About Few social activities have the ability to bring people together like sports. From the time of the original Olympic Games in ancient Greece, life and even wars were put on hold to create space for spirited but friendly competition. With the prospect of escaping the social isolation of the global pandemic, and with growing political and social polarization in the United States and around the world, many crave a return to the normal non-political “hysteria” of sports as a diversion and as a vehicle for bringing people together to further the larger social goals of peace, understanding, tolerance and sportsmanship. Therefore, ICWA believes that March is the perfect time to feature a program on “Diplomacy Through Sports: The Globalization of Sport and Societal Change”. Coming just as “March Madness” is tipping off in Indianapolis, this program promises to (1) address the ways that sports diplomacy aligns with US foreign policy goals to strengthen relationships between the United States and other nations, (2) discuss the growth of “world sports” and the opportunities they create to foster better understanding among people from different cultures and countries, (3) raise awareness of the opportunities available to American and international athletes to compete at the university and professional levels, (4) explore the evolving roles of athletes as cultural ambassadors and advocates for social change, and (5) acknowledge the impact that US inclusion policies have had on creating opportunities for girls and women to enjoy the benefits that sports teach, such as, communication, teamwork and leadership. Dr. Ashleigh Huffman Dr. Huffman joined the Office of Sports Diplomacy at the State Department in January 2020 from Athletes for Hope, where she was Global Director of Gender Equity. She is an experienced educator and entrepreneur in the global sports diplomacy and women’s empowerment movements. Throughout her career, Ashleigh has traveled the world, training more than 10,000 sports leaders from 75+ countries in sport for social change. Ashleigh is the co-founder of the University of Tennessee’s Center for Sport, Peace, and Society, where she worked with government, corporations, universities, sports leagues, and nonprofits to align interests and combine powers in the sports diplomacy and social change spheres. As a former professor, Ashleigh also served as the lead faculty member for the VOLeaders Academy, a program created to empower student-athletes to use their platform as a force for good. Ashleigh is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a PhD in Sociocultural Studies and a Master’s Degree in Sport Management. As an undergraduate, Ashleigh was the captain of her basketball team at Eastern Kentucky University. Detlef Schrempf Detlef is a German-American retired professional basketball player who spent 16 seasons in the NBA including 4 with the Indiana Pacers. He was a three-time NBA All Star and represented Germany in the 1984 and 1992 Olympic Games. Detlef studied International Business at the University of Washington, where he was an All-American basketball player. The Detlef Schrempf Foundation supported Northwest children and their families for 25 years and built a diplomatic outreach program to Muslim countries. He was a founding board member of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership and now works with multiple charities on their fundraising efforts. He is also leading a campaign for racial justice. Greg Stremlaw Stremlaw is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Indy Eleven Professional Soccer and is helping to lead the new Eleven Park development project in Indianapolis. As CEO for Indy Sports & Entertainment, he is part of an executive team focused on the construction and design of an open air stadium, commercial and retail space, apartments, a boutique hotel, and other public spaces. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from Western University, an M.B.A. from the University of Maine, an M.S. Ed in Sport Management from the University of Miami, Florida and he recently completed a Harvard Executive Education at Harvard Law School. Elizabeth Thompson Thompson is the associate director of international outreach and education for the NCAA Eligibility Center. She holds degrees in both International Relations and French from the University of Indianapolis. During her 11 years with the NCAA, Elizabeth has held various roles surrounding international student-athlete eligibility—from answering questions for NCAA member schools, students and parents, to overseeing the international academic certification process and relevant NCAA committees. Her current role, by far her favorite yet, entails educating prospective future international student-athletes and those who work closely with them on what it takes to become eligible for the NCAA and all of the opportunities in the U.S.

About the Topic While all will find Ms. Umesiri's presentation enlightening, it will especially be pertinent to the many Indiana businesses that are interested in trade and investment opportunities in Africa. Further, through this webinar students of business, global affairs, and African studies will better understand the political and business trends in this dynamic continent. In her presentation, Ms. Umesiri will argue that the countries of Africa can no longer be ignored because: • After the passing of the African Continent Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the world’s largest trade bloc is in Africa. • The population on the continent of Africa is projected to double by 2050 from 1.1 billion people to about 2.2 billion. • Prior to COVID-19, Africa had 6 of the top 10 fastest growing economies in the world, a burgeoning middle class, and a fast-paced rate of urbanization. • 60% of the world’s remaining arable land is in Africa. • With a youth-bubble of 70% of the population under 35, Africa is positioned as the next global economic engine. About the Speaker Ms. Toyin Umesiri is the CEO of Nazaru LLC and Founder of the Trade with Africa® Network. Ms. Umesiri spent over a decade in corporate America at Walmart and Whirlpool Corporations. She brings sector-specific market insights on trade with and investments in Africa. Further, Ms. Umesiri is regarded as a global influencer and serves as Intra-African Trade Ambassador by appointment of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and African Union (AU); governing body of the 55 African nations. She is an inspirational speaker featured as a Leading Woman in Technology on the platform the Spark Women, was published in the book: LEADING WOMEN, recognized as one of Nigeria’s 100 Most Inspiring Women by Leading Ladies Africa and featured as one of the "Who's Who" of the Nigerian Diaspora.

About the Topic For over a decade, Carl Wilkens has been sharing stories around the globe to inspire and equip people to “enter the world of The Other.” He was the only American who chose to stay in Kigali, Rwanda throughout the 1994 genocide. Venturing out each day into streets crackling with mortars and gunfire, he worked his way through roadblocks of angry, bloodstained soldiers and civilians armed with machetes and assault rifles in order to bring food, water and medicine to groups of orphans trapped around the city. Working with Rwandan colleagues, they helped save the lives of hundreds. His harrowing yet hopeful journey weaves together stories of tremendous risk and fierce compassion in the midst of senseless slaughter. In 2011, Carl completed a book detailing his experiences titled "I’m Not Leaving." A 40-minute documentary by the same title has since been released. (Click here to check out the documentary trailer.) Carl’s storytelling does not stop with Rwanda’s tragic history, but moves forward to the powerful and inspiring recovery process. Among the many lessons he shares from his experience is the transformative belief that we don’t have to be defined by what we lost or our worst choices. We can be defined by what we do with what remains - what we do next after terrible choices. Each year he returns to Rwanda with students and educators to see for themselves how people are working together to rebuild their country and rebuild trust. Rwanda’s story is a powerful platform to launch meaningful conversations under the broad umbrella of learning to live together. Stories of the genocide are explored and how respect leads to empathy, resulting in inclusion (REI).