Each year our best teachers—with years of international education experience—speak in classrooms  across the United States to share their perspectives and insights with students ready to engage with critical and compelling global questions. We are currently booking our 2024-25 global speaker series.

Request a Global Speaker

Select one of our free 60-min global talks that are funded by Dragons and offer your students the opportunity to engage with critical global conversations.

2024-2025 GLOBAL SPEAKER IN-PERSON TALKS

 

Colonization, Globalization, and African Wax Fabric
Synopsis: Many of us would associate certain bold colored and printed fabrics with the African continent, though their history crosses continents. It’s a fascinating story that spans continents, from Indonesia to Holland and across Africa. We examine the current status of the fabrics – Where are they produced? Who wears them? Who makes money off of them? In answering these questions and exploring the complex stories behind this singular object, we see how interconnected our world really is and understand the ways in which colonial legacies continue to make their mark today.

Speaker: Christy Sommers, Dragons Training and Curriculum Director. M.A. Education and International Development, University of Sussex; B.A. Political Science & International Studies, Northwestern University. Christy has spent 1300+ days in the field as a Dragons instructor in Senegal, Madagascar, Rwanda, India, and Nepal.

 

Trade and Travels on the Tea Horse Road
Synopsis: Winding through the snowy peaks and high passes of the Hengduan Mountains and the Tibetan plateau, for many centuries the Tea Horse Road was one of the world’s longest, highest, and most important trade routes. Branching out in several directions, these ancient trails connected the tea-growing regions of Sichuan and Yunnan with Tibet, northern India, and Myanmar. Join Maddie to learn more about how this trade route, now teetering on the edge of obscurity, once rivaled the Silk Road in significance. Explore what life might have been like for the generations of traders who traveled thousands of miles across some of the world’s most relentless mountains, and discuss the historical and cultural impact left behind in their footprints.

Speaker: Maddie Melton, Outreach Associate & Instructor in China and Taiwan, Maddie is a trail enthusiast based in Missoula, MT; M.S. Environmental Humanities, University of Utah; B.A.H. Anthropology, University of Cape Town; B.A. Anthropology, Psychology, Drama, and Chinese, Rhodes University.

 

The History & Evolution of Chinese Characters
Synopsis: Chinese characters evolved from ancient pictograms and are one of the oldest continuously used writing systems in the world! Discover the rich history and development of Chinese characters, from their origins in oracle bones and bronze inscriptions to their role in literature, culture, and communication across millennia. This talk explores the fascinating journey of Chinese characters, their transformation over time, and their influence on other East Asian writing systems. Students will have the opportunity to practice calligraphy on reusable water mats. *Available in Mandarin

Woodblock Printing & Cultural Heritage in Yunnan’s Dali Kingdom
Synopsis: Nestled in the mountains of China’s Yunnan Province is the Dali Kingdom, a once-powerful ancient state known for its rich religious life and artistic heritage. Residents communicated with their gods via an art form called Jiama (甲马), or woodblock printing. Once essential for creating prayer flags and sacred texts, Jiama remains deeply embedded in the region’s culture and traditions to this day. Shuier draws on her deep experience in the region and personal connection to the craft to share the process of Jiama printing, from the intricate carving of wooden blocks to the creation of vibrant prints on cloth and paper. Students will delve into the stories and traditions that have sustained this craft for generations and explore the challenges it now faces: What is the future of such traditional arts, and how can they continue to shape cultural identity in an ever-changing world? Optional woodblock printing demonstration following the presentation. *Available in Mandarin

Speaker: Shuier Zhang is a self-taught woodblock printer, calligrapher, and Dragons Asia Program Director. Born and raised  in China’s Yunnan Province, she is now based in Taiwan. M.A. Interpreting & Translation, University of Westminster; M.Sc. Translation Studies, University of Edinburgh; B.A. English Language & Education, Yunnan Normal University.

 

A Cup of Tea: History, Culture, and Ceremony in China and the World
Synopsis: Did you know that all tea comes from the same plant? Or that tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world (after water)? Learn the fascinating story of tea: a key player in wars and revolutions, as well as an object of art, medicine, and meditation. This presentation delves into the history of tea, from ancient Chinese legends to the Tea Horse Road to its spread around the globe. Madeleine also draws on her time living in tea-producing villages in southwestern China and her travels to the tea mountains of Taiwan and Thailand to share how tea is traditionally grown, harvested, processed, and enjoyed. Optional tea ceremony demonstration and tea tasting following presentation! *Available in Mandarin

Tourism & Tradition on China’s Ethnic Borderlands
Synopsis: When learning about China & Chinese culture, we often focus on Han Chinese culture and traditions. While the Han are the largest ethnic group in China, there are an additional 55 officially-recognized ethnic minority groups, each with their own language, culture, and traditions. Yunnan province, a mountainous region in China’s southwest, is home to 25 of these ethnic minority groups. In 2017, Madeleine spent a year living in ethnic Dai, Jinuo, and Wa villages in southern Yunnan, researching tourism development and its relationship to and impact on traditional culture. In this talk, students will learn about ethnicity in China and discuss the role of tourism in cultural heritage protection, economic development, and commodification. *Available in Mandarin

What is Ethical Travel? Being a Good Guest in Other People’s Homes
Synopsis: International travel & tourism is a trillion-dollar industry encompassing everything from all-inclusive cruises to youth volunteer trips. In this workshop inspired by the travel writing of Bani Amor, students will dig into travel culture and the inequalities that plague it. We will ask big, messy questions such as: How can we be good guests in other people’s homes? How do we grapple with power and privilege abroad?  What does it mean to decolonize travel? Madeleine shares her own reflections from researching tourist villages in southwestern China and leading groups of students abroad in Asia. Students will leave the workshop with a renewed perspective on travel, ideas to keep in mind for future trips, and, likely, more questions than answers.

