee and traditional textiles, as well as on the continuing presence of more and more tourists and foreign residents. The program is not limited to students of NC State University and many previous participants have come from all over the US, Canada, the UK, and Guatemala. The program is also affiliated with the Universidad del Valle-Guatemala City (UVG) and the Universidad del Valle-Altiplano (Solola). Some Spanish language skills and some course work or familiarity with anthropology are desirable.

The Research Site

Lake Atitlán is one of the most majestic and scenic spots in all of Latin America. Ringed by active and extinct volcanoes and about a mile in elevation, the 55 sq. mi. lake was formed out of an ancient volcanic basin (crater). Dotting the shores of the lake are about a dozen small villages inhabited by the contemporary descendants of the ancient Maya. Panajachel (pop. 9000) is the largest town and will be the headquarters for the program. Students will be located in homestays in one of the ten other towns surrounding the lake shores. The view of the lake from Panajachel and the other towns is magnificent, and the attractive sunsets and views daily lure many tourists over the years. Yet, the region has retained much of their traditional Mayan heritage.Guatemala has the largest indigenous population in Mexico and Central America. There are approximately 23 different languages spoken in Guatemala and three of them are spoken around Lake Atitlán (Kaqchikel, Tzutujil and Quiche). Despite conquests and civil wars, the Mayans have survived for nearly two millennia. Lake Atitlan is one of the best places in Central America to learn about this amazingly durable and vibrant culture.

Six Course Credits (graduate or undergraduate)

ANT 419 Ethnographic Field Methods. (3 cr.) This is a field methods course that emphasizes practical training in ethnographic fieldwork and ethics. Applied research methods such as focus groups and rapid assessment procedures will also be demonstrated. Students learn research design, systematic observation, interviewing, fieldnote-taking, coding, ethics data analysis and report writing.

ANT 431/531 Tourism, Change and Anthropology (3 cr.) This course focuses on tourism and the role of culture as it affects the interactions between hosts and guests. Students learn through seminar discussions and field work the problems underlying the achievement of sustainable tourism and maintenance of cultural traditions.
Graduate and Post-Baccalaureate students will be enrolled in ANT 610 Independent Study in Anthropology (6cr).

Note: English is the language of instruction, but Spanish is an invaluable tool for a full experience. The focus of all course work is the design, implementation and write- up of an independent research project with an applied focus.

Housing

Each student will be housed with a local Mayan family in one of ten communities around Lake Atitlan. Each student will receive room, breakfast, lunch and dinner and laundry services. Families also help students learn Spanish and establish networks in the community.

Program Costs

The cost of the seven-week program is only $3150. The single fee covers all expenses (except airfare) including:

• room, board (three meals/day), laundry
• tuition for six credits
• full coverage health insurance during stay abroad
• program fees and instruction
• local transportation costs and transfer fees
• national park entrance fees
• research supplies
• free rental of a cellphone (works both in-country and for inexpensive, international calls), and
• in-country excursions (Colonial Antigua, Indigenous markets at Chichicastenango, rituals in Patzun, climbing Volcan Pacaya, and the Mayan ruins of Iximche among others)

Airfare from most US cities is approximately $575-650. Students are strongly encouraged to bring a laptop word processor to the field. Other than a valid passport, US and Canadian citizens need no other documents to enter Guatemala for a stay of up to 90 days.

Applications

Students from any university or country, regardless of major - graduate, undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or post-graduate - may apply. Applications may be accessed through the field school website: http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/wallace or through the NC State University Study Abroad Office website http://studyabroad.ncsu.edu/.

Please feel free to contact Dr. Tim Wallace, the program director (tmwallace@mindspring.com), or Carla Pezzia, the assistant director (carla.pezzia@ncsu.edu) for additional information or any type of inquiry about the program at 919-815-6388 (m) or 919-515-9025 (o). Fax no: 919-513-0866; E-mail: tmwallace@mindspring.com. The applications are submitted online, but if you have any problems, please contact Ms. Kim Priebe at the NCSU Study Abroad Office, Box 7344, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7344, kim_priebe@ncsu.edu, 919-515-2087. The official deadline is February 6, 2009. Applications received after that date will be considered only if there are spaces still available.

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Indigenous People's Maori Flag to Fly In New Zealand

PRESS RELEASE

"The decision to fly a Maori Flag on the Harbour Bridge is a win for common sense" said spokesperson Sina Ana Brown-Davis

"The aboriginal flag has flown in Australia for years, no hassles, no problems. 'Mainstream' thinking in this country around indigenous issues has, sadly, lagged behind for some time now with what is acceptable around the world"

Sina continues "A clear example of this is the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which prescribes the bare minimum human rights standards as they apply to Indigenous Peoples, an overwhelming majority of 143 governments adopted the Declaration at the United Nations General Assembly, a small minority of 4 opposed it, among them New Zealand"

"New Zealand needs to move forward and get up to speed with globally accepted norms as they apply to Indigenous Peoples. A largely uninformed slice of society continues to hold this country back, this ignorance of the issues will perpetuate the politics of division. Information and a willingness to understand are key to moving ahead."

"The Tino Rangatiratanga Flag represents our aspirations for self-determination particularly in this time of economic turbulence, with the introduction of the 90 Day probation bill introduced by this Government will mean that mean Maori workers will be hit hardest first, our communities are still recovering from the economic fundamentalism of the 80's. Our symbols give us hope" emphasized Sina

"Maori have a long tradition of struggle and resistance against colonization and the Crown sponsored theft of Maori land and resources. The Maori flag represents the ongoing struggle for Tino Rangatiratanga and the people who continue to resist the pressures of colonization and cultural and economic genocide.

There are many different meanings for Tino Rangatiratanga and the concept itself is part of a rich and ongoing debate in Maori society. The word 'tino' is an intensifier and the word 'rangatiratanga' broadly speaking relates to the exercise of 'chieftainship'. Its closest English translation is self-determination -although many also refer to it as 'absolute sovereignty' or Maori independence. Such a concept embraces the spiritual link Maori have with 'Papatuanuku' (Earthmother) and is a part of the international drive by indigenous peoples for self determination.

For more information see here.

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Maori Gain Rights to Traditional Fishing and Near-Shore Lands

A new deal will enable Maori to ban other New Zealanders from some coastal areas and impose fines of up to $5000 if they don't obey.

The Ngati Porou deal is the first under the contentious Foreshore and Seabed Act, and will allow some East Cape beaches to be closed to public access.

The new Government is to approve the deal this month. Both National and the Maori Party opposed the 2004 foreshore law for very different reasons - but now ministers from the two parties are set to sign off the deal in affidavits to the High Court.

New Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples, co-leader of the Maori Party, expects to be briefed on his obligations tomorrow. His party was formed out of opposition to the law - now he will have to explain to his supporters why he is putting his signature to the papers.

Act leader Rodney Hide, the Local Government Minister, said Labour had left the new Government with a "ticking time bomb". He described the deal as a "political and racial carve-up of the nation's beaches".

The deal was negotiated by former Deputy Prime Minister Dr Michael Cullen in August last year. Shortly after, the outgoing Labour Government reported to the United Nations committee on racial discrimination, which was concerned that the Foreshore and Seabed Act disadvantaged Maori. That report was not publicized.

Contrary to Labour's public assertions that the foreshore law prevented Maori from asserting their title to the coast, the report said the new processes give Maori more rights over the waterline.

Now, concluding the deal promises to be a test of the strength of the fresh coalition arrangement.

