BENTON HARBOR — Lake Michigan College will host a series of public and student events on its Benton Harbor campus in honor of International Education Week, Nov. 18 to Nov. 22.

International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. It is celebrated annually across the nation to acknowledge the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.

LMC will host a free, public Lunch and Learn event from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21 in the Todd Center, rooms 1304-1308. Guest speakers Asu Iyakaremye and Imran Mohammad will speak about their experiences as refugees, followed by a question and answer session. LMC will provide international coffee and chocolates made by LMC culinary professor and chocolatier, Chef Luis Amado. Guests should bring their own lunch.

Twenty-five-year-old Imran Mohammad was born stateless in Rohingya. At age 16, he fled Myanmar to save his life and search for freedom. He ended up in a Papua New Guinea detention center on Manus Island for four years where he taught himself to read and write in English before arriving in Chicago in 2018. His story has been featured in the New York Times and ABC’s “Foreign Correspondent” series.

Asu Iyakaremye was just 3 years old when he and his parents escaped the 1994 Rwandan genocide. They eventually landed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Iyakaremye attended college. He now works at Bethany Christian Services helping unaccompanied refugee children.   

Both men are making the most of their new lives in the U.S. as they work through the trauma they experienced on their journeys. They share their stories to bring hope and understanding to others, according to event organizers.

Other International Education Week events include “Listen to Our Stories — Beyond the Borders” from noon to 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18 in the Hawk’s Nest second floor. Guests can view poster displays and picture collages, and hear student-led presentations and audio stories.

Trivia Tuesday will be from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 in the Hawk’s Nest second floor. Student teams will compete in a Jeopardy-style game to test their knowledge of international facts.

International Celebration Day will be hosted Wednesday, Nov. 20 with a parade beginning at 11 a.m. at the Welch Center, a program at noon in the Main Building, and a celebration at 12:30 p.m. in the Hawk’s Nest, second floor.

Those interested can contact info@lakemichigancollege.edu with questions.