Community Partnerships, Cultural Lecture Series, & Career Development

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Career Development Lecture Series

When: Monday, March 28, 2011--7:00-8:30 PM

Where: DC Internationals' Middle East South Asia Language Institute (MESALI)
The United Methodist Church Building
1920 G Street, NW
Washington DC

Cost: FREE with MESALI ID or proof of prior enrollment.
General Admission: $5

Space is Limited. To R.S.V.P., email ross@dcinternationals.com

Mr. Lowenthal will speak at DC Internationals MESALI about planning for a career on Capitol Hill and separately about understanding careers in the intelligence field. DC Internationals MESALI career lectures have provided invaluable career enhancing networking opportunities, and led to internships and jobs.

Dr. Mark M. Lowenthal, an internationally recognized expert on intelligence, is the President and CEO of the Intelligence & Security Academy, LLC, a national security education, training and consulting company.

From 2002-2005, Dr. Lowenthal served as the Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis and Production and also as the Vice Chairman for Evaluation on the National Intelligence Council.  Prior to these duties, he served as Counselor to the Director of Central Intelligence.  Dr. Lowenthal was the staff director of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the 104th Congress (1995-97), where he directed the committee’s study on the future of the Intelligence Community, IC21: The Intelligence Community in the 21st Century.  He also served in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), as both an office director and a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, and has been the Senior Specialist in U.S. Foreign Policy at the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Dr. Lowenthal has written extensively on intelligence and national security issues, including five books and over 90 articles or studies. His most recent book, Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy (Sage/CQ Press, 4th ed., 2009), has become the standard college and graduate school textbook on the subject.  He has also written a fantasy novel, Crispan Magicker (1978).  Dr. Lowenthal is a frequent public commentator on intelligence issues.  He has appeared on each of the major networks, the Lehrer Newshour and Charlie Rose; his op-eds have appeared in The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Dr. Lowenthal received his B.A. from Brooklyn College and his Ph.D. in history from Harvard University.  He joined the adjunct faculty of the Johns Hopkins University in 2008, after 14 years as an adjunct at Columbia University.  He is the Executive Director of the International Association for Intelligence Education and a Chairman Emeritus of the Intelligence Committee for AFCEA.  He is also a member of INSA’s Executive Committee and the FBI Intelligence Analysts Association’s external advisory group.

In 2005, Dr. Lowenthal was awarded the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Intelligence Community’s highest award.  In 2006, he received AFCEA’s Distinguished Service Award for service to the Intelligence Community.  In 1988, Dr. Lowenthal was the Grand Champion on Jeopardy!, the television quiz show.

DC Internationals MESALI provides Washington DC’s LEAST EXPENSIVE Intensive and fun preparation for Middle Eastern and South Asian languages. Summer 2011 session starts May 16. Daytime, evening and private class descriptions and schedules are at www.dcinternationals.com.

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Cultural Lecture Series

An Evening of Somali Cultural Writings and Poetry

When: Monday, April 2 , 2011--7:00-8:00 PM

Where: DC Internationals' Middle East South Asia Language Institute (MESALI)
The United Methodist Church Building
1920 G Street, NW
Washington DC

Cost: FREE with MESALI ID or proof of prior enrollment.
General Admission: $5 – Light refreshments served

Space is Limited. To R.S.V.P., email ross@dcinternationals.com

Mr. Mohamed will speak at DC Internationals Middle East South Asia Language Institute about the often misunderstood Somali cultural experience through his prose and poetry. This will be a rare and excellent opportunity to learn about a mysterious part of the world that is consistently portrayed in a particular image. DC Internationals MESALI cultural lectures contribute to cultural understanding of cultures in the Middle East and South Asia and aspire to open such perceptions.

Farah M. Mohamed is a Somali native who writes pros and poetry in English and in his native Somali.  His writings and essays focus on political and social predicaments, but mostly emphasize Somali strife. His most recent poems include, Mama Africa, The Somali Orphen Boy, New Dawn in Africa and the Middle East and The Watched Citizen. In addition to the poetry, he is the author of XASUUS QOR (The Timelines of Somali History)  and numerous thought provoking and sometimes controversial; such as Queen Araweelo, Witness to Crime, The History of Somali Cultural Violence and Torn Between Two Worlds: Somali Women Struggle to Succeed in America and Keep Their Islamic Identity at the same time.

Mr. Mohamed received his Masters from the George Mason University School of Public Policy. He currently teaches Somali language at DC Internationals Middle East South Asia Language Institute.



DC Internationals MESALI provides Washington DC’s LEAST EXPENSIVE Intensive and fun preparation for Middle Eastern and South Asian languages. Summer 2011 session starts May 16. Daytime, evening and private class descriptions and schedules are at www.dcinternationals.com.

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Strategizing Careers In International Development

Joe Lombardo

When: Monday, November 15, 2010--7:00-8:00 PM

Where: DC Internationals' Middle East South Asia Language Institute (MESALI)

 The United Methodist Church Building

 1920 G Street, NW

 Washington DC

Cost: FREE with MESALI ID or proof of prior enrollment.

General Admission: $5. Refreshments provided.

Space is Limited. To R.S.V.P., email ross@dcinternationals.com

Mr. Lombardo will speak at DC Internationals MESALI about planning for a career In international development, specifically addressing careers within Stability Operations, Crisis Stabilization, the State Department’s Civilian Response Corps, and international development at the USAID. He will draw on his expertise in the Middle East and Latin America. A question and answer session will follow.

Mr. Lombardo heads JFL Consulting, with over 30 years experience in International Development. Currently, he teaches strategic planning at the National Defense University for members of the Civilian Response Corps. Mr. Lombardo began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, and has held senior positions in public and private organizations.

