We broke new musical ground with two innovative programs, CenterStage and OneBeat. CenterStage brings performing artists from Haiti, Indonesia and Pakistan to perform in 60 small and mid-sized cities, giving Main Street America a chance to experience international culture without stepping on a plane. Meanwhile, OneBeat brings 32 musicians from 21 countries -- including the United States -- to eight East Coast cities to collaborate and make new music together.
That tradition continues with this year's American Music Abroad, which will send twelve American musical groups to travel abroad to over 40… more »
To mobilize support for teachers worldwide and to ensure we can meet the educational needs of future generations, the State Department celebrates the 19th annual UNESCO World Teachers' Day. Whether through an alphabet lesson or a taste of astrophysics, teachers are at the start of every journey. Educators in and out of the classroom are responsible for so much good in the world, and it's only fitting that we honor their contributions.
This week, the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs hosted a two-day symposium for teachers interested in integrating global content into their lesson plans. Participants included 68 American… more »
The inaugural Youth TechCamp Bangladesh launched on September 16, and Dhaka has been buzzing ever since! Youth TechCamp Bangladesh was the latest in a series of interactive trainings around the world for alumni of State's youth exchange programs. In Bangladesh, 30 alumni (ages 17-19) from our Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program participated, learning how to use technology and social media to impact their communities for the better.
This month, the State Department welcomed 25 chefs and foodies from all over the world to Washington, D.C., as part of an exciting new International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). From Brazil to Vietnam, every country in the world has a unique food culture, and the United States is no exception. Throughout this IVLP, participants are meeting with high profile chefs to discuss the influences of food and culture on American communities.
Their U.S. exchange coincides with the Office of the Chief of Protocol's launch of the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership, which seeks to elevate the role of culinary engagement in America's formal and public diplomacy efforts. At the… more »
On Thursday, I met with 17 inspiring women from Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Macedonia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Tajikistan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Individually, they're up-and-comers in the world of sports -- as athletes, coaches, reporters, and managers. Together, they're the inaugural class of the U.S. Department of State and espnW Global Sports Mentoring Program. The group arrived at the State Department this morning for an orientation to kick off their month-long mentorships with leading American women in sports-related fields.
For the next four weeks, these emerging leaders will work alongside their American mentors from ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut,… more »
Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer in the United States. If they haven't already done so, students all across our country are heading back to school this week. And for more than 270,000 of them, this school year will also be the start of a whole other adventure -- studying abroad!
If you want to understand another country and its culture, institutions, and languages, there's no substitute for living there, whether for a few weeks, a semester, a year, or longer. The friendships that these experiences foster are life-changing, and they form the basis of our country's international relationships for years to come. Students with that experience are more confident and better prepared to engage globally. Studying abroad also enriches the campuses and communities around you.
In short, study abroad expands your world: new insights, places, and people… more »
This program empowers future leaders from all over the world with the technological training and tools to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.
Building on a series of TechCamps hosted by the State Department to increase the digital literacy of civil society groups, the Youth TechCamp will involve 21 young adults, aged 18-23 from Egypt, Indonesia, India, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia, Mozambique, Philippines, Russia, Thailand, and… more »
With the London Olympics beginning later this month, international sports are on everyone's mind. This week, though, the spotlight shines on 20 young Americans who are in Moscow for an exciting two-week swimming exchange program. During their time in Russia's capital, the swimmers will mix intensive athletic training with city tours and cultural immersion programs -- all alongside their Russian peers.
This exchange is just the latest in a series of sports programs that fall under the Bilateral Presidential Commission. We welcomed Russian swimmers to the United States in 2010. We have also run programs with… more »
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word "geek?" For 25 teenage girls from the Middle East and North Africa, the answer is "chic!"
As participants in TechGirls, one of the newest programs sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, these computer-savvy "geeks” recently wrapped up a three-week visit to the United States, where they connected with their American peers and learned new technology skills.
A highlight of their program was connecting with interns from Harvard University's Berkman Center… more »
I am thrilled to be welcoming the first-ever class of TechGirls to the United States next week! TechGirls connects and supports the next generation of women in technology sectors by providing them the access and opportunity needed to pursue higher education and eventually careers in technology. We've got an exciting program in the works and are grateful for the support from the technology community.
Building on the State Department's landmark TechWomen program, TechGirls brings teenage girls ages 15-17 from the Middle East and North Africa to the United States for a three-week exchange. The girls will travel to Washington, D.C. and New York City for workshops and visits with a broad range of American innovators,… more »
Thank you, Jonathan, for this insightful post on World Food Day and the importance of strengthening our efforts as an international community to end world hunger…
more »
Spokesperson Nuland (Oct. 17): "Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Michael Posner, led a 22-member interagency delegation from the U.S. to discuss the full range of human rights issues affecting the country." more »
Oct. 16: Judith Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights, held a conversation with Ann Cody, Director of Policy and Global Outreach, BlazeSports; and Kirk Bauer, Executive Director of Disabled Sports USA. more »
![Assistant Secretary Ann Stock poses with music exchange program participants in Washington, D.C., October 3, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121019000118im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0910_stock_music_m.jpg)
![A teacher speaks to students at the school of La Ronce in Ville d'Avray, west of Paris, Oct. 5, 2012. [AP Photo]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121019000118im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_1005_teacher_classroom_m.jpg)
![Youth TechCamp Bangladesh participants learn how to use technology and social media to impact their communities for the better in Dhaka, Bangladesh, September 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121019000118im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_1001_techcamp_bangladesh_m.jpg)
![Culinary Diplomacy International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participant Armand Arnal of France speaks White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and Pastry Chef William Yosses at the White House in Washington, D.C., September 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121019000118im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0930_culinary_diplomacy_m.jpg)
![Fulbright Students, who are now studying in the United States, gather in Denver, Colorado for the Fulbright Enrichment Seminar on Greening of the Planet. The seminar took place Feb. 24-27, 2011, and was one of 9 Fulbright Foreign Student seminars hosted across the United States during the year. [Photo by Fulbright student Lucien Bourjeily/ Photo Courtesy of the Fulbright Program]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121019000118im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0903_fulbright_2_m.jpg)
![Elizabeth Linder of Facebook holds a discussion with TechCamp participants in Ramallah, May 2, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121019000118im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0509_techcamp_ramallah_m.jpg)
![U.S. swimmers participate in a sports exchange in Moscow, Russia, July 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121019000118im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0720_swimmers_russia_m.jpg)
![TechGirls and Berkman collaborate on this picture to show how geek and chic go hand-in-hand during a TechGirls program in July 2012. [The Youth and Media Project at Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society photo]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121019000118im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0718_geek_chic_m.jpg)