Sharples and Attorney-General Chris Finlayson, a National Party minister, must sign the affidavits by January 31. National and the Maori Party have pledged to review the Foreshore and Seabed Act - a post-election concession won by the Maori Party, which wants it scrapped.

Sharples told the Herald on Sunday he would sign the affidavit because it was his job to do so.

"It's my responsibility to do that," he said. "My responsibility is not a personal one. It is what I'm required to do as Minister of Maori Affairs. We're still going ahead with the review."

Finlayson is also likely to face pressure from his party, should the issue capture public frustration as it did in 2004.

Then, the Labour-led Government passed the Foreshore and Seabed Act to stop Maori being able to claim freehold title to the foreshore and seabed, instead offering them the chance to apply to the courts for certain rights if they could prove they had customarily used the coastline.

The National Party enjoyed a surge of support from non-Maori who feared they would be banned from the beaches, and were unconvinced by Labour's compromise deal.

But many Maori were even more infuriated, marching on Parliament to protest the confiscation of their rights to traditional coastal camping, collecting and fishing grounds.

With the support of leaders of many of the biggest iwi, they formed the Maori Party.

But the powerful Ngati Porou iwi - which has maintained undisturbed possession of much of its land and fisheries over the past 170 years - entered into negotiations with the Labour Government. Their deal, the first agreed under the act, also includes the right to veto use of the coast for commercial reasons.

The agreement covers the East Cape from Opotiki to Gisborne - a stretch of coastline along which most land is owned by Maori under communal title. It authorises the iwi to set fishing regulations (which can be made orally) and to change place names.

The deal also allows about 50 hapu to designate some areas "wahi tapu", or sacred. Ngati Porou describes the deed as giving hapu "the right to restrict or prohibit access", and to "police these restrictions or prohibitions". Offenses against the restrictions carry fines of up to $5000.

Amohaere Houkamau, Te Runanga o Ngati Porou chief executive, confirmed hapu had identified a number of wahi tapu areas that would be recorded in the court papers, but would not reveal the locations.

"Our custom in this country has been that the average New Zealander can enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach and take an appropriate and reasonable proportion of seafood - that's not a major issue," she said.

However, Houkamau added, in some situations it might not be appropriate for a camper van to park up at a wahi tapu site. "There are enough beautiful beaches on the coast which are not wahi tapu."

In particular areas, called Territorial Customary Rights Areas, the agreement gives Ngati Porou even greater powers - to veto resource consents, and to set or waive conservation rules.

Houkamau said Ngati Porou's focus was on protecting important sites from commercial interests.

"We have enjoyed the luxury of being one of the most isolated regions in the country," she said.

"But our society is changing. There are marinas and ports and things, all those activities, and people buying up land and getting access and developing further commercial operations, even oil exploration."

Gordon Halley, from the Gisborne red rock lobster fishery, said he was concerned about losing access to more of the East Coast.

"There could be hundreds of sites, there could be thousands," he said. "It's always a concern if we are excluded from areas, preventing access to our historical fishing grounds."

But Gisborne mayor Meng Foon said he did not believe many people would be disadvantaged by reduced access to the beach, as 90 per cent of the East Coast population was Maori anyway.

By David Fisher

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North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies: Call For Papers

Call for Papers

NAIITS

North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies

Symposium 2009

Indigenous Church: Expressions of Community

Location: Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, Canada

Dates: June 4 – 6, 2009


Scope of Topics:

In anticipation of this symposium NAIITS invites proposals for papers and panels on the topic Indigenous Church: Expressions of Community. Papers that utilize any of a broad range of research methodologies will be considered. Submissions should address one or more of the following topics. Submissions on topics that relate clearly to the overall theme also will be considered.

• Traditional Native North American ideas and practices of community and their relationship to the Church in both positive and negative ways
• Indigenous Leadership: movements toward autonomy
• Communal healing from historical trauma interjected by the church
• Examples of positive wider community involvement in contemporary contexts
• Spiritual and Theological understandings of the church and its roles in Native life
• Decolonizing ecclesiology – making the church truly indigenous

Papers should strive to show how traditional practices within the Native North American contexts and cultural perspectives might be strengthened and implemented, or how new ideas, understandings and practices of church might further the goals of Native mission and the advance of Native people in life, service, and ministry following Jesus. Papers should address themselves to traditional missional ideas of Native Christian faith, as well as contemporary Native Christian thought related to contextualization.

About NAIITS & the Symposium

NAIITS

1. is a non-sectarian Christian organization dedicated to encouraging the Native North American evangelical community to develop and to articulate Native North American perspectives on Christian theology and mission practice;
2. encourages the development and implementation of Native North American learning styles and worldviews through encouraging the development of a body of written work that addresses scriptural, theological, ethical and missiological issues from Native North American perspectives in concert with those of other ethnicities who would speak into this context;
3. seeks to facilitate the creation of a written theological foundation for a) the visioning of new mission paradigms to reach Native North Americans and other Indigenous peoples with the Gospel; and, b) the contextualization of the Gospel in Native communities;
4. seeks to develop theological partnerships with other cultural communities of Christian faith which will ensure the voice of Christ is heard in all ways and will ensure biblical orthodoxy in all things;
5. is committed to genuine dialogue with the historical traditions of Christianity and values the written and living resources encompassed in these traditions.

Symposium

The purpose of the symposium is to facilitate open dialogue about various aspects of the Indigenous Church – past, present and emerging. The symposium will focus on the unique experiences, understandings and contributions to community of Native North American history and experience of church. Symposium planners hope that participants will bring together academic and practical approaches to the issues being addressed in the symposium.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions must include a brief personal bio and both an abstract of not more than 150 words and a proposal for the type of presentation intended of not more than 1000 words. The proposal must include a clear statement of your argument and enough context to show that you are aware of the basic issues and literature of the topic. The proposal is the document on which submissions will be evaluated and selected. Abstracts and bios provided for submissions selected will be used in advertisements and symposium materials. Selected papers will be allotted 40 minutes for presentation. There may be respondents for the papers. Selected panels will be allotted 90 minutes.

Submission of Papers

Papers should be theoretically solid as well as practically applicable. Submissions will be evaluated in light of their potential to contribute to the Symposium and the development of Native North American theology, biblical studies and/or mission. To encourage dialogue we solicit and welcome submissions from various perspectives, Native as well as supportive non-Native presenters from other ethnic perspectives.

Send a 150-word abstract (only) of your proposal to Terry LeBlanc by e-mail by February 15, 2009. (Please note we request MS Word or RTF formats). Presenters must then provide a three-page summary of their paper by April 1, 2009 by email. Summaries will be posted on the NAIITS website. Presenters must provide final copies of their papers (once again in electronic format) with full documentation of resources in Times Roman 12 pint font by May 1, 2005. The papers will be posted on the NAIITS website.

Submission of Panels

Submissions of panels (please be sure this is a panel!) are welcome and should include the same materials as those for individual papers (brief bio of the chairperson, abstract and proposal; both of which deal with the focus of the proposed panel). Also included must be a participant list with bios and abstracts for each.

Submission Deadline and Requirements

The deadline for submissions of proposals for papers and panels is February 15, 2009.

