Shaher Bano Walajahi ‘04, Pakistan, has been selected as a fellow in the pilot program of the European Capacity Building Initiative (ECBI). This new initiative is a joint project of Oxford University and the Swedish Agency for International Development and it aims to enhance the capacity of delegates and other stakeholders from targeted developing countries to participate effectively in climate change negotiations and to generate trust by bringing together developing country stakeholders and their European counterparts. The ECBI comprises a fellowship, a workshop, and a policy analysis program. The goal of the fellowship program is to build south-south and north-south trust and facilitate institutional and procedural knowledge exchange.

Nilufer Narli ‘93, Turkey, is now vice-rector at Bahcesehir University. Prior to taking this post, Narli served as the Dean of Faculty of Communication at Kadir Has University.

José Ugaz ’04, Peru, spoke at an international conference on transparency and access to public information in Santiago organized in part by Francisco Orrego ’05, Chile, and his organization Fundación Pro Bono. Ugaz spoke on behalf of the World Bank, joining the many speakers from Europe, the United States, and throughout Latin America who addressed over 200 attendees. United States Ambassador Craig Kelly, Director of British Council John Knagg, representatives of Chile’s presidential candidates, and the head of the Chilean supreme court, with leaders from government, law, and non-profits, were among those in attendance.

David Hyman ’02, USA, was named as a “Pennsylvania Super Lawyer” for 2005. The award is determined by peer selection among the 36,000 attorneys in the state. Hyman is a managing partner for Kleinbard Bell & Brecker and practices in the area of government relations. Hyman is involved in numerous community and philanthropic activities.

Rapee Sucharitakul ’00, Thailand, recently accepted the post of chairman of the Board of Directors, Kasikorn Securities, a component of Kasikorn Bank, a leading financial services conglomerate and public company in Thailand. Rapee was formerly the assistant secretary-general of the Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission.

Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program, directed by Jane Golden ’03, USA, is the recipient of $550,000 in new grants which will be used in renovating the building next to the current headquarters. The extra space will allow Mural Arts to double the number of at-risk youth it currently serves and provide additional room to create new programs. Under the Mural Arts program, young artists have created 2,500 murals throughout the city since 1984.

Read more about the grants here.

Ran Coble ’01, USA, Executive Director of the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research hosted a forum for the Fellows of the Research Triangle area to review the recently concluded North Carolina legislative session. Each of the 10 Fellows attending reported on a particular piece of legislation or advocacy issue in which they had been involved. Topics ranged from transportation and environmental issues, covered by Nina Szlosberg ’03, to economic development, led by Ted Abernathy ’01, land use as addressed by John Hodges-Copple ’00, urban issues as seen by Beau Mills ’05, education by Tony Habit ‘00, and Joan Myers ’05 highlighted technology.

Ted Abernathy ’01, head of the RTNC Fellows alumni association reported that the Fellows will continue to bring the group together around topics on a quarterly basis. Kathy Higgins ‘05, vice president of community relations, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, will take the lead in a December meeting when the state of health in North Carolina is addressed.

EF President John Wolf hosted a private dinner, attended by Philadelphia Fellows, with Ambassador Richard A. Boucher on September 13 in Philadelphia. Ambassador Boucher has served as State Department spokesman or deputy spokesman under six secretaries of state, most recently for Secretary Rice. The dinner, which covered a broad range of US foreign policy issues, was attended by Greg Goldman ’03, vice president, Korman Communities; Anne Gordon ’01, managing editor, The Philadelphia Inquirer; Tine Hansen-Turton ’05, executive director, National Nursing Centers Consortium; David Hyman ’02, partner, Kleinbard, Bell & Brecker, LLP; Thomas Lussenhop ’01, principal, OFH LLC; John Osborn ’98, senior vice president & general counsel Cephalon Corporation; Robert Powelson ’05, president & CEO, Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry; and David Thornburgh ’00, executive director, Pennsylvania Economy League.