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WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NAFSA: Association of International Educators (www.nafsa.org) is pleased to announce Grammy-nominated international music superstar Aloe Blacc as the special performer for the opening celebration of the 68^th Annual Conference and Expo in Denver, Colo. NAFSA's "Building Capacity for Global Learning" conference will take place at the Colorado Convention Center, May 29 – June 3, 2016. The conference is the world's largest gathering of international education professionals, with more than 10,000 attendees drawn from more than 100 countries.

Blacc, called "The Ethical Superstar" by LA Weekly, combines his passion for social activism with his personal sonic blend of R&B, jazz, and hip hop. His focus on social issues, including immigration rights and racial equality, complements values pursued by NAFSA and its members to foster understanding and respect among people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives for an interconnected world characterized by peace, security, and well-being for all. This exclusive concert for NAFSA's conference attendees will be held at The Galleria at the Denver Performing Arts Complex on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

In addition to Blacc's concert, the conference will feature more than 200 sessions and workshops focusing on topics in international education and exchange, and global learning, along with four visionary plenary speakers from the spheres of social justice, advocacy and journalism:

• David Brooks will be the opening plenary speaker on May 31. An op-ed columnist for the New York Times, as well as author and contributor to several other media outlets, Brooks often focuses on topics connected to higher education and international affairs.
• Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, legal scholar, and author, will speak the following day, June 1. Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu called Stevenson "America's young Nelson Mandela" for his work in defending – including cases before the United States Supreme Court – the rights of those marginalized in society.
• Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, journalist, author, and fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, speaks on June 2. Lemmon frequently writes about empowering women in developing countries through economic investment and has also reported on female soldiers in Afghanistan.
• Kailash Satyarthi closes the plenary speaking portion on June 3. The 2014 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and global chair of the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation fights for children's rights around the world, including eliminating child labor and providing access to a quality education.

Learn more about the speakers at www.nafsa.org/ac16plenaries.

Early bird registration opens on March 1, 2016. Visit www.nafsa.org/ac16registration to begin your conference experience.

About the NAFSA Conference

NAFSA's 68^th Annual Conference and Expo is the world's largest gathering of professionals in international education with an expected 10,000 attendees from more than 100 countries. The conference offers a wide array of learning and networking opportunities for international educators, and features more than 200 sessions and workshops focusing on the most crucial topics in international education and exchange and global learning. 

A major highlight of the conference is the International Education Expo Hall, which features more than 400 exhibitors representing hundreds of organizations from around the world, including colleges and universities; study abroad and intensive-English programs; embassies and government agencies; and more. The conference theme for 2016 is "Building Capacity for Global Learning." It will be held in Denverhttp://www.nafsa.org/conference, May 31 - June 3, 2016.

Learn more at www.nafsa.org/denver. 

About NAFSA

With more than 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education. Visit us at www.nafsa.org. To learn more about our advocacy efforts on behalf of international education, visit www.ConnectingOurWorld.org.

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SOURCE NAFSA: Association of International Educators