In brief

Teen conference is set for Arab Americans

The Harvard Society of Arab Students is sponsoring a one-day conference for Arab-American teenagers on April 27 in Harvard Yard. The Conference at Harvard for Arab-American Teenagers, or CHAAT, will focus on topics such as college admissions, career planning, cultural identity, and dealing with discrimination. Between 50 and 100 high school students of Arab descent from the Greater Boston area are scheduled to attend. For more information, contact Rita Hamad at (617) 493-2363.

Haitian Initiative to celebrate ‘Open Gate’

The David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies Haitian Initiative will celebrate the publication of “Open Gate,” the first bilingual volume of Haitian Creole poetry published in English, on May 17 (from 4 to 6 p.m.) at 61 Kirkland St. Guest speakers and poets from Haiti, New York, and Boston will join renowned Haitian poet Paul Laraque, co-editor of the anthology, in celebrating the book’s launching. For more information, contact Jill Netchinsky Toussaint at (617) 495-3366.

Annual competition for Fulbright grants to open

Beginning May 1, the U.S. Department of State, the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, and the Institute of International Education (IIE) will open competition for 2003-04 Fulbright and related grants for graduate study, research abroad, and professional training in the creative and performing arts.

For all grants, applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application and hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent by the beginning date of the grant. Creative and performing artists are not required to have a bachelor’s degree, but they must have four years of relevant training or study. Candidates in medicine must have an M.D. or equivalent at the time of application.

Currently enrolled students should contact the designated Fulbright program adviser in their Harvard school. For more information, visit IIE’s Web site at http://www.iie.org/fulbright/us.

Last ‘Sackler Saturday’ of the year

The Sackler Museum will hold its final “Sackler Saturday” event of the year – “Ancient Writing” – this Saturday (April 27) at 10 a.m. Children ages 6 to 11 and their families will learn how to write their name in hieroglyphics and make cuneiform symbols on clay tablets. This event is free and open to all. Call (617) 495-4402 for further information.

Walk sponsorship offered

For the 16th consecutive year, the Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs will contribute 50 cents for each mile walked or hour volunteered by Harvard faculty, staff, students, and retirees participating in the Walk for Hunger (to be held on May 5) or the AIDS Walk (on June 2). For more information, call (617) 495-4955.

Forum on youth, violence

A forum titled “Youth, Violence, Mental Health, and Reconciliation” will be held on May 6 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Askwith Forum, Longfellow Hall. The forum was planned to coincide with the UN’s General Assembly Special Session on Children, to be held May 8-10 in New York. The Rev. Ray Hammond of the Boston 10-Point Coalition, Peace to the City Initiative, will deliver the keynote speech.

– Compiled by Andrew Brooks