Hey all, I'll be part of a UK panel talk in London on the 29th JAN =) I'm excited about it especially as i'm always love to meet new adoption groups =).

SIGN UP BY JAN 17th.

TAUK (Thai Adoption UK) is organising an Adult Adoptee Seminar. A panel of 3 Thai adoptees, a Vietnamese/Hong Kong and a domestic adoptee will discuss issues of identity, ethnicity, relationships, growing up and more. You don't need a Thai adoption connection to attend. This is an excellent opportunity for any adoptive parents & prospective adopters to gain insight into the lives of adult adoptees.

Date: Sat. JAN 29th 2011
Time: Registration & coffee from 9am. Prompt start 10am-3.30pm
Location: Buddhapadipa Temple, 14 Calonne Rd, Wimbledon Parkside, London, SW19 5HJ UK
Cost: £15 per person or £25 per couple

Please confirm your attendance by JAN 17th by emailing dalibor.gudrun@gmail.com. Checks sent by the JAN 17th made payable to TAUK posted to TAUK, 15 Cedar Rd, Teddington, TW11 9AN or email for details for a bank transfer.

Tea and coffee will be provided, please bring a packed lunch.

We are pleased to announce that Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam will screen at the Princess Twin, 46 King Street North, in Waterloo, Ontario on Saturday, January 22, 2011 from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm.

The screening will be followed promptly by a Q & A session with cast members Robert and Sarah Ballard, who teach in the Speech Communication program at the University of Waterloo, and their family and are featured in the film. In addition, Jared Rehberg, cast member and associate producer of the film, will be present and will offer his acoustic musical styling in a reception to follow. Refreshments will be provided at the reception and will include a variety of finger foods and a cash bar. The reception is scheduled to end at 3pm. This event is free and open to the public! Doors will open at 10:00 am.

The film screening is being held as a fundraiser for the Vietnam Education Society (www.vietnameducation.ca), a Canadian-based non-profit helping to build schools throughout Vietnam.

Although admission to the film is free, a ticket is required and cash donations are welcome. To reserve your place at the screening and to make a donation, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1089218883. Be sure to specify your donation amount when you order tickets. Credit donations are subject to a small fee, but cheque and cash donations will be taken at the door or can be mailed in advance (see the registration page for details). All proceeds will go directly to support the Vietnam Education Society.

The film coincides with an interactive panel entitled, “Everything you always wanted to know about being adopted but were afraid to ask.” The panel will feature three international and transracial adult adoptees from Vietnam and Korea who will share their life and experience being adopted and growing up in Canada and the United States. The panel will be held on Friday, January 21, 2011 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm on the University of Waterloo campus (specific room to be announced). Admission is free!


About the film:

The film, Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam, tells the significant yet untold story of the $2 million dollar US initiative that airlifted over 2,500 Vietnamese orphans out of a war-torn country to protect them from the impending threat of the Communist regime. Orphans were airlifted to the US, Canada, and Australia. These adoptees grew up facing unique challenges, including prejudice overshadowed by a controversial war and cultural identity crisis. Featuring compelling and insightful interviews of the volunteers, parents, and organizations directly involved, the movie takes a contemporary look at Babylift and its relevance to international adoption today. It also follows the Ballard family as they move through their adoption journey of an adoptee choosing to adopt a child from Vietnam. The film was a passionate team effort that took 4 years to produce. Children are welcome (ticket required), but there are some emotional moments in the film that younger viewers may not understand. To find out more about the film, visit http://www.thebabylift.com


About the panelists:

Robert “Bert” Ballard, Ph.D., is a Vietnamese adoptee airlifted in 1975. He is an assistant professor in Speech Communication at the University of Waterloo where he writes, speaks, and researches international and transracial adoption. He was the recent co-chair of the Intercountyr Adoption Summit.

Michelle Fallesen is Michelle Fallesen is co-founder of the Canadian Korean Adoptee Network. Over the last 20 years she has worked with a variety of adoptive organizations providing pre and post placement services to children, adults and families.

Katie Nixon is a Vietnamese adoptee evacuated in 1975. She grew up in Ontario and now lives in Exeter, Ontario.

Chinese Adult Adoptee Worldwide Reunion 2010, Hong Kong
Theme: Journey Through Adoption
http://www.caawr.com/

We are planning our first adult adoptee reunion for September 29 – October 2, 2010 with the goal of coming together to share, support, and bond with other adoptees and orphans. The reunion program will include group discussion sessions, social activities, and panel speakers. The program focuses on Hong Kong adoption because of the reunion location and availability of guest speakers.

This Intercountry Adoption Summit is being planned by Bert Ballard.

To address the growing international concerns surrounding intercountry adoption and the need to reduce corruption and human trafficking while maximizing the best interests of children, the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada is hosting a first-ever Intercountry Adoption Summit.

This Summit has two goals:
- To bring together the most influential countries of origin and receiving countries involved in intercountry adoption to share research, practices, experiences, and current status related to intercountry adoption.

- To bring together the top researchers in intercountry adoption from around the world to share findings and explore ideas in an interdisciplinary format.

The Intercountry Adoption Summit is essentially two distinct, but connected international gatherings held during one 4-day event from September 23 - September 26, 2010 in Stratford, Ontario. The Summit brings a global and interdisciplinary perspective to the conversation about intercountry adoption.

Registration fees for the Summit are: $280 CAD for early bird rate (until June 19, 2010); $380 CAD regular rate
To register for the summit, visit http://adoptionsummit.uwaterloo.ca/registration.html

This is a not-to-be missed conference for anyone – professionals, practitioners, researchers, policymakers - who is involved in intercountry and international adoption! For more information, visit http://adoptionsummit.uwaterloo.ca

Link to more info...

Jess will do a talk about her art and adoption experiences with the Midland Post Adoption Support Group. She is very much looking forward to it as she rarely personally gives talks to non-arts communities about her art. Plus she loves going to Ireland as everyone there is always lovely to her.

Transracial Parenting Networking Group London Satellite Site Presents - What does(n’t) it mean to be adopted?

Dr. Robert Ballard, Assistant Professor, Communication, Leadership and Social Innovation, University of Waterloo & Ms. Sarah Ballard, M.A., Colorado Licensed Professional Counselor

Grounded in the Ballards’ personal narratives, this presentation explores some of the misunderstandings and challenges faced by adoptees and their families. The Ballards offer practical experience, scholarly research, and concrete advice for adoptive families and adoption policy. There will be a Q & A session following their presentation.

This event is free and open to the public!

You can download a flier about the event [HERE] and a flier about Transracial Parenting Networking Group London Satellite Site Presents [HERE].

Jessica Emmett will be working on making custom made bags with the kids & teens of CACH at the annual CACH REUNION 2010.

Keynote Speaker, Robert Ballard, will address the narrative burden that is part of every adoptees journey, offering suggestions for what is required for adopted children and youth to feel in control of their own story. 
For more information and registration form, please download the PDF from [HERE].

Jess will be doing a comic art workshop with the YAP (Young Adopted People) in association with  ICCG (Irish-Chinese Contact Group). It’s part of their bigger Year of the Tiger event in Wexford. She will show how humor & visuals can effectively communicate messages. And most importantly have a bit of fun doing some art =D.

Link to more info...

Bert will be doing a talk as part of Adopted to Adopting. Adopted to Adopting will present the personal perspectives and experiences of adoptees and adoptive parents as they offer important insights about the current and future state of international and transracial adoption.

Link to more info...