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3/24 Stranger at the Gate - Screening at FilmScene with Filmmaker/Subject Q&A w/POPCORN
Sunday, March 24, 2024 from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM CDT
4/5 Kosovo: Education as Resistance w/LIGHT BREAKFAST
Friday, April 5, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM CDT
4/10 Eyewitness to History: Lessons From Two Decades Covering the World w/HORS D'OEUVRES
Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 4:30PM - 6:30PM
4/17 MSF/Doctors Without Borders - Surgical Missions and Tales from the Field w/LUNCH
Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM CST
Sunday, March 24, 2024 from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM CDT
4/5 Kosovo: Education as Resistance w/LIGHT BREAKFAST
Friday, April 5, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM CDT
4/10 Eyewitness to History: Lessons From Two Decades Covering the World w/HORS D'OEUVRES
Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 4:30PM - 6:30PM
4/17 MSF/Doctors Without Borders - Surgical Missions and Tales from the Field w/LUNCH
Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM CST
SPRING 2024 Events
POPCORN AND THEATER PROVIDED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FILMSCENE
“An Afghan refugee named Bibi Bahrami – and the members of her little Indiana mosque – come face to face with a U.S. Marine who has secret plans to bomb their community center. But Mac McKinney's plan takes an unexpected turn. Directed by Joshua Seftel, 'STRANGER AT THE GATE' is a story of grace, transformation, and hope.”
Joshua Seftel is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker who received his first Emmy nomination at age 22 with his documentary Lost and Found about Romania’s orphaned children. The film led to the American adoption of thousands of Romanian orphans. Stranger at the Gate, Executive Produced by Malala Yousafzai and nominated for an Academy Award® in 2023, is the latest film in Seftel’s Emmy and Peabody-nominated Secret Life of Muslims project (SXSW), which combats Islamophobia with filmmaking and have more than 70 million views to date. Seftel, who experienced antisemitism as a child, has been committed to working on this subject matter for the past seven years. He is also a contributor to the Peabody Award-winning podcast This American Life and The New York Times.
Bibi Bahrami was born and raised in Behsood, Afghanistan. She came to Muncie, Indiana in 1986 as a refugee to join her husband, Dr. Saber Bahrami, where they raised 6 beautiful children and have both been an active part of their community for over 36 years. After learning English and earning her GED, she went on to receive her art degree from Ball State University. In 2002, she founded and became president of her own nonprofit organization, AWAKEN, (Afghan Women’s And Kids’ Education & Necessities), in order to give back to the Afghan women and children she left behind. AWAKEN has made a difference in the education and health care for thousands of Afghan women and children for over a decade. Last year, Bibi founded MARRC (Muncie Afghan Refugee Resettlement Committee), a sub-committee under AWAKEN. Through MARRC, Bibi brought the entire community together to assist with the dire need of resettlement of 137 Afghan refugees to help them thrive in Muncie. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her charitable work, including the Indiana Women of Achievement Award and Ball State’s International Development Award. Her lifelong commitment to the service of others has made a difference in the local and international community, and most recently she was nominated for an Academy Award with the film "Stranger At the Gate," which shares a message of the strength of kindness to change lives.
Richard “MAC’ McKinney is a U.S. Marine Corps and Army Veteran. After 25 years in the armed services, and several tours in the Middle East, a Marine and Army veteran named Richard McKinney came back to the U.S. filled with rage towards Muslims. In what he viewed as a final mission for his country, McKinney planned and built an IED to blow up the Muncie Islamic Center. Then, a fateful trip to the Mosque, where he was welcomed by the local Muslim community, changed the course of his life; and eventually he became the President and leader of the Mosque. He has since begun a new mission, called “From Hate to Understanding,” where he travels and speaks about his journey and changing the narrative.
Joshua Seftel is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker who received his first Emmy nomination at age 22 with his documentary Lost and Found about Romania’s orphaned children. The film led to the American adoption of thousands of Romanian orphans. Stranger at the Gate, Executive Produced by Malala Yousafzai and nominated for an Academy Award® in 2023, is the latest film in Seftel’s Emmy and Peabody-nominated Secret Life of Muslims project (SXSW), which combats Islamophobia with filmmaking and have more than 70 million views to date. Seftel, who experienced antisemitism as a child, has been committed to working on this subject matter for the past seven years. He is also a contributor to the Peabody Award-winning podcast This American Life and The New York Times.
