PB sponsors first Controversy Week

The Program Board will present the first ever Controversy Week April 23-26.

“The idea was to create a series about things that don’t necessarily get talked about,” PB Political Affairs Chair Beth Lester said. “It’s meant to get people thinking about the choices that they make.”

Tuesday in Kogan Plaza the “Meat vs. Vegan” barbeque will encourage debate about the merits of eating meat or going Vegan. Free meat and vegan foods will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and representatives of the National Cattlemens’ Association, GW Free The Planet and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals will speak and answer questions.

On Wednesday in Marvin Center room 405 from 8-10 p.m., a student panel and representatives from Students for Sensible Drug Policy will discuss legalization of marijuana.

Lester said the main focus will be drug policy in the U.S.

On Thursday in Marvin Center room 403 from 12-2 p.m. the “Why Alcohol Education Sucks” discussion will examine alcohol education in the United States.

On Friday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Controversy Week will end with a “Smoke IN!” rally in Kogan Plaza. The event features a Barbeque
co-sponsored by the Student Association, free ashtray giveaways and representatives from the American Medical Association to provide information and answer questions.

Panel to discuss Latin American poverty

A panel of experts will discuss the role of rich nations in aiding poor nations in Latin America Monday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Inter-American Development Bank at 1300 New York Ave. The discussion is hosted by GW’s Center for Latin American Studies and the Forum on the Americas of the Inter-Development Bank.

The panel features Mario Chacon, deputy chief of mission for the Embassy of Mexico; Adolfo A. Franco, assistant administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean from the U.S. Agency of International Development; Shaun Donnelly, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs in the U.S. State Department; and Lionel Hurst, permanent representative of Antigua and Barbados to the Organization of American States.

The panelists will discuss international goals of fighting poverty, and aiding poor nations how to better manage their own funds.

GW hosts annual Jazz Festival

The GW Department of Music will host the seventh annual GW Jazz Festival April 25-28.

The Ubercombo will perform modern jazz classics under the direction of professors Peter Fraize and David Marsh Thursday from 7 p.m. to midnight at Twins Jazz Club. Twins is located on 1344 U St. N.W and is free to the public. The combo will also perform as the Adam Kleiner Sextet, as the GW senior presents modern jazz music he originally composed and arranged.

The student group Combonation and the Jeremy Gordon Trio will also perform along with a combo of GW Jazz Faculty members.

Friday from 6-8 p.m. in the Hippodrome, the Brickhouse band will perform Blues, R&B and Rock ‘n’ Roll from the ’50s to the present, under the direction of Professor Peter Fraize. The group performs music by
Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and the Velvet Underground.

Next Sunday from 7:30 to 11 p.m. in the Betts Marvin Theater GW Swing Band King James and the Serfs of Swing, under the direction of Professor Jim Levy, will play big band swing music. The concert, which costs $5 through Ticketmaster, features music by Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway. Combonation will perform swing, cool and bebop music by Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. Los Gringos will perform salsa, meringue, rumba and Latin styles under the direction of professors David Marsh and Ricky Loza.

Ambassador Ross to address Mideast conflict
Former Middle East Envoy Ambassador Dennis B. Ross will address students on the current situation in the Middle East April 28 at 1 p.m in the Marvin Center Grand Ballroom. Ross will discuss his more than two decades of experiences working for peace in the Middle East as part of Hillel’s “Israel Month,” a series of programs for Israeli education and
advocacy.

Ross served as special Middle East coordinator for President Bill Clinton. and brokered a number of agreements including the 1997 Hebron accord and the 1994 Jordan-Israel peace treaty. He also worked as director of Near East and South Asian Affairs on the National Security Council staff under Ronald Reagan.