Leila Sadeghi, Ph.D. ’05, executive director of the Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership, will be attending a prestigious international conference in the fall. The 26th New Generation Seminar (NGS) hosted by the East-West Center, will take place from September 18 through October 2 in Honolulu, Hawaii, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Yangon, Myanmar.
“I’m honored to be selected as one of four participants from the United States and to represent the Guarini Institute, Saint Peter’s University and the U.S. This is an opportunity to learn from a cadre of thought leaders from around the world who are interested in strengthening their leadership qualities while developing a stronger lens for international relations and politics,” said Dr. Sadeghi.
The East-West Center is an organization that promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia and the Pacific. The East-West Center hosts seminars as part of its programming. The 26th NGS is designed to promote education and dialogue between leaders who are between the ages of 25 and 40 from Asia, the Pacific and the United States.
The theme of the seminar is “Cultural Heritage and Identity in a Globalizing, Urbanizing World.” Participants will meet with local leaders, policy makers, private sector representatives, civil society organizations and academic experts and practitioners to discuss and explore the relationship between economic development and cultural heritage.
Dr. Sadeghi has a strong interest in the conference’s theme. She says there is a delicate balance between economic development and preservation of culture. Second and Third World countries are rapidly growing, and they are trying to keep up with economic boom while still maintaining their own identity.
In addition, as a way to engage dialogue, each participant will give a short oral presentation and lead a group discussion on a topic of their choice. Dr. Sadeghi is still in the process of developing her presentation, but she said that one of her goals is to research major cities that have adjusted to rapid economic development while maintaining culture. She would like to look into those cities to see what inspired them, and made their smart growth possible. Overall, Dr. Sadeghi looks forward to the mutual exchange of ideas and investigating local issues from a global perspective.
“It is a good opportunity for the Guarini Institute and Saint Peter’s University to leverage our Jesuit mission and take our values globally,” said Dr. Sadeghi.