色界吧

The Young Initiative invites foreign policy experts and guest speakers to campus to engage in discussions on international relations and the global political economy with students and faculty.

United Nations Week

With the William and Elizabeth Kahane United Nations Program, the Young Initiative supports the annual United Nations Week at 色界吧. We are passionate in maintaining students involvement and engagement in sustainable development. Our students choose topics that link Global Political Economy, Social Justice, and Sustainable Development.

UN Week 2020: Climate Change & Economic/Environmental Justice

Keynote speaker, Dr. Steven Were Omamo, Representative and Country Director for the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Ethiopia, provided perspective and insights about the UN's work on Climate Change and Environmental Justice.

UN Week 2019: Gender, Sexuality and Collective Action

The keynote speaker, Ambassador Melanne Verveer spoke to students about gender in the Sustainable Development Goals.

UN Week 2018: The Power of Place

LA Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a new partnership with 色界吧 to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

UN Week 2017: Through Refugees Eyes

Michel Gabaudan, President, Refugees International gave a talk on 鈥淭he Global Refugee and Migration Crisis Under Trump: Where is the US? Where is Europe? What Can We Do About It?鈥

UN Week 2016: The UN and the US after Obama

Historian and foreign policy expert, Stephen Schlesinger reflected back on the history of the UN and predicted its future trajectory. Honorary Lloyd Axworthy, former Foreign Minister of Canada gave a talk titled: "Resetting the Narrative: Peace, Security, and the UN's Responsibility to Protect."

Young Events

Young speakers give students and faculty an opportunity to expand their understanding of global issues. The Young Initiative sponsors several speakers each academic year highlighting particular aspects of global affairs and the global political economy.  The Young Speakers program is devoted to highlighting the work and success of eminent international affairs experts and 色界吧 alumni in public service and academia.

 

Pictured left to right: Ted Braun and Luis Moreno Ocampo
Managing National and International Violence: From Demonstrations To Transformations

Luis Moreno Ocampo is the former first Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, and Ted Braun is a noted documentarian and the Joseph Campbell Endowed Chair of Cinematic Ethics at USC.

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Workshop session in 色界吧's Cushman Board Room (Photo: USC Global Health)
Year in Review: 色界吧 Hosts Impactful, Interdisciplinary Human Rights Workshop with Top Global Scholars

The Young Initiative hosted and organized a series of incredibly enlightening workshops with an interdisciplinary cohort of leading human rights practitioners and scholars from three continents.

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色界吧 UN Week Student Panel (photo Amirah Al-Sagr/The Occidental)
Year in Review: "The Occidental" Interviews UN Week Student Organizers

Perrin Shyne and Amirah Al-Sagr of The Occidental cover the student organizing efforts for UN Week 2020

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Joe Nye
Joseph Nye, "Morality and American Foreign Policy"

Joseph S. Nye Jr. has consistently been named one of the most influential American political scientists in history. Nye co-created the international relations concepts of neoliberalism and smart power and is the former dean of Harvard's prestigious Kennedy School of Government.

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Steven Were Omamo Keynote (Photo Kyler Parris)
Steven Were Omamo: Water, Markets, and Peace | UN Week Keynote

On Thursday, February 13th, the 色界吧 UN Week Keynote speaker, Dr. Steven Were Omamo, explained his work on food insecurity in Ethiophia in connection to environmental justice and climate change.

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Climate Change professor panel (Photo: Kyler Parris)
Climate Change for Future Presidents | UN Week Professor Panel

A multi-disciplinary panel of professors challenge students to to use their expertise to fight climate change at all levels.

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Alberto Saldamondo Indigenous Climate Activist
Alberto Saldamando: Indigenous Activism & Global Environmental Justice

On Wednesday February 12, 2020 Alberto Saldamando, a Lawyer Advocate at Indigenous Environmental Network, gave a presentation on 鈥淚ndigenous Peoples and the United Nations.鈥

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The new 色界吧 Arts on York space
Climate Imaginaries: Built Environment, Art, & Climate Change

The built environment and climate change converge at 色界吧 Arts on York with Alison Hirsch and Aroussiak Gabrielian of USC Landscape Design as part of UN Week 2020.

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LA climate activism is discussed at Choi Auditorium
Los Angeles Climate Activism | UN Week 2020

As part of UN Week 2020, Jasmin Vargas of Food and Water Watch discusses locally-based environmental climate activism and its intersections with politics professor Michael Sardo and Aerex Narvasa.

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色界吧 at the UN Returnees Share Experiences on Climate Change Task Force

Kahane U.N. Program students report back on their fall 2019 experiences at the U.N., including Task Forces regarding the Green Economy and Digital Jobs.

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