Please submit your proposal to:

Terry LeBlanc, Chair
North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies
P.O. Box 295 Evansburg, AB T0E 0T0
Fax: (204) 261-9164
Email: tlmikmaq@gmail.com

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Healing The Generations: Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Conference

Healing the Generations: The First Annual Family Violence and Trauma Conference

Co-Sponsored by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Clifford Beers Clinic

Thursday February 5th and Friday, February 6th, 2009

At Foxwoods Resorts Casino

Agenda

Thursday, February 5th 9:00-9:30 am

Welcome and Opening Ceremony

9:30-10:30 Opening Keynote Address

Healing Generations of Trauma

Dolores Subia BigFoot, PhD

Dr. BigFoot is project director of the Indian County Child Trauma Center
housed within the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She directs the Native American Programs which provides training and consultation to tribes and other organizations on many topics including the cultural adaptations of evidence based treatment approaches.

10:45-12:15 Workshops A1-A8

A1 Building a Community System of Care to Support the Social Emotional Wellness of Children and Families.

Cara L. Westcott, LCSW, Vice President of Behavioral Health Services, Southeast Mental Health System of Care/ United Community and Family Services; Linda Fecteau, System Coordinator, SEMH System of Care/LEARN

Participants will learn about the needed elements to create a comprehensive system of care for children and explore the meaning of Family Driven, Youth Guided service delivery. Presenters will Discuss the necessary infrastructure such as: governance, chairs, committees and by-laws needed to create a comprehensive system of care and learn about using state and national initiatives to develop your own system of care.

A2 The Development of Pro Social Behavior in Early Childhood and After School Settings: How Primary Prevention and Health Promotion Can Address Trauma Experiences

Thomas Gullotta, CEO, Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc.

The presenter and his research colleagues with foundation support have spent the past two decades developing two evidence-based curriculums for use in pre-school and after school programs. Based on social learning theory and utilizing prevention's four tools of education, competency promotion, natural caregiving, and social change, these approaches enable preschool, elementary school, and after school staff to encourage the development of pro social behavior.

And more!!!!!

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January 21-27, 2009: Five Key Indigenous Peoples Issues

Five Important Indigenous People's Issues for the Week of January 21, - 27, 2009


Bolivia: Bolivians "Back New Constitution"

Bolivians have backed a new constitution that aims to empower the country's indigenous majority, partial results from a referendum show.

With about 30% of the vote counted, some 53% of the voters supported the changes, electoral officials said.

But at least four of Bolivia's nine regions voted "No".

President Evo Morales claimed victory in the referendum that would also allow Bolivia's first indigenous leader to stand for a second consecutive term.
Addressing supporters outside the presidential palace, he said the result marked the birth of a new Bolivia.

"Brothers and sisters, the colonial state ends here," President Morales, an Aymara Indian, told crowds in front of the presidential palace in La Paz after results emerged.

"Now Bolivia is being re-founded," he said.

"Here we begin to reach true equality for all Bolivians."

Support for Mr Morales was highest in the western highlands where indigenous people form the majority. Read more about Bolivia's constitutional vote here....


Philippines: Mangyan, Aeta Indigenous People Write Own Storybooks

Why did they become poor and oppressed when their ancestors used to live in an Eden-like setting that was vast, verdant, rich and peaceful?

These questions are answered in the storybooks for children written and illustrated by the Mangyan and Aeta peoples themselves.

Poverty and discrimination have long defined their lives. Considered a breed apart, they lived on the edge of society. Whoever wrote the song “Negritoes of the mountain, what kind of food do you eat?” for Filipino schoolchildren of the post-American era did not realize then that it widened, rather than narrowed, the gap between the aboriginal Filipinos and the rest in society.

And so they wanted to write their own book, tell their own story. Pepito Caquipotan, an Alangan-Mangyan, did just that. So did the Aeta elders of Quirino and the Alangan Mangyan elders of Mindoro.

Three storybooks for children, told, written and illustrated by the Mangyan and Aeta themselves, have been published by the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous People’s Education in partnership with indigenous community schools. Read more about Mangyan and Aeta books here....


Peru: Cusco Government Slams The Door On Biopirates

Indigenous people in Peru are celebrating a major victory in their long-time struggle to protect the land from outsiders hoping to exploit it.

On January 14, the Regional Government of Cusco enacted a law that bans the practice of biopiracy, or “the appropriation and monopolization of traditional population’s knowledge and biological resources.”

“Worldwide, national governments and international bodies such as the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization have failed to protect indigenous people’s traditional knowledge and associated genetic resources from biopirates,” says Alejandro Argumedo, the Director of Asociacion ANDES, an Indigenous group based in Cusco.

“The new law enacted by the regional government of Cusco is a good example of how local governments can create the appropriate legal and institutional framework, as well as the mechanisms to implement it, to ensure that biopiracy does not prey on the creativity of indigenous peoples and local communities,” he adds. Read more about Peru and biopiracy here....


Australia: Aboriginal Leader Mick Dodson Is Australian Of The Year

Indigenous leader Mick Dodson once described himself as a "persistent bugger" in his unending quest to secure a better future for his people.

Today his tireless work to build bridges between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians earned him the honour of Australian of the Year.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made the announcement on the lawns in front of Parliament House, in Canberra, this afternoon.

"Mick Dodson has been a courageous fighter for reconciliation and for closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians," Mr Rudd said.

"His efforts truly show that if we work together, we can achieve real progress."

Victorian philanthropist Pat La Manna OAM was named Senior Australian of the Year 2009, Queensland victims support worker Jonty Bush was named Young Australian of the Year 2009, and Western Australia's sea safety campaigner Graeme Drew was announced as Australia's Local Hero 2009. Read more about Australian Aboriginal leader here....


Reindeer Herding, Indigenous People And Climate Change

The Sámi are keenly aware about climate change, and are thus concerned about their future. Hence, the existence of the International Polar Year (IPY) project called EALÁT involving scientists, Sámi from Norway/Sweden/Finland, as well as Nenets from Russia. The indigenous people in the Arctic are closely tuned to the weather and the climate. I was told that the Sámi have about 300 words for snow, each with a very precise meaning.

It is important get a fusion of traditional knowledge and modern science and adopt a holistic approach. The indigenous people often have a different world view, in addition to having invaluable knowledge and experience about nature. Furthermore, if the end results are to be of any value beyond academic, then the stakeholders must be involved on equal terms. For instance, remote sensing data from NASA - for better understanding of land-vegetation - can be combined with traditional knowledge through the use of geographical information system (GIS).

The big challenge facing reindeer herding peoples in the Arctic is the ability to adapt to a climate change, according to a recent EALÁT workshop that was held in Guovdageaidnu (Kautokeino), with representatives from the US, Russia, Sweden, Finland as well as Norway. Read more about the Sami and climate change here....


Last weeks Five Key Indigenous People's Issues can be found here.

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Global Health and Innovation Summit: Unite for Sight

Global Health and Innovation Summit

A Conference Presented Annually by Unite For Sight

Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

Saturday, April 18 - Sunday, April 19, 2009

http://www.uniteforsight.org/conference

NEW: Conference Schedule Online

"A Meeting of Minds," --CNN

200 Speakers, Including Keynote Addresses by Dr. Susan Blumenthal, Nicholas Kristof, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Dr. Sonia Sachs, Dr. Al Sommer, and Dr. Harold Varmus. Plus social innovation sessions by CEOs and Directors of Save The Children, Partners in Health, HealthStore Foundation, mothers2mothers, and many others.


What? Join 2,500 people from all 50 states and from more than 60 countries for an innovative, high-impact idea incubator.

Who should attend? Students, professionals, educators, doctors, scientists, lawyers, universities, corporations, nonprofits, and others. Anyone interested in international health and development, public health, eye care, medicine, social entrepreneurship, nonprofits, philanthropy, microfinance, human rights, anthropology, health policy, advocacy, public service, environmental health, and education.

