Crossing Borders Conference
2009 Conference
Brock University will host the event on March 26th and 27th. Please save the date. Questions can be directed to Donna Banach.
A Brief History
In the summer of 1995, the Steering Committee of the Golden Horseshoe Educational Alliance decided that a bi-national conference would be an excellent means by which to develop academic relations between students throughout the cross-border region. Crossing Borders became a reality in March of 1996 as students convened at Niagara University to share ideas and discuss a wide range of cross-border issues. Since then, the conference has become an annual event and has flourished, receiving attention from key sectors of the academic community. The conference has been generously supported by both the U.S. Consulate General, Toronto and the Canadian Consulate General, Buffalo as well as government officials and scholars from both sides of the border.
Beginning in 2008, the annual conference will be hosted in alternate years by The University at Buffalo and Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario.
Click here to join Crossing Borders.
Click here to take the 2008 Crossing Borders Conference Survey.
April 3rd and 4th, 2008
Program can be accessed here: CB08 Program
This is the 12th year for the Crossing Borders Conference and a first for this year's host, the University at Buffalo, SUNY, in association with the Consulate General of Canada (Buffalo) and the Consulate General of the United States (Toronto). The Conference brings students and faculty together from Southern Ontario, New York State and Western Pennsylvania with a focus on Canada-US, and various cross-border issues.
The opening reception was held at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and the guest speaker was Lauren Rachlin. Lauren Rachlin, Esq. is a partner in the Buffalo and Toronto offices of Hodgson Russ, LLP. He is a graduate of the University at Buffalo and has a JD from Harvard Law School. His practice focuses on international business law with particular reference to Canada. A long-time leader in the cross-border community in Buffalo, Mr. Rachlin is a founder, officer, and director of the Canada-U.S. BorderNet Alliance, an organization of businesses focused on the development of trade, tourism, and investment in the international region linking Toronto, Hamilton, Buffalo, Niagara, Rochester, and Syracuse. Mr. Rachlin has served as an expert on dispute resolution panels under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He has served as a member of the U.S. Delegation to the U.N. Human Rights Commission and serves by appointment on the U.S. Trade Representative’s International Trade Advisory Committee on Customs and Trade Facilitation. He lectures frequently on international legal matters and has published many articles on these issues.
Below are a few photos from the opening reception.
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Associate Deans Munroe Eagles (UB), |
John B. Simpson, President, University at Buffalo |
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Bruce D. McCombe, Dean |
Mr. Nicholas J. Giacobbe, Jr. |
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Guest speaker, Mr. Lauren Rachlin, Esq. |
The conference was held at the University at Buffalo, Center for Tomorrow.
Colonel Keith A. Swensen, USAF, Chief, Aerospace Division, NORAD-USNORTHCOM presented the keynote address, "North American Aerospace Defense Command".
A few of the student presentations
More photos can be found on the U.S. Consulate Toronto webpage
page updated: July 24, 2008
