This year's International Symposium focuses on the environmental justice movement. Titled "Global Citizenship: Environmental Justice," the event is scheduled for Feb. 9-12. Presentations will be held in the A&S Auditorium and the MSU Banquet Room.

"The [movement] deals with the inequitable environmental burden born by groups such as racial minorities, women, or residents of developing nations," said Gregg Kaufman, Coordinator of Civic Engagement Projects and the American Democracy Project. “The movement seeks to redress inequitable distributions of environmental burdens and access to environmental goods in a variety of situations."

The symposium is open to Georgia College faculty, students and staff and members of the community.

“We plan to communicate very complex scenarios in ways the general public can understanding and act upon,” Kauffman said.

Headlining the symposium is Coate’s first public appearance as the Paul D. Coverdell Endowed Chair of Policy Studies since arriving at Georgia College earlier this month. Coate previously served as the director of The Richard L. Walker Institute of International Studies at the University of South Carolina.

The Coverdell Chair is held by an eminent scholar in a discipline such as political science or policy studies who has a record of developing leadership programs, incorporating the values of service and self-sacrifice that typified the late Sen. Paul D. Coverdell's career.

In addition to Coate, the list of keynote speakers includes Georgia College honor students Elena Andreyevea and Croix Snapp; Dr. Robin McDowell, of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division; Dr. Paul Little, Program Director for the Andes-Amazon Initiative; and Dr. Peter Brosius, professor of anthropology at the University of Georgia.

The symposium is sponsored by The GCSU International Education Center, Honors and Scholars Program, American Democracy Project, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Center for Economic Education and Georgia Power Endowment.

Schedule of events:

Mon., Feb. 9
• 6:30 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Music presentation:
“New Digital Songs for the Earth”
• 7 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Keynote speaker: “Global Citizenship”
Dr. Roger Coate

Tues., Feb. 10
• 12:30 p.m. MSU Banquet Room
Discussion: Dr. Roger Coate
• 4 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Digitial multimedia art presentation:
“Human behavior as integral and
invisible from issues of environmental
(in)justice”
• 6:30 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Dramatic Reading:
“Voices from Chronobyl”
• 7 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Honors Student Presentations
• 7 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Panel: “Communicating Science to the
General Public: How can scientists provide
and clearly present the information needed
for policy decisions?”

Wed., Feb. 11
• 12:30 p.m. MSU Banquet Room
Discussion: Tuesday evening science panelists
• 4 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Interactive Forum Theatre
Performance: “Human Toxic”
• 7 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Panel: “Indigenous Issues: Amazon, Borneo,
Panama?”

Thurs., Feb. 12
• 12:30 p.m. MSU Banquet Room A
Discussion: Wednesday evening indigenous
issues panelists
• 6 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Film: “Refugees of the Blue Planet”
• 7 p.m. A&S Auditorium
Closing speaker: “What is the cost to
Our economy and way of life?”
Dr. John Swint