Confirmed Keynote Speakers

"Global Health Challenges and Opportunities," Susan Blumenthal, MD, MPA, Former US Assistant Surgeon General, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown School of Medicine and Tufts University Medical Center; Senior Medical Advisor, amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research; Chair, Global Health Program, Meridian International Center

"The Challenges of Development and Making Aid Work," Nicholas Kristof, Columnist, The New York Times

Jeffrey Sachs, PhD, Director of Earth Institute at Columbia University; Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development, Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University; Special Advisor to Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon

"Millennium Villages: Update," Sonia Ehrlich Sachs, MD, MPH, Health Coordinator, Millennium Village Project

"Preventing Blindness; Saving Lives," Al Sommer, MD, MHS, Professor and Dean Emeritus, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

"New Perspectives on Global Health and Science," Harold Varmus, MD, President and Chief Executive, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Former Director of the NIH; Nobel Prize Recipient

Confirmed Leaders of Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Speakers

"Social Entrepreneurship as a Tool to Strengthen Health Systems,"Leah Barrett, MPA, Program Officer, VillageReach

"Unite For Sight: Social Entrepreneurship As A Symbol of Hope for the (Poor) Blind Villagers and Refugees in Ghana," James Clarke, MD, Ophthalmologist and Medical Director, Crystal Eye Clinic, Ghana

"Strategic Social Entrepreneurship as a Tool for Advancing Global Health," Greg Dees, PhD, Professor of the Practice of Social Entrepreneurship and co-founder of the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship, Duke University's Fuqua School of Business

"The Power of Public/Private "Hybrids," Gene Falk, Co-Founder, Executive Directors, mothers2mothers

"The HealthStore Foundation: Improving Access to Life-Saving Medicines through Micro-Franchising," Scott Hillstrom, Chairman of the Board, CEO and Co-Founder, HealthStore Foundation

"The Impact of the Food and Nutrition Crisis on the Global Health Agenda," Charles MacCormack, PhD, President and CEO, Save The Children

"Health Care From The Grassroots," Joia Mukherjee, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Partners in Health; Director, Institute for Health and Social Justice; Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School; Division of Social Medicine and Health Inequalities, Brigham and Women's Hospital

"'Patient' Capital for Global Health," Ajay Nair, MBBS MPH, Portfolio Associate, Acumen Fund

Confirmed Featured Speakers

"Progress Towards Eliminating Blindness Due To Trachoma: Findings of Post-Intervention Impact Trachoma Prevalence Surveys in Seven Countries," Sam Abbenyi, MD, MSc, Director, Programs and Logistics, International Trachoma Initiative

"Unearthing Local Definitions of Child Protection and Well-Being," Alastair Ager, PhD, Professor of Clinical Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

"Keratoprosthesis as an Option for the Developing World: A Review of Pilot Projects in Ethiopia and Sudan," Jared Ament, MD, Clinical Research Fellow, Ophthalmology & Corneal Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School; Harvard School of Public Health

"Religious Teaching and Identity Construction in the Context of HIV Infection in Three Regions of Senegal," David Ansari, Intermural Research Training Fellow, National Institute on Aging

"Holistic Children's Services For Orphans Abroad," Jane Aronson, MD, Director, International Pediatric Health Services; Founder and Executive Officer, Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO); Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

"Workshop: How To Create An Organization To Do Community Work Abroad," Jane Aronson, MD, Director, International Pediatric Health Services; Founder and Executive Officer, Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO); Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

"A New Legal Theory for International Law – The “Health Authority to Protect” Doctrine," Jeannette L. Austin, JD, MPP, Visiting Researcher, Harvard Law School

"Good Approaches To Community Eye Health," Dennis Baah, RN, ON, Ophthalmic Nurse, Crystal Eye Clinic, Ghana

"Open Access Education - Building Communities and Sharing Knowledge," Richard Baraniuk, PhD, Founder, Connexions; Victor E. Cameron Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University

"Academician or Advocate? Making Scientific Research and Human Rights Fit," Daniel Bausch, MD, MPH&TM, Associate Professor, Tulane University; Vice President, Doctors for Global Health

"Investing in Sight - Where Will The Capital Come From?" Shari Berenbach, MBA, President & CEO, Calvert Foundation

"An Innovative Program to Deliver Vision Care to Persons with Intellectual Disabilities – Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes," Paul Berman, OD, FAAO, Senior Global Clinical Advisor and Founder, Special Olympics Lions Clubs, International Opening Eyes

"Tools for Effective Global Health Advocacy," Natasha Bilimoria, Executive Director, Friends of the Global Fight

David Bloom, Chair, Department of Global Health and Population; Clarence James Gamble Professor of Economics and Demography, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health

"Protecting Children in Disaster and War: Efforts to Professionalize the Field," Neil Boothby, EdD, Professor of Clinical Population and Family Health, Director of the Program on Forced Migration and Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

"Cuba: Care-Giver to the World," Peter Bourne, MA, MD, Visiting Scholar, Oxford University; Vice Chancellor Emeritus, St. George's University; Formerly Special Assistant to the President of the United States for Health Issues; Chair, Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba (MEDICC)

Dondeena Bradley, PhD, Vice President, Corporate Nutrition, PepsiCo

"Strenghtening Health Systems: The Role of Universities in Global Health," Elizabeth Bradley, PhD, Professor of Public Health, Division of Health Policy and Administration; Director, Health Management Program; Director, Global Health Initiatives, Yale School of Public Health

"Key Predictors of Global Health, Life Expectancy, and the Burden of Illness: A New World Model," M. Harvey Brenner, PhD, Chair and Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences School of Public Health University of North Texas Health Science Center; Professor Emeritus, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

"A Tragic Global Dilemma: So Many Cataracts, So Few Surgeries," Harry Brown, MD, Founder, Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) International

"Molecular Mechanisms of Parasite Immune Evasion," Richard Bucala, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine

"Prevalence of Blindness in West African Adults: The Tema Eye Survey," Don Budenz, MD, MPH, Professor of Ophthalmology, Epidemiology, and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

"U.S. Life Expectancy: Why are We #28," Sarah Burd-Sharps, Co-director, American Human Development Project

"The Surgeon's Role in Global Public Health," Kathleen Casey, Director, Operation Giving Back, American College of Surgeons

"Bringing Global Health Research Home," Jennifer Chow, Program Manager, Global Health Research Advocacy, Research!America

Michael Chu, MBA, Senior Lecturer of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

“The Importance of Ethical, High Quality Volunteering,” James Clarke, MD, Ophthalmologist and Medical Director, Crystal Eye Clinic, Ghana; Unite For Sight Partner and Medical Advisory Board Member

"Connectivity & Health Information Needs: Alternative Approaches," Thomas Cook, PT, PhD, Professor, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa College of Public Health

"Demonstration of Impact of Partnerships in Developing Countries Through Economic Modeling" Scott Corlew, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Interplast

"Open Medicine: A Journal and a Social Movement," Jessica Cowan-Dewar, Editorial Fellow, Open Medicine

"Developing an Interdisciplinary Master of Science in Global Health at Duke University," Lisa Croucher, Assistant Director, Education and Training, Global Health Institute, Duke University

"Hand of Hope (Here Bolo): A Peer Education Tool for Low Literacy Settings," Annie de Groot, MD, Founder and Scientific Director, GAIA Vaccince Foundation; Associate Professor of Medicine, Brown University

