Trinity College professor addresses Three Cups of Tea Controversy June 29

NEW HAVEN - Shafqat Hussain will present "Cups of Tea and Snow Leopards: Addressing Community Projects in Northern Pakistan" at 6 p.m. June 29 at New Haven Public Library, 133 Elm St.

Hussain is assistant professor of Anthropology at Trinity College and recipient of the 2009 National Geographic Emerging Explorer Award for his work in the same region that catapulted Greg Mortenson, author of "THREE CUPS OF TEA" into the public eye, according to a statement.

Writing recently in the political newsletter "Counterpunch," Hussain said of the Mortenson controversy:

"OK, maybe just one cup of tea and not three, and just three schools not eleven. Whatever the truth about numbers, Greg Mortenson did a commendable job of building some schools in the peaceful and never-Talibanised Baltistan… But Mortenson's story is not really about Greg or the numbers. Rather it is about something else."

A native of Pakistan prior to receiving his education in the United States, Hussain has worked for 18 years on rural development and conservation programs in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan, including an innovative project for snow leopard conservation, the statement said.  This is the same region where Mortenson started his school-building project and Hussain will share his observations about conditions and realities that affect community projects in that region.  

There is no charge and free parking is available. For more information visit http://www.hussainjune29.eventbrite.com/ or 203-946-7431.

Coming up at Main Library:

May 19, 4:30-6:30pm--Subway Supper Seminar: Organizational Use of Social Media, with Danielle Cyr of Co-Communications, in collaboration with CT Assoc. of Nonprofits and funded by Frederick A. Deluca Foundation and Subway Restaurants. Advance registration required or call 203-946-7431.

Editor's Note: All information in this post was contributed.