Speaker: Madeleine Colvin, Fulbright research grant recipient, tea enthusiast, and Dragons instructor in China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. M.Ed Curriculum & Instruction, University of Washington; B.A. International Relations, Pomona College.

 

Traveling in a World of Climate and Social Change
Synopsis: This presentation explores how to travel consciously in a world shaped by climate change and social transformations. It highlights the role of outdoor and global education in fostering a deeper understanding of these challenges. The discussion emphasizes the importance of minimizing environmental impact, respecting local cultures, and developing a resilient and adaptable mindset. By integrating sustainable travel practices with experiential learning and respect for indigenous knowledge, the presentation aims to cultivate empathy, intercultural awareness, and a commitment to building a more just and sustainable future because, in a world where it can feel scary to go out there, the answer isn’t to hide in your bubble, but to engage more honestly with your surroundings. *Available in Spanish

From Global to Local: Indigenous Roots of Latinx Neighborhoods in the United States
Synopsis: This presentation examines the history and development of Latinx neighborhoods in the United States, with a special focus on the preservation of the Spanish language and the cultural connections with Indigenous communities from Guatemala, Peru, and Bolivia. It will explore how migration has shaped these neighborhoods and how Indigenous traditions and languages have been kept alive within these spaces. Additionally, the presentation will analyze the importance of these roots in Latinx identity and their contribution to the cultural and linguistic diversity of the country. Thus, this presentation will allow participants to explore their global community that lives at home and learn a little more about their connection to indigenous and Latinx communities. *Available in Spanish

Speaker: Luis Reyes, Dragons Latin America Program Director. Postdoctoral Fellow in Afro-Latin American Studies, Harvard University; PhD in Social Anthropology, National Museum of Brazil.

 

Why’s Everyone Staring At Me? How Travel Can Help You Harness Anxiety and Find Joy
Synopsis: The stress and anxiety of daily life can leave us feeling overwhelmed and trapped. Find out how travel can open the door to new experiences that help us reshape our reality back home. Rather than just another form of distraction and escapism, discover how traveling beyond your familiar–whether near or far–can help build a healthier relationship to your worries and unlock your joys. Pulling from the latest research in positive psychology, Aaron offers practical and proven tools to foster growth oriented mindsets through travel. A popular talk with students and teachers, attendees will walk away with a greater awareness of the power we have to create a happier reality in big and small ways. 

Speaker: Aaron Slosberg, Director of Programming at Where There Be Dragons. M.A. History, UCLA; B.A. Religion & History, UCLA.

 

Diwali from all Angles: A Feminist Reading of the Ramayana
Synopsis: If you have ever been lucky enough to be in Northern India in late October, you likely experienced Diwali, the Festival of Light; an overtly joyous holiday underlined by fireworks and an abundance of “diyas” (small oil candles) illuminating homes and cities alike. The origin story of this vibrant celebration lies in poet Valmiki’s epic the “Ramayana”- a renowned Sanskrit work over twice the length of Homer’s “Odyssey.” The Ramayana is a complex tale that explores themes of good versus evil, personal responsibility to society, and the idea of what a “perfect,” empowered woman is. In this talk, we will cover the complexities of the Ramayana, approaching it from a feminist perspective. We’ll talk about the steep expectations this story outlines for women in society (both in India and beyond), and we’ll examine the various ways in which the actions of women in this story are interpreted. To conclude, we’ll explore how this 2,500 year-old epic continues to powerfully influence the lives of people in India today, and in doing so, ask ourselves what deeper purpose the yearly celebration of Diwali serves. Throughout our time together, students will gain the opportunity to explore the ways in which cultural touchstones such as the Ramayana affect their experience of the world. They will be given the space to grapple with questions of identity, individuality, and responsibility to self and society.

Why you should take a Gap Year: An Interactive Workshop
Synopsis: Do you have interests you want to explore outside of the classroom? Is the end of high school approaching, but you don’t know what you want to do next? Do you want to gain valuable perspective on the world outside of your bubble? Do you feel burnt out? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then a gap year- an intentional period of time devoted to personal growth and exploration through experiential learning opportunities-* might be for you! In this session, we’ll explore some common myths surrounding the idea of the gap year, and talk about how a gap year can set students up for academic, professional and personal success. We’ll cover valuable tools for planning a gap year and talk through the concrete steps needed to make these plans a reality. We’ll end with a discussion/ Q&A session. Participants will leave this workshop with a plethora of resources for planning their gap year and understanding of the concrete steps needed to create an engaging, successful year for themselves.
*Definition from the Gap Year Association

Speaker: Caroline Livaditis, Outreach Coordinator at Where There Be Dragons. B.A. German, Religious Studies, Colorado College

 

Next Steps

Please reach out to us with questions regarding our specific speakers or to customize programming that fits your classroom needs. Contact [email protected] for more information. Space is limited and we recommend booking soon.