"Health in the Millennium Villages: Scaling Up In Unexpected Ways," Prabhjot Dhadialla, PhD, Program Director of Health Systems, Development and Research, Columbia Center For Global Health & Economic Development; Community Health Worker Advisor, Millennium Village Prjoect

"The American Medical Model - Are We Right To Export It?" Emmanuel d'Harcourt, Senior Child Survival Technical Advisor, International Rescue Committee

"Gender Differences in HIV Testing, ARV Enrollment, and Treatment Adherence: Lessons Learned at the Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti," Darwin Dorestan, MD, Coordinator of HIV and TB Programs, Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti

"Why Follow-Up Is A Must For All Medical Care," Margaret Duah-Mensah, RN, ON, Ophthalmic Nurse, Crystal Eye Clinic, Ghana

"How To Train Community Eye Health Workers in Villages and Refugee Camps: The Impact Of A Community-Based Model," Margaret Duah-Mensah, RN, ON, Ophthalmic Nurse, Crystal Eye Clinic, Ghana

"Climate Instability: Health Problems and Health Solutions," Paul Epstein, MD, MPH, Associate Director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School

"A Model Program for International Collaborations in Latin America," Javier Escobar, MD, MSc, Associate Dean for Global Health, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

"Racial Discrimination and the Right to Health: US Obligations Under The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination," Dabney Evans, MPH, Executive Director, Emory University Institute of Human Rights; Lecturer, Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University

"The Ethical, Social, Cultural, and Commercialization Issues on International Agro-Biotechnology Initiatives in Africa," Obidimma Ezezika, PhD, MEM, Senior Research Fellow, McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health, University of Toronto

"Using the Community Tool Box to Build Global Capacity for Community Health and Development," Stephen Fawcett, PhD, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre, University of Kansas

"The Role of Cultural Competency in International Health Care and Volunteerism," Valda Ford, MPH, MS, RN, CEO and Founder, Center For Human Diversity

"Ophthalmic Screening in China to Improve Access to Eye Care," Susan Forster, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Studies, Department of Ophthalmology, Yale School of Medicine; Chief, Ophthalmology, Yale University Health Services

"Community-Based Participatory Research in Maternal Health in the Dominican Republic,"Jennifer Foster, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Emory University

"Releasing Latent Capacity in a Resource-Constrained Health System Through Government-NGO Partnership Systems Innovation," James Fraser, MA, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Dignitas International

"Building Capacity and Improving Care: Key Lessons Learned Through the Kaiser Permanente--Community Clinic Partnership," Cody Fuedaflores, Manager, Community Benefit Programs, Kaiser Permanente

"AIDS in the Dominican Republic's Sugercane Batey Communities," Ulrick Gaillard, JD, CEO, The Batey Relief Alliance

"The Fogarty (NIH) International Clinical Research Training Programs," Pierce Gardner, MD, Fogarty International Center, Fogarty International Center, NIH

"Unlocking the Power of Social Norms: Innovative Strategies for Community-Led Transformation in Health and Development," Gannon Gillespie, Director of US Operations, Tostan

"Improvement in Adherence Counseling and Management of Patients on ART in Developing Countries as a Result of Clinical Mentoring Programs," Katie Graves-Abe, Director of Operations, International Center for Equal Healthcare Access

"Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship to Deliver Affordable Eyeglasses and Eye Care," David Grosof, President, OptiOpia

"Nutritional Management of Cataracts," Heskel Haddad, MD, Ophthalmologist; President, Optoed Corp, Inc.

"Socioemergence: Cultural and Political Dimensions of Emergent Viral Disease in Equatorial Africa's Forests," Rebecca Hardin, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Natural Resources and Environment and Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan

"Measuring Service Quality With Community Providers," Katharine Haxall, Child Survival and Health Program Officer, International Rescue Committee

"Interplast: The Evolution from Volunteer Medical Missions to Surgical Capacity Building in the Global South," Susan Hayes, President and CEO, Interplast

"Experiences In International Education: Teaching The Course Management of Humanitarian Emergencies," Marisa Herran, MD, Co-Director Rainbow Center for Global Child Health , Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, CWRU

"HIV Prevention and Detection Pilot Project in the Sugarcane Plantation Bateyes of Eastern Dominican Republic," Sabrina Hermosilla, MIA, MPH, MS, Columbia University International Family AIDS Program

"Assessing And Addressing Primary Care Service Delivery Challenges in Rural, Low-Resource Settings - Lessons Learned at the Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti," Fritz Gaetan Heyliger, MD, Coordinator of Primary Care Services, Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti

"Illustrations as a Patient Education Tool to Improve Recall of Postoperative Cataract Medication Regimes in the Developing World," M. Scott Hickman, MD, Lawrence Eye Care Associates

"Strengthening the Capacity of Families and Communities: A Foundation's Experience in Addressing Blindness," Steve Hilton, President and CEO, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

"Global Collaborations to Improve Worker Safety on Roads," Jane Hingston, Global Collaborations, National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health

"Educating Future Physicians in Social Medicine and Health Equity," Katie Houghton, Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

"Mitigating The Impacts of the Food Crisis in Rural Haiti: Lessons Learned From Hopital Albert Schweitzer's Emergency Nutrition Program," Erlantz Hyppolite, MD, Coordinator of Maternal and Child Health Program, Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti

"Challenges and Potential of Genetic Manipulation of Insect Vectors of Disease," Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, PhD, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

"Current Patterns in Pre-hospital Trauma Care in Kampala, Uganda and the Feasibility of a Modified First-aid Course for Lay-First Responders," Sudha Jayaraman, MD, MSc, Resident Physician and Fellow, UCSF Depts of Surgery & Global Health Sciences

"Building Sustainable Strategic Information Systems in Low-Resource Countries," Bobby Jefferson, Senior Information Technology Advisor, SRA International; Senior IT Advisor - HIV/AIDS, Futures Group International

"Microbicide Clinical Trials: A Case Study for Ethical Examination of International Clinical Trials in HIV/STI Prevention," Clair Kaplan, MSN, RN, APRN, MHS, MT, Assistant Professor, Yale University School of Nursing

"Innovative Programs to Address the Burden of Diabetes in Low Resource Economies," Anil Kapur, MD, Managing Director, World Diabetes Foundation

"Eye Care Services in Liberia: The Post War Challenges," Kartee Karloweah, ON, RN, Ophthalmic Nurse, Crystal Eye Clinic, Ghana

"Atrocities and Social Entrepreneuriship," Zachary Kaufman, JD Candidate, Yale Law School; DPhil Candidate in International Relations, Oxford University

"Educating Leaders for Health Management ," Sosena Kebede, MD, MPH, Program Director, Yale-Clinton Foundation, Jimma-Yale MHA Program

"What is the Role of Universities in Developing and Educating The Next Global Health Leaders?" Kaveh Khoshnood, PhD, Assistant Professor in Public Health Practice, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health

Karen King, MA, Elementary School Teacher, Reed Intermediate School; Unite For Sight Volunteer in Accra, Ghana

"Building Mid-level HCW Capacity To Counter Doctor Migration in Nepal," Stephen Knoble, MHS, PA-C, Training Consultant, Nick Simons Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal

"Remote Prescriptive Learning - A Cost-Effective Tool to Increase Healthcare Capacity in the Developing World," Colleen Kraft, MD, President/Virginia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics

"Reproductive Health Interventions as a Response to the Post-Election Violence in Kenya," Sandra Krause, Director, Reproductive Health Program, Women's Commission for Refugee Women & Children

