Brady C. Mallory

While numerous college students were tanning in South Padre, raving in New York City and surfing in California, a group of SDSU students spent their spring break in Winnipeg, Canada.

From March 8 to March 10, six global studies students attended the University of Winnipeg for a UW student-directed conference, lectures, workshops as well as met with members of the UW Global College and Department of Politics.

These events were structured as a way to get students to consider other ways of life besides what they know in the United States – the primary goal for their spring break in Canada.

“We would like to get an exchange program going between the faculty and students of SDSU and the University of Winnipeg,” said Nels Granholm, SDSU coordinator of global studies.

“It would open up appreciation and awareness for each other.”

Granholm said he got the idea after reading the book “Navigating A New World” by the president of the University of Winnipeg and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lloyd Axworthy. President Axworthy offered his thoughts on relationships between neighboring countries.

“Living next to a neighbor like the United States is like making love to a porcupine, you have to do it carefully,” wrote President Axworthy.

Granholm said to realize the goal for an exchange program between the University of Winnipeg and SDSU, much must be done. Times and dates must be set, course curriculums need to be designed and grants need to be secured. He said the key to the exchange program is student participation.

Granholm said that this would be a wonderful opportunity for students because it is, “important to understand their (other countries’) points of view, and for them to understand ours.”

During their time in Winnipeg, the students were able to attend Senator Romeo Dallaire’s human rights lecture. Author of the book “Shake Hands with the Devil,” which deals with the reasons and events surrounding the Holocaust, Dallaire was able to provide answers the students had on the necessary steps to preventing future holocausts.

Other events included topics relating to Native American issues, the United Nations Human Rights Commission Reform and international relations.