Discussion explores Vietnamese culture and history
Jan. 7, 2004
KALAMAZOO--Two experts on Southeast Asia will lead a discussion about the history and current social and political climate in Vietnam Tuesday, Jan. 13, at the Portage District Library.
The discussion, "Vietnam," will be led by Dr. Frank Jamison, Western Michigan University professor emeritus of instructional media and Huan Le, a retired Upjohn executive. Both Jamison and Le recently led a four-week tour of the country, sponsored by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Fulbright-Hays Program. The free session will begin at 7 p.m. in the Portage Senior Center at the Portage District Library, which is located at 300 Library Lane.
"Vietnam is a beautiful country with almost no visible scars from the war," says Jamison. "People deserve to see something other than the images of death and destruction that many still remember from the Vietnam War."
The presentation will include a video piece chronicling the early history of the Viet people, followed by a short slide presentation of images from the group's four-week tour last summer.
Dr. Nicholas Adreadis, WMU associate professor of counselor education and counseling psychology, serves as moderator and coordinator of the series. Sessions are formatted with a series of questions posed by Andreadis before discussion is opened up to the audience. A list of relevant books will be provided at the end of the evening for those wanting additional information.
The 2003-2004 Learning OutLoud Discussion Series is made possible by a $1000 grant given by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. For more information, contact the Portage District Library at (269) 329-4542 ext. 600, or visit the Web at <www.portagelibrary.info>. Andreadis can be reached at (269) 387-3504.
Media contact: Matt Gerard, 269 387-8400, matthew.gerard@wmich.edu