"The Development of School-Based Health Services in Nicaragua," Patricia Ryan-Krause, MS, RN, MSN, CPNP, Associate Professor, Yale School of Nursing

"Global Health and International Affairs: Meeting the Challenge," Randall Kuhn, Director, Global Health Affairs Program, University of Denver, International Studies

"Pathways to Empathetic Psychosocial Care for Families Affected by HIV/AIDS, Poverty, and Violence in Southern Africa - Developing Local Capacity For Sustainable Intervention Practices on the Community Level," Jamie Lachman, Clowns Without Borders

"Improved Instruments for Trachoma Surgery," Doug Lawrence, Vice President/General Manager, BD Medical - Ophthalmic Systems

"Food Security and the Right to Health," Robert Lawrence, MD, Center for A Livable future Professor; Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Health Policy & International Health; Director, Center for a Livable Future, Department of Environmental Health Sciences; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

"Innovative Tools for Education: Ophthalmic News and Education (O.N.E.b") Network," Brian Leonard, MD, University of Ottawa Eye Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Canada; American Academy of Ophthalmology

"Women are Key to Community Health," Jill Lester, President and CEO, The Hunger Project

"Development of a Business Model for the Implementation of a Sustainable Point of Use Water Filter Program in the Dominican Republic," Roger Lewis, PhD, CIH, Division Director, Envionmental Health, Saint Louis University School of Public Health

"Pain and Policy: The Battle with Needless Suffering," Diederik Lohman, Senior Researcher, Human Rights Watch

"Community-Based Projects To Improve Quality of Life For People Living With HIV/AIDS," Julia Love, Director of Communications,The Resource Foundation

"Health In The Urban Slums: Let the People Lead the Way," Pamela Lynam, MD, Country Director, Kenya, JHPIEGO

"Duke-Engineering World Health: Biomedical Engineering Making a Difference in Developing World Hospitals," Robert Malkin, PhD, PE, Professor of Practice of Biomedical Engineering Director, Duke-Engineering World Health, Duke University

"Glaucoma and Volunteerism," Roger Martin, Patient Advocate

"A Vaccine To Prevent AIDS: When and How," John McGoldrick, JD, Senior Vice President, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI)

"The Need For A Global Shift in Global Health: The Emerging Focus on Chronic, Non-Communicable Diseases in Developing Countries," Michelle McMurry, Director, Health, Biomedical Science and Society Initiative, The Aspen Institute

"Defining Innovation in mHealth: Opportunities and Challenges of Developing a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for mHealth at the Millennium Village Project," Patricia Mechael, MHS, PhD, mHealth and Telemedicine Advisor, Millennium Villages Project, Earth Institute at Columbia University

"A Rights-Based Approach to US Health Care Reform: Realizing the Highest Attainable Standard of Health Through a Focus on Underlying Determinants," Benjamin Mason Meier, JD, LLM, MPhil, Public Health Law Project Manager, Center for Health Policy, IGERT-International Development and Globalization Fellow, Columbia University

"From Donor-Driven to Impact-Driven: How Evidence Can Inform Smarter Individual Philanthropy," Carol McLaughlin, MD, MPH, Global Health, Center for High Impact Philanthropy, School of Social Policy and Practice, University of Pennsylvania

"Translation Research on Diabetes Care Among Samoans," Stephen McGarvey, PhD, MPH, Professor of Community Health, Director, International Health Institute, Brown University

"The African Health Professions Brain Drain Survey and Policy Implications," Edward Mensah, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health

"Access to Essential Medicines: Moving Beyond AIDS, TB and Malaria," Suerie Moon, PhD Candidate & Research Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

"Cost of Iron Deficiency: Cognitive and Behavioral Consequences for Women and Children," Laura Murray-Kolb, PhD, Assistant Professor, Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

"War, Women, and Children," Mini Murthy, MD, MPH, MS, MPhil, CHES, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Global Health Program Director, New York Medical College School of Public Health

"Women's Global Health and Human Rights," Mini Murthy, MD, MPH, MS, MPhil, CHES, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Global Health Program Director, New York Medical College School of Public Health

"Towards a Framework for Culturally-Sensitive Psychosocial Interventions in the Population of Sudanese Displaced," Brian Neff, M.A.L.D., The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

"Empowerment: The Key To Transforming Communities - Guatemalan Experiences,"Cliff O'Callahan, MD, PhD, FAAP, Pediatric Faculty, Family Practice Group; Director of Nurseries, Middlesex Hospital; Chair, AAP Section on International Child Heallth

"The International Efforts of The American Academy of Pediatrics," Cliff O'Callahan, MD, PhD, FAAP, Pediatric Faculty, Family Practice Group; Director of Nurseries, Middlesex Hospital; Chair, AAP Section on International Child Heallth

"Neonatal Resuscitation Capabilities in Nepal," Christina Nelson, MD, Pediatrics & Preventive Medicine, University of Colorado

"Collaborative Initiative between Researchers and Community Representatives to Facilitate Community Understanding of Interim Analyses in an HIV Prevention Trial," Lisa Noguchi, CNM, MSN, Director of Operations, Microbicide Trials Network, MWRI/University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

"Global Service as a Means to Restore America's Standing: Remaking Ourselves As We Remake Our World," Edward O'Neil, Jr, MD, Omni Med

"Project HEALTH: Mobilizing College Volunteers to Change Healthcare Delivery," Rebecca Onie, JD, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Project HEALTH

"The Pathophysiology of Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis and Macular Degeneration," Santa Ono, PhD, Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives and Deputy Provost of Emory University; Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Emory Eye Center

"The Community Can Help Itself: Using Mobile Phones to Revolutionize Healthcare Delivery," Yuri Ostrovsky, Chief Technology Officer, ClickDiagnostics, Inc.

"GHEC: Strength Through Consortia," Robin Paetzold, MBA, Director, Global Programs, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

"Mission Driven," Robin Paetzold, MBA, Director, Global Programs, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

"Eye Care America: Providing Eye Care Needs For America's Uninsured by MDs," David J. Palmer, MD, Chair, Eye Care America-Senior Eye Care Program, American Academy of Ophthalmology Foundation

"Innovations in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative," Carol Pandak, Rotary International

"A Model for Cooperative Investment in the Developing World," Minesh Patel, MD, Resident Physician, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine

"Pharmaceutical Interventions to Minimize Retinal Scarring," Yannis Paulus, MD Candidate, Stanford University School of Medicine

"A2Z – The USAID Micronutrient and Child Blindness Project: Fostering Innovative Approaches to Saving Sight," Roshelle Payes, Child Blindness Manager, A2Z Project, Academy for Educational Development

"Portable, Handheld Devices for Diagnosis of Taeniasis in The Field ," Raquel Perez-Castillejos, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology

"An Innovative Hospital Management Training Program in Albania" Frank Phillips, Director, International Healthcare Program, Rush University Medical Center

"Partnering to Create a Center of Excellence for Children with Autism in West Africa: Successes and Challenges," Molly Ola Pinney, Founder and CEO, The Global Autism Project

"Malaria as an Obstacle to Economic Development: Fighting Malaria on the River of Life, the Value of Public Private Partnerships," Steven C. Phillips, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Global Issues and Projects, Exxon Mobil Corporation

"A Model for Sustainable Diabetic Eye Care in the Developing World," Sudeep Pramanik, MD, MBA

