August 2008

August 12 Tuesday

6:00-8:00 PM

International Book Club:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Time: 6:00-8:00 PM
Date: August 12th, 2008
Location: The World Affairs Council Office
2218 Devine Street Columbia, SC 29205
Cost: Free for WAC members and friends! What to Bring: A dish to pass, your book, and lots of ideas to share. Beverages will be provided.
RSVP to programs@columbiawac.org or call (803)252-2197

Remember to ask for your World Affairs Council discount when you purchase your International Book Club selection at The Happy Bookseller!

Dreams, symbols, signs, and adventure follow the reader like echoes of ancient wise voices in "The Alchemist", a novel that combines an atmosphere of Medieval mysticism with the song of the desert. With this symbolic masterpiece Coelho states that we should not avoid our destinies, and urges people to follow their dreams, because to find our "Personal Myth" and our mission on Earth is the way to find "God", meaning happiness, fulfillment, and the ultimate purpose of creation.

   The novel tells the tale of Santiago, a boy who has a dream and the courage to follow it. After listening to "the signs" the boy ventures in his personal, Ulysses-like journey of exploration and self-discovery, symbolically searching for a hidden treasure located near the pyramids in Egypt.

August 20 Wednesday

12:00-2:00 PM

Distinguished Speakers Series Luncheon
Global Water Crisis and Solutions with
Water Missions International

Sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

Time: 12:00pm-2:00pm
Date: August 20, 2008
Location: The Palmetto Club
1231 Sumter Street
Columbia , SC
Cost: Members: $20; Non-Members: $27

About Water Missions International:

Water Missions International (WMI) is a nonprofit, Charleston-based engineering organization serving the water and sanitation needs of people in developing countries and disaster areas. WMI uses low-maintenance, appropriate water technologies for drinking water treatment and distribution, wastewater management, and storm water control.

WMI’s mission is to provide sustainable access to safe water and an opportunity to hear the "Living Water" message in developing countries and disaster areas.

WMI’s vision is that no person should perish for want of safe drinking water or an opportunity to hear the "Living Water" message.

Clean water is the source of life. It is the foundation for health, education, and viable economies. Through the generous support of individuals, churches, nonprofits, and businesses, WMI has brought relief and hope to more than a million people across the globe.

RSVP to programs@columbiawac.org or call (803)252-2197

August 26
Tuesday

5:30-7:00 PM

August New Member Happy Hour
Sponsored by FN Manufacturing

Join the World Affairs Council as we welcome the newest members of our global family! To help us acquaint them with WAC, stop in, have a drink, and socialize with us. Also, don't forget to introduce your friends to the Columbia WAC. If you remember to bring someone new to the Council’s New Members Happy Hour, admission is free!
This time, we'll be at one of Columbia's newest and coolest summer retreats, the Blue Tapas Bar and Cocktail Lounge!

Time: 5:30-7:00 PM
Date: August 26, 2008
Location: Blue Tapas Bar & Cocktail Lounge
721A Lady Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Cost: Free for guest and members who bring guest; $5 for members without a guest.
RSVP to programs@columbiawac.org or call (803)252-2197

August 27
Wednesday

7:00 PM

Global Lens 2008 International Film Screening:
The Kite (Le Cerf-Volant) from Lebanon

Brought to you by the Columbia World Affairs Council, the Walker Institute of International and Area Studies, and the Global Film Initiative

Join the World Affairs Council for a 5-part series that showcases film talent from around the world. Selections are made based on authentic voice, strong cinematics, and unique cultural perspectives. Columbia was chosen as one of only 40 US cities to host this stunning collection.

Time: 7:00 PM
Date: August 27, 2008
Location: University of South Carolina's Gambrell Hall
Room 429
1400 Greene Street
Columbia, SC 29229
Cost: Free to members and guests
RSVP to programs@columbiawac.org or call (803)252-2197

About The Kite:

In director Randa Chahal Sabbag's ‘fairytale for troubled times,’ sixteen-year old Lamia must cross a border checkpoint between Lebanon and Israel to marry a man she has never met. Neither she nor her betrothed are eager to consummate a marriage to a stranger—a matter further complicated by Lamia's surprising admission that she is in love with the Israeli soldier guarding the border. Sabbag's enchanting drama about marriage and tradition is underscored by delicate symbolism and artful references to politics of Lebanon's territories that have been annexed.