Bibi Bahrami was born and raised in Behsood, Afghanistan. She came to Muncie, Indiana in 1986 as a refugee to join her husband, Dr. Saber Bahrami, where they raised 6 beautiful children and have both been an active part of their community for over 36 years. After learning English and earning her GED, she went on to receive her art degree from Ball State University. In 2002, she founded and became president of her own nonprofit organization, AWAKEN, (Afghan Women’s And Kids’ Education & Necessities), in order to give back to the Afghan women and children she left behind. AWAKEN has made a difference in the education and health care for thousands of Afghan women and children for over a decade. Last year, Bibi founded MARRC (Muncie Afghan Refugee Resettlement Committee), a sub-committee under AWAKEN. Through MARRC, Bibi brought the entire community together to assist with the dire need of resettlement of 137 Afghan refugees to help them thrive in Muncie. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her charitable work, including the Indiana Women of Achievement Award and Ball State’s International Development Award. Her lifelong commitment to the service of others has made a difference in the local and international community, and most recently she was nominated for an Academy Award with the film "Stranger At the Gate," which shares a message of the strength of kindness to change lives.
Richard “MAC’ McKinney is a U.S. Marine Corps and Army Veteran. After 25 years in the armed services, and several tours in the Middle East, a Marine and Army veteran named Richard McKinney came back to the U.S. filled with rage towards Muslims. In what he viewed as a final mission for his country, McKinney planned and built an IED to blow up the Muncie Islamic Center. Then, a fateful trip to the Mosque, where he was welcomed by the local Muslim community, changed the course of his life; and eventually he became the President and leader of the Mosque. He has since begun a new mission, called “From Hate to Understanding,” where he travels and speaks about his journey and changing the narrative.
Stranger at the Gate
MARCH 24, 2024, 3:30PM - 4:30PM
FILMSCENE AT THE CHAUNCEY
DOORS OPEN AT 3:00PM - PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN ADMISSION AND FREE POPCORN!
PLEASE RSVP BY MARCH 21st
Learn more about the film: https://www.strangeratthegate.com/
MARCH 24, 2024, 3:30PM - 4:30PM
FILMSCENE AT THE CHAUNCEY
DOORS OPEN AT 3:00PM - PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN ADMISSION AND FREE POPCORN!
PLEASE RSVP BY MARCH 21st
Learn more about the film: https://www.strangeratthegate.com/
MEAL AND MEETING SPACE PROVIDED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Aferdita Krasniqi, an Outreach and Recruitment Specialist at the Institute of International Education (IIE) in New York City, works on the Fulbright Scholar Program. She manages the Fulbright Scholar Alumni Ambassador Program, leads initiatives with Fulbright Scholar Liaisons in U.S. campuses, and serves as a Lead for Europe and Eurasia region. Before joining IIE in 2017, Aferdita's background included working as a Cultural Exchanges Advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo for 17 years. The U.S. government awarded her the Special Immigrant Visa for her exceptional work and contribution to strengthening U.S. and Kosovo's political, educational, and cultural relations. She has a B.A. in English Language and Literature, is a native speaker of Albanian, and speaks fluent Serbian. Aferdita is passionate about building bridges between people; this year marks her 24th year of working with the Fulbright Program.
Kosovo: Education as Resistance
April 05, 2024, 10:00AM - 11:00AM
IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: https://www.youtube.com/@thelibrarychannel
DOORS OPEN AT 9:30AM - JOIN US FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION AND A MEAL!
PLEASE RSVP BY April 2nd - SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD TO ORDER
Learn more about Aferdita Krasniqi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/af%C3%ABrdita-krasniqi-46010013/
April 05, 2024, 10:00AM - 11:00AM
IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: https://www.youtube.com/@thelibrarychannel
DOORS OPEN AT 9:30AM - JOIN US FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION AND A MEAL!
PLEASE RSVP BY April 2nd - SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD TO ORDER
Learn more about Aferdita Krasniqi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/af%C3%ABrdita-krasniqi-46010013/
40TH ANNIVERSARY COMMUNITY CELEBRATION - ALL ARE WELCOME, REGISTER IN ADVANCE
"After nearly two decades overseas, I’m glad to be back in the U.S., and sharing some of my insights and experiences with foreign affairs councils, which perform an important civic duty in helping citizens make sense of an increasingly complex world."
This event marks the end of a year-long series of events celebrating decades of ICFRC's impact in the community, celebrating the past, and looking forward together to reach ever more hearts and minds through diverse, inclusive, and timely topics on the most urgent issues facing our world and all of those in our community who call it home.
Frank Langfitt is NPR's Global Democracy correspondent based on the Investigations desk in Washington, D.C. He covers threats to democracy at home and abroad. Please send tips to Frank Langfitt on Signal or Telegram. Previously, Langfitt spent nearly two decades as an international correspondent reporting from more than 50 countries and territories. Based most recently in London, he covered the UK and Ireland, as well as the war in Ukraine and its implications in Europe.