"Global Health, The Internet, and the Global Development Commons: What Does The Future Hold?" Suzanne Rainey, Forum One Communications

"Balancing Community-Identified Needs with Responsible Interventions: Implementing a Gender-Based Violence Program into the Honduran Health Alliance," Bonzo Reddick, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Robyn Dayton, MPH Candidate, University of North Carolina School of Public Health

"Global Overview of Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS)," Susan Reef, MD, CDC

"Microfinance and Microfranchise to Improve Health," Myka Reinsch, Director of Innovations, Freedom From Hunger

"NCC and the L3C: State of the Art Cancer Care in Latin America," Thomas Roane, Senior Vice President - Healthcare Alliances, National Cancer Coalition

"The Epidemiology of Human Rights," Lee Roberts, PhD, MPH, Associate Clinical Professor of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

"Partnerships for Ensuring Quality Education for All," Steven Rothstein, President, Perkins School For The Blind

Jennifer Ruger, PhD, MSc, Assistant Professor, Division of Global Health, Yale School of Public Health; Co-Director of the Yale/World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Health Promotion, Policy and Research; Interdisciplinary Research Methods Core Investigator, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS

"The Use of Imagery: How it Promotes and Hampens Global Health Advocacy?" Lisa Russell, MPH, Filmmaker

"Vision Loss Prevention and Eye Health Promotion: A Public Health Approach," Jinan Saaddine, MD, MPH, Medical Epidemiologist, Vision Health Initiative Team Leader, Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

"Methods For Glaucoma Screening," Sarwat Salim, MD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee-Memphis

"Community Eye Health Program Can Improve The Quality of Life of Poor: An Action Research Study from Orissa, India," Sarang Samal, Kalinga Eye Hospital, Orissa, India

"Private Finance Models That Support Public Health Efficiency," Georgia Sambunaris, Senior Advisor to the Director, Office of Economic Growth, US Agency for International Development

"Communication Challenges in Mass Drug Administration in Tanzania: Thinking with Reciprocity," Ari Samsky, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Anthropology, Princeton University

"Taking Lifesaving Care Closer to Women and Their Families," Harshad Sanghvi, MD, Medical Director, JHPIEGO, Johns Hopkins University

"Establishing Community-Based Teams," Brooke Schaab, PhD, U.S. Army Research Institute

"Creating a University-wide Interdisciplinary Curriculum in Global Health," Daniel D. Sedmak, MD, Director, Office of Global Health Education; Executive Vice Dean, College of Medicine; Executive Director, Center for Personalized Healthcare; Senior Associate Vice President, Office of Health Sciences, The Ohio State University

"This is Global Health: Temple University's International Education Opportunities Senegal," Shannon Marquez, PhD, Associate Professor and Director, Temple University Center for Global Health

"Why We Must Have High Quality Surgical Care For All," Tamilarasan Senthil, MBBS, Consulting Ophthalmologist, Uma Eye Clinic, India

"A Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) Study Regarding Eye Care Among Parents in Delhi," Manish Sharma, MBBS, Consultant Pediatric Ophthalmologist, Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital; Unite For Sight Partner

"The Future of Glaucoma Surgery: Hope For The Developing World?" Bruce Shields, MD, Chair Emeritus, Yale Department of Ophthalmology

Kuldev Singh, MD, MPH, Professor of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine

"Why We Need Schools For Blind Girls," Ajit Sinha, MBBS, Founder and Director, AB Eye Institute; Former President, All India Ophthalmological Society

Pooja Sinha, MBBS, Ophthalmologist, AB Eye Institute, Patna, India

"Success of Laproscopic Sterilisation in Controlling Population Growth in Eastern India: My Experience of 30 Years," Renu Sinha, MBBS, Former Head of the Obs and Gynea Department of Patna Medical College Hospital; Former President of Bihar Obs and Gynea Society

"The Impact of Patien Barriers to Eye Care," Satyajit Sinha, MBBS, Ophthalmologist, AB Eye Institute, Patna, India

"Addressing Health Consequences of Gender-Based Violence in Papua New Guinea," Marie Skinnider, MD, Health Advisor, MSF Canada

"Overcoming Barriers to Implementation of Evidence Based Practices To Reduce Maternal Mortality in a Rural Nicaraguan Community," Janice K. Smith, MD, MPH, PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center for Training in International Health at UTMB

"Liberation Medicine in Education and Action Toward Global Health For All, Now!" Lanny Smith, MD, MPH, DTM&H, Professor of Medicine in the Residency Programs of Primary Care and Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Assistant Director, Human Rights Clinic for Victims of Torture, Montefiore; Founder and President, Doctors for Global Health

"Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer: An Epidemic Fueled by Global Indifference," Samuel So, MD, Lui Hac Minh Professor of Surgery; Director, Asian Liver Center; Director, Liver Cancer Program, Stanford University School of Medicine

"Partnering to Achieve Greater Effectiveness in Preventing Blindness," Kathy Spahn, President and CEO, Helen Keller International

"Assessing and Improving Emergency Obstetric Care in Northern Nigeria," Laura Stachel, MD, Bixby Center for Reproductive Health, UC Berkeley School of Public Health,

"The Health-Peace Connection: Assessing the Need for Pre-deployment Training for Medical Volunteers and its Proposed Effect on Coexistence," Sarah Stanlick, MA, Research Associate, Harvard University

"The Epidemiology of Human Rights," Lindsay Stark, Research Associate, Program on Forced Migration and Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

"The Disability Rights Approach to Development," Michael Stein, JD, PhD, Executive Director, Harvard Project on Disability; Cabell Research Professor of Law, College of William and Mary School of Law

"Do it Yourself Humanitarianism: Methods and Models," Chris Stout, PsyD, Founding Director, Center for Global Initiatives; Clinical Professor, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago

"Global Network For Health: A Novel Approach to Learning and Diagnostics," H. Dean Sutphin, PhD, Assistant Vice President for International Health and Appalachian Outreach, Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine

"Innovation In Reproductive Health Programming," Maia Tavadze, CARE International in the Caucasus, Georgia

"An Innovative Approach to Addressing Global Health Disparities through a Global Health Leadership Training Program in Latin America," Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, D.O., Dean and Executive Vice President, Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine

"Advances in Visual Function Assessment for Glaucoma," James C. Tsai, MD, Robert R. Young Professor and Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine; Chief of Ophthalmology, Yale-New Haven Hospital

"It Takes a Girl to Raise A Village: Rethinking Education in the Developing World," Philippe Van Denbossche, Executive Director, Raising Malawi

"Fueling Vehicles of Change With Star Power," Philippe Van Denbossche, Executive Director, Raising Malawi

"Global Health and Global Health Education - from Lexicon (Greek Λεξικόν) to Actions," Anvar Velji, MD, Co-Founder and Treasurer, Global Health Education Consortium; Chief of Infectious Disease at Kaiser Permanente, South Sacramento; Clinical Professor, University of California at Davis

“Health in Africa: Perspectives From The Only Ophthalmologist For 2 Million People in Northern Ghana," Seth Wanye, MD, Ophthalmologist, Eye Clinic of Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana

“Couching: A “Worst Practice” That Battles Modern Surgical Care in Northern Ghana" Seth Wanye, MD, Ophthalmologist, Eye Clinic of Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana; Unite For Sight Partner

"The Himalayan Cataract Project and Millennium Village Project Partnership," John Welling, MD Candidate,The Ohio State University College of Medicine

"IDP and Refugee Health in Darfur and Chad: Challenges and Innovations to Meeting Basic Needs," Dayan Woldemichael, MD, Chad Country Director, International Medical Corps