DC Internationals MESALI provides Washington DC’s LEAST EXPENSIVE Intensive and fun preparation for Middle Eastern and South Asian languages. Winter 2011 session starts in early February. Daytime, evening and private class descriptions and schedules are at www.dcinternationals.com.

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Understanding the Languages and Peoples of the Middle East and South Asia

Dr. Michael Chyet

When: Thursday July 22, 2010--7:30-8:30 PM

Where: DC Internationals' Middle East South Asia Language Institute (MESALI)

The United Methodist Church Building

1920 G Street, NW

Washington DC, 20006

Cost: FREE with MESALI ID or proof of prior enrollment.

General Admission: $10. Refreshments provided.

Space is Limited. To R.S.V.P., email ross@dcinternationals.com

Dr. Chyet will outline the major and minor languages of the Middle East, who speaks them, and where. Three major language families are represented: Semitic [Afro-Asiatic], Indo-European, and Turkic. The historical interrelations between these languages and their speakers will also form part of the discussion. To what extent can a Moroccan, at the extreme western edge of the Arab world understand an Iraqi, at the far Eastern edge? What makes these Arabic dialects tick?

Michael L. Chyet is a cataloger of Middle Eastern languages at the Library of Congress. He has a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in Folklore and Middle Eastern Languages. Before coming to the Library of Congress in 2001, Mr. Chyet was the senior editor of the Kurdish Service at the Voice of America. His specialty is Kurdish, and he has published a Kurdish-English dictionary, as well as several articles on the Kurdish language, and on Middle Eastern folklore. Arabic, Hebrew, Kurdish, Turkish and Persian are also languages that he is fluent in, and teaches at MESALI.

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Political Asylum and Immigration Law

When: Wednesday, July 21, 2010--7:00-8:00 PM

Where: DC Internationals' Middle East South Asia Language Institute (MESALI)

The United Methodist Church Building

1920 G Street, NW

Washington DC

Cost: FREE with MESALI ID or proof of prior enrollment.

General Admission: $10. Refreshments provided.

Space is Limited. To R.S.V.P., email ross@dcinternationals.com.

Jason will discuss career options for people interested in human rights and political asylum, and how to prepare for such a career. He will also discuss the asylum process in the United States, immigration detention, and immigration court.

Jason Dzubow is an attorney specializing in political asylum and immigration law. He has represented people from many different countries who fear persecution if they return to their homelands. He speaks regularly on asylum and related issues. Prior to entering private practice, Jason worked for the Arlington, Virginia Immigration Court (Department of Justice), Catholic Community Services Office of Migration and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and Temple University. His blog, www.Asylumist.com, is the only blog in the United States devoted exclusively to asylum law.

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International Trade: Preparing for the Profession and Developing Relevant Language Skills

Ned Steiner

Are you interested in a career in international trade, development and/or public policy? Please come and join Ned Steiner and MESALI for a discussion of his professional adventures - from post-conflict reconstruction, to the Hill, to trade and legislative affairs. And discover how learning languages can open up a world of possibilities.The Middle East and South Asia Language Institute is proud to sponsor this career development lecture as the first in its Career Development lecture series.

When: Thursday, March 25, 2010--7:30-8:30 PM

Where: Middle East and South Asia Language Institute: The United Church, 1920 G Street, NW

Cost: Free admission with MESALI, GWU or other student ID at the door. Non-students pay $10 at the door.

Contact: Ross Kaplan at ross@dcinternationals.com

Question: What do Spanish, Swedish, Catalan, French and Albanian have in common?

Answer: They are all languages spoken by Ned Steiner!

Edward "Ned" Steiner is the Director of Trade and Legislative Affairs for Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. in the Washington, D.C., office. Mr. Steiner has over 10 years' experience in the fields of public policy and international trade and development. He represents a diverse client base of private industry, associations and foreign governments on a wide range of trade compliance issues including: consumer product safety, food safety, environmental protection and labor standards. He represents clients to administration officials, Members of Congress and their staff regarding trade, customs and homeland security matters, and develops lobbying strategies for corporate, governmental and non-governmental clients. Mr. Steiner is a frequent speaker on trade compliance issues and has conducted numerous webinars and seminars in English, Spanish and French.

Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Steiner worked for over six years on Capitol Hill. In his last position he served as legislative director to Rep. Loretta Sanchez and was responsible for managing her legislative portfolio and overseeing legislative staff. In addition, he developed and implemented Chairwoman Sanchez's agenda for the Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee, helping to draft such legislation as the SAFE Port Act. In his post as legislative assistant for foreign affairs for Rep. Sam Farr, Mr. Steiner handled issues such as foreign operations appropriations, trade legislation and tax provisions. He also has extensive experience in international assistance, working for development agencies in Kosovo and Guatemala as well as the World Bank and the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Steiner is fluent in Spanish, French and Swedish.

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Cheb Khaled Diplomatic Reception

"King of Rai'"

2005

DC Internationals is proud to have sponsored an elaborate free diplomatic reception at the Jordanian Embassy in Washington, DC, to honor the "King of Rai" Cheb Khaled. DC Internationals took this opportunity to exhibit its commitment to international cultural understanding by honoring Khaled for his vision, commitment to multicultural musical endeavors, and contributions to international peace through East-West collaboration, during his 2005 Peace Tour of the United States. True to Khaled's spirit, the Peace Tour band comprised Algerians, Americans, and French, as well as Muslims, Christians and Jews, a true example of East-West cooperation and understanding through music.

For additional information on the Diplomatic Reception for Cheb Khaled, please click here.

Click here to see the photos from the Diplomatic Reception.