Each year, the Center for International Education selects an area of the globe as a special focus for the entire Berea College campus. The Director of International Education coordinates with academic departments to bring the year’s international focus into the curriculum. The Director also programs special campus-wide events related to the area of focus, including arranging for inter-disciplinary special lectures and forums; planning cultural events (such as dance and music performances); hosting Fulbright scholars; holding religious ceremonies; and promoting faculty/staff development concerning the area of focus.

As part of the 2008-2009 international focus on the Middle East, Archbishop Elias Chacour of the Melkite Catholic Church will be our distinguished guest speaker at the annual College-Wide Symposium on November 6.  Chacour, a peace activist Palestinian living in northern Israel, is the author of Blood Brothers, in which he touches on several important, controversial questions:

• What behind-the-scenes politics touched off the turmoil in the Middle East?
• What does Bible prophecy really have to say?
• Can bitter enemies ever be reconciled?

This book is available at no cost to Berea College students, faculty and staff.  Contact the Center for International Education for your free copy.

For more information about the focus and international campus programming, contact Dr. Richard Cahill, Director of International Education.