"Global Health Through Microfranchise & Other Social Innovations," Warner Woodworth, PhD, Professor of Organizational Leadership & Strategy, Brigham Young University, Marriott School of Management

"Making the World Smaller: Teleconferencing Technologies in Medical Education,"Michael C. Wu, MD, Cornea and External Disease, Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmlology, University of Washington School of Medicine

"Women's Health Rights as Human Rights: Implications and Challenges in the U.S. Context," Alicia Ely Yamin, JD, MPH, Joseph H. Flom Global Health and Human Rights Fellow, Harvard Law School

"Social Entrepreneurship - International Breast Milk Project," Jill Youse, Founder, International Breast Milk Project

"Global Health Inequalities: Why They Matter?" David Zakus, BSc, MES, MSc, PhD, Director, Centre for International Health; Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences; Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation; Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada

Debrework Zewdie, Director, Global HIV/AIDS Program of the World Bank Human Development Network World Bank

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Statement of Support by Shoshone-Bannock Tribes for Larry EchoHawk

To Tribal Leaders:

We were disappointed and surprised to read a recent statement by Scott Crowell criticizing Larry EchoHawk as a possible choice for the next Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs. Mr. Crowell formerly represented the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes on gaming matters but no longer represents the Tribes, and he does not speak for the Tribes. His statement contains a number of factual and legal misstatements that need to be corrected. To be clear, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes fully support Larry EchoHawk and have full confidence in his strong commitment to Tribal sovereignty and Indian interests, including economic development through gaming enterprises.

Larry began representing the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in 1977 and served for nearly nine years as the Tribes' chief general legal counsel. At that time, he was one of the first ever Native American lawyers entrusted with the responsibility as the primary attorney for a large Indian tribe. He provided diligent and faithful service during these years. During his time as Tribal Attorney, he also served two terms in the Idaho legislature and worked hand-in-hand with Tribal leaders in Idaho to advance tribal interests. It was during his time in the legislature that positive laws respecting tribal sovereignty were passed for the first time in Idaho history, and Larry played a significant role in their passage. These laws include the State-Tribal Relations Act, the Tribal tobacco sales tax exemption, the Indian Antiquities and Burial Site Protection Act, and the amendment to the State Joint Powers Act to authorize state agencies to enter into agreements with Tribal governments, to name a few. Much of this was brought about due to Larry's efforts to help create a State Indian Affairs Committee.

He ended his position as the Tribes' general legal counsel in 1986 on good terms with the Tribes to become the prosecuting attorney for Bannock County, Idaho's fourth largest county that borders the Fort Hall Reservation. While he served as prosecutor, he demonstrated a continual respect for tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction by deferring cases to the Tribes that could have been prosecuted under Public 280. In 1990 he was elected as Idaho's Attorney General, and became the first Native American in United States history to be elected to a state-wide constitutional political office. As Attorney General, he supported legislation and efforts to protect native religious freedoms, salmon treaty fishing rights, and other legal matters impacting tribal sovereignty. While Attorney General, Larry also lead efforts to improve state-tribal relations through the Conference of Western Attorneys General.

In response to Mr. Crowell's statement on Larry EchoHawk's position relating to Indian gaming, the record should be clear that Larry EchoHawk supports the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and recognizes that it is the responsibility of the Assistant Secretary to faithfully execute the law. The EchoHawk law firm, which includes Larry's sons Paul EchoHawk and Mark EchoHawk, has provided nearly ten years of legal services to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and continue to provide excellent legal services. They have worked on a number of important issues for the Tribes, including gaming matters. Specifically, Mark EchoHawk recently served for six months as the Interim Executive Director for the Fort Hall Casino. We are confident that Larry's possible service as Assistant Secretary would be beneficial to Tribal interests, including the continued development of Indian gaming enterprises.

Mr. Crowell's statement misstates the law and facts related to Larry EchoHawk's role in the 1992 Idaho constitutional amendment. First, Crowell wrongly stated that Larry called the special legislative session. In fact, only the *Governor* has the authority to call a special legislative session in Idaho. Idaho Const. Art. IV, Sec. 9. The determination to call a special session in 1992 was made by the governor alone. Crowell's statement also is misleading in that it suggests that Larry personally supported restricting Indian gaming or had a policy-making role in the matter. Both of these suggestions are false and misleading. The fact is that the state attorney general is the chief legal officer for the state and is charged with specific legal duties as directed by the Idaho law. *See* Idaho Code 67-1401. The law is clear that the state attorney general has the primary obligation to enforce state laws and cannot act as a litigant or exercise any broader power than that granted by the constitution and legislature. The attorney general is required to take an oath that they will "support the Constitution of the United States, and Constitution of the State of Idaho, and that [they] will faithfully discharge the duties of attorney general to the best of [their] ability." This includes an obligation to perform all legal services for the state and to represent the state in all tribunals and provide unbiased legal advice to the legislature and governor when requested. The attorney general is not a lawmaker or a policy maker. Although Larry EchoHawk clearly has a long and proven track record of advancing tribal sovereignty, his legal and ethical duty as Idaho's attorney general was to provide legal advice to the governor and legislature. He did this according to his oath of office, and he did not advocate against Indian gaming specifically at any time. Contrary to Mr. Crowell's statement, Larry EchoHawk's law firm has provided years of exceptional legal services to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, including work to further advance the Tribes' profitable gaming interests. It is simply unfair and disingenuous to suggest that performing his duty as attorney general shows a lack of commitment to Indian interests and tribal sovereignty in the face of Larry's long and distinguished career working for Indian people.

In sum, we are proud to hear of Larry EchoHawk's possible appointment as the next Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs. We are confident that he will do an outstanding job in continuing his efforts to advance Tribal sovereignty and economic self-sufficiency. We urge Tribal leaders to join us in supporting Larry for this important position for Indian Country.

Sincerely,

Alonzo Coby, Chairman

Fort Hall Business Council

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes

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The Recovery of Native American Indian Space in the Northeast: Book Review

One of the most contentious issues facing indigenous peoples around the world today is the fight to maintain a connection and identity to – and with – traditional homelands. This fight, largely the historical outcome of imperial and colonial processes over the last four hundred years, is in many cases the only fight that matters for indigenous peoples.

After working closely with indigenous peoples in three different countries, I have learned just how important and closely held the land is. For indigenous peoples, the culture, the language, and the identity of the individual is directly tied to the land. It is the land that informs indigenous peoples and their world views (1). One question that has arisen as a result of this understanding centers on the ways and methods indigenous people can use to maintain their relationship to the land – often traditional homelands that have been occupied for generations – in the face of such overwhelming colonial and imperial forces, both present and past. In the recent book by professor Lisa Brooks, The Common Pot: The Recovery of Native Space in the Northeast,we are given an example from Native North America of one way this identity was maintained.

Looking at indigenous Native American writers, activists, and leaders of colonial Northeast North America, Brooks convincingly argues that Samson Occom, Joseph Brant, Hendrick Aupaumut, and William Apess all used the mechanism of writing to maintain their Native identity and cultural ties to the land. In relying on the tool of writing, these indigenous Native American peoples were able to maintain – and in some instances reclaim – their rights, identity, and culture in the face of incredible colonial and imperial forces. In fact, as Brooks points out this method was indigenous to the Algonquian, Iroquois, Ojibwa, Abenaki, and other Native Americans of the Northeast as demonstrated by their long tradition of making awikhigan.

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