Waterloo, Canada – September 6 – The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is planning a week of activities to mark its 10th anniversary and the opening of the new CIGI Campus.
The CIGI Campus is a new academic facility in Waterloo, with construction nearing completion. Students of the Balsillie School of International Affairs (founded in 2007, with classes currently split over two local university campuses) will be attending classes at the new facility this fall.
The campus is also home to CIGI, a non-partisan, independent think tank on global governance, which will keep its offices in the existing former Seagram Museum building, but hold its public events in the new CIGI Auditorium. Future occupants of the campus may include a proposed program international law, as well as other academic and research institutions.
Activities include:
1. CIGI Campus Celebration – Kickoff event for invited guests in academia, government, the non-for-profit and private sectors. Hosted by Jim Balsillie, CIGI founder and chair. Entertainment featuring an internationally acclaimed Canadian recording artist – details to be announced closer to the event – performing with children from Waterloo-area and Toronto schools.
Although it is an invitation-only event for 200 guests, this event will be available via live-webcast. Anyone in the Waterloo community or beyond will be able to enjoy the musical performances from a computer linked to the Internet (preferably with a high-speed link), by registering for the free webcast.
All media and accompanying technical crews must register in advance (by Sept. 14), for security reasons, and should arrive no later than 10:30 a.m. on the day of the event, particularly if television cameras or other technical set-up is required.
Date: Friday, September 16
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: CIGI Campus, 67 Erb St. W, Waterloo
Media RSVP: [email protected]
2. Doors Open Waterloo Region – Public tours of two venues: CIGI offices (located in the former Seagram Museum and historic distillery warehouse) and the new CIGI Campus.
Date: Saturday, September 17
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: CIGI and CIGI Campus, 57 and 67 Erb St. W,
Media RSVP: [email protected]
3. CIGI conference: Can Think Tanks Make a Difference? – A day-long forum featuring a keynote address and three roundtable discussions on the role of social media in policy innovation, the question of whether governments care more about politics than policy, and the issue of influence – who has it and how to get it.
Date: Tuesday, September 20
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: CIGI Atrium, 57 Erb St. W, Waterloo, ON
Media RSVP: [email protected]
4. Balsillie School of International Affairs – Opening Day - Celebrating the school’s permanent move to the CIGI Campus. This event, a series of seminars, is open to faculty and students only.
Date: Thursday, September 22
Location: CIGI Campus, 67 Erb St. W., Waterloo, ON
5. CIGI Signature Lecture Series – Season kickoff with Dr. James Orbinski, on the topic of “Humanitarianism and Good Global Governance.” Dr. Orbinksi is a globally recognized humanitarian practitioner and advocate, as well as one of the world's leading scholars and scientists in global health.
Date: Thursday, September 22
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Location: CIGI Campus Auditorium, 67 Erb St. W, Waterloo ON
Media RSVP: [email protected]
Webcast/Live RSVP for non-media: http://www.cigionline.org/events/humanitarianism-and-good-global-governance
Additional media advisories will be sent over the coming days. For more information, visit: http://www.cigionline.org/opening-week.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kevin Dias, Communications Specialist, CIGI
Tel: 519.885.2444, ext. 238, Email: [email protected]