Ben Kieffer joined Iowa Public Radio in 2000 and is host of IPR’s daily noon talk show River to River, which he also helps produce. Prior to joining IPR, Ben lived and worked in Europe for more than a decade. He reported firsthand the fall of the Berlin Wall and covered the Velvet Revolution in Prague. Ben has won numerous awards for his work over the course of more than 30 years in public media.
Frank Langfitt is NPR's Global Democracy correspondent based on the Investigations desk in Washington, D.C. He covers threats to democracy at home and abroad. Please send tips to Frank Langfitt on Signal or Telegram. Previously, Langfitt spent nearly two decades as an international correspondent reporting from more than 50 countries and territories. Based most recently in London, he covered the UK and Ireland, as well as the war in Ukraine and its implications in Europe.
Ben Kieffer joined Iowa Public Radio in 2000 and is host of IPR’s daily noon talk show River to River, which he also helps produce. Prior to joining IPR, Ben lived and worked in Europe for more than a decade. He reported firsthand the fall of the Berlin Wall and covered the Velvet Revolution in Prague. Ben has won numerous awards for his work over the course of more than 30 years in public media.
Co-Sponsored by MidWestOne Bank, UI International Programs, UI Public Policy Center, Veterans for Peace - Chapter 161, UI School of Journalism and Mass Communication and Iowa Public Radio.
Eyewitness to History: Lessons From Two Decades Covering the World
April 10, 2024, 4:30PM - 6:30PM
OLD CAPITOL MUSEUM - SENATE CHAMBERS
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: https://www.youtube.com/@thelibrarychannel
DOORS OPEN AT 4:30PM - PLEASE RSVP BY APRIL 3rd
JOIN US FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION, HORS D'OEUVRES, AND NO-HOST BAR
Learn more about Frank: https://www.npr.org/people/4569077/frank-langfitt
Learn more about Ben: https://www.iowapublicradio.org/people/ben-kieffer
April 10, 2024, 4:30PM - 6:30PM
OLD CAPITOL MUSEUM - SENATE CHAMBERS
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: https://www.youtube.com/@thelibrarychannel
DOORS OPEN AT 4:30PM - PLEASE RSVP BY APRIL 3rd
JOIN US FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION, HORS D'OEUVRES, AND NO-HOST BAR
Learn more about Frank: https://www.npr.org/people/4569077/frank-langfitt
Learn more about Ben: https://www.iowapublicradio.org/people/ben-kieffer
MEAL AND MEETING SPACE PROVIDED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF HEALTH PARITY
Experienced Doctors Without Borders surgeon talks about surgical missions: Who goes? What happens on a mission? Where are the missions? Why are they needed?
Michael J Mooney is a physician in the General Surgery Department at Kaiser Permanente in the Portland, Southwest Washington area. Prior to serving 13 years with Kaiser Permanente in Atlanta, he did his five-year surgical residency in Tacoma, Washington at Fort Lewis. Having grown up as an "army brat" and then subsequently receiving medical and surgical training in the U.S. Army, Dr. Mooney had the opportunity to live all over the world. Today, he is a strong advocate for and regular volunteer with Doctors Without Borders, greatly enjoying seven two-month surgical missions over 12 years providing direct trauma care in Haiti, Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria.
Michael J Mooney is a physician in the General Surgery Department at Kaiser Permanente in the Portland, Southwest Washington area. Prior to serving 13 years with Kaiser Permanente in Atlanta, he did his five-year surgical residency in Tacoma, Washington at Fort Lewis. Having grown up as an "army brat" and then subsequently receiving medical and surgical training in the U.S. Army, Dr. Mooney had the opportunity to live all over the world. Today, he is a strong advocate for and regular volunteer with Doctors Without Borders, greatly enjoying seven two-month surgical missions over 12 years providing direct trauma care in Haiti, Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria.
MSF/Doctors Without Borders - Surgical Missions and Tales from the Field
April 17, 2024, 12:00PM - 1:00PM
UI MERF 1216 (Medical Education Research Facility)
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsf-2hrTouEtKQ3AB4E-blTYkIBUVbaj92
DOORS OPEN AT 11:30AM - JOIN US FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION AND A MEAL!
PLEASE RSVP BY April 12th - SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD TO ORDER
Learn more about Dr. Mooney: healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/oregon-washington/clinicians/michael-mooney-6255874
April 17, 2024, 12:00PM - 1:00PM
UI MERF 1216 (Medical Education Research Facility)
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsf-2hrTouEtKQ3AB4E-blTYkIBUVbaj92
DOORS OPEN AT 11:30AM - JOIN US FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION AND A MEAL!
PLEASE RSVP BY April 12th - SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD TO ORDER
Learn more about Dr. Mooney: healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/oregon-washington/clinicians/michael-mooney-6255874