For centuries, great writers have opened windows into other worlds, and allowed countries -- often for the very first time -- a glimpse into a different culture and a different way of living. Through their work, writers connect cultures on a people-to-people level. The art of creative writing is fundamental to freedom of expression and a reason why the U.S. Department of State has sponsors exchange programs like the International Writing Program.
This past month, the State Department sent four of the best American writers and poets on our first International Writing Program delegation to Burma. The group included former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass, writers Brenda Hillman and ZZ Packer, and Christopher Merrill, director of the… more »
February 6 marks the 27th National Day of Women and Girls in Sports.
Today in Esteli, Nicaragua, girls from under-served areas are on the softball diamond, fielding grounders, running out base hits, and learning how sports can improve their health and their performance in the classroom.
In Donetsk, Ukraine, girls were on the basketball court, looking for the outlet pass, grabbing rebounds, and working as a team.
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Winter Academy Gala Concert of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM). Students ranging in age from 10 to 20 played Chopin and Ravel, as well as Afghan traditional songs and collaborative fusion pieces.
In a historic tour that began February 3, 2013, ANIM students are traveling in the United States to perform at venues ranging from the world-famous Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center to the headquarters of the World Bank and Fordham High School for the Arts. Even more… more »
They came off the bus in front of the Verizon Center in their white SportsUnited T-shirts. They were 12 Burmese basketball players -- six girls, six boys and two coaches -- participating in a sports exchange program that started last summer in Rangoon. Their excitement grew as they sat courtside to watch a real professional basketball game -- and see the pro's warming up beforehand. It grew even more when Washington Wizards Bradley Beal and Kevin Seraphin came over to greet them and pose for photographs.
Then they experienced the unique American pastime of a classic NBA basketball game -- complete with cheerleaders, acrobats, chants, crowd applause, and… more »
Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and interests come to Zimbabwe. They come to see the rhinos, elephants, and Victoria Falls; they come as part of church mission groups to build health clinics and schools; and they come to share their expertise and learn from Zimbabweans at all levels. Many American visitors end up doing a lot more than what they planned, motivated by the strong American sense of taking action when faced with a needy situation, as well as a personal desire to change situations for the better. At the U.S. Embassy in Harare, we often hear about these proactive, engaged Americans and are proud that they accomplish so much on their own. When possible, we support them with advice, publicity, and small grants.
"I wanted to make a happy memory," explains Dennis Gaboury, the founder… more »
Have you participated in a State Department-sponsored exchange program? Stay connected. Do you teach English abroad? We have free resources to help. Do you want to engage in citizen diplomacy? One of these new websites holds the information you need to get you started.
After extensive research and planning, five of ECA's websites have been given a sleek redesign in order to better serve our audiences. The launch includes five distinct new websites, each uniquely designed to provide people around the globe with the information they need to engage in citizen diplomacy and English teaching/learning activities. The redesigned sites allow Americans and foreign audiences to easily discover how they can be a part of the Department's academic, cultural, sports, youth, professional, or private sector exchanges.
International Exchange Alumni, American English, Exchanges,… more »
The Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) began 20 years ago as a way to introduce high-school students from Eurasia to American society and in turn, expose U.S. citizens to the culture, traditions, and lifestyles of the people of Eurasia. As a sign of its success, FLEX continues to impact a new generation. Olga Pak participated in the very first cohort of students in the FLEX program in 1993-1994 and spent her exchange year in California. Aleksandr Kim, her son, is the first second-generation FLEX Program participant.
Aleksandr says his mother's positive exchange experience inspired him to pursue a FLEX scholarship. "My mother was telling me stories about her exchange year since I was 11 years old. She encouraged me to come to the United States.… more »
Jawaid is a four-year-old trash picker. He wants to be a tree when he grows up.
At least, that's what he tells his teacher during an art class sponsored by the LettuceBee Kids project in Islamabad, Pakistan.
"But you are not a tree," the teacher tells him. "If you don't like where you are, you can move."
That's the idea behind the LettuceBee initiative, which helps street kids like Jawaid move beyond a life of begging and trash picking, and re-integrate back into society through art, music, and mentorship.
The brainchild of Sarah Adeel, a Fulbright alumna and graduate of Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), the idea for LettuceBee Kids came about when she was in Pakistan in 2008 conducting research for her master's thesis on child welfare in South Asia.
"I was doing a comparative analysis between orphanages and foster-care… more »
I have to agree with Karen in Turkey -- I too, was shocked at how invisible the State Department, the White House and President Obama were regarding the…
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I was shocked at how invisible the State Department and White House were with this event -- the single largest coordinated event in the history of the world.…
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Withdrawal from Afghanistan is an overwhelming sentiment of Americans. That President has to respond to it is understandable. But so long as US has not relinquished…
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On February 19, the State Department will host a conference on "Food Security and Minimizing Postharvest Loss: Markets, Applied Research, and Innovation." more »
Secretary Kerry (Feb. 15): "We need to understand the connection of all of these things to our security, to our business opportunities, to our economic future, to America's leadership role in the world." more »
![Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass speaks with university students in Rangoon, Burma, January 2013. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20130216222010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0211_burma_writers_m.jpg)
![Jessica Mendoza, U.S. Olympian and member of the State Department Council to Empower Women and Girls, leads clinics in Nicaragua as part of the State Department's global efforts to empower women and girls through sports, February 4, 2013. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20130216222010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0205_women_sports_m.jpg)
![Musicians with the Afghanistan National Institute of Music perform during the organization's winter gala in Kabul, Afghanistan, February 1, 2013. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20130216222010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0205_anim_concert_m.jpg)
![Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara D. Sonenshine and Ambassador Than Swe pose for a photograph with Burmese youth participating in a SportsUnited exchange program at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., January 8, 2013. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20130216222010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0124_sonenshine_burma_basketball_m.jpg)
![Ambassador Bruce Wharton shares a laugh with Zimkids Director Tinashe Basa in Zimbabwe, December 11, 2012. [U.S. Embassy photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20130216222010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0119_wharton_zimkids_m.jpg)
![U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton poses for a photo with a member of the Tomodachi program youth in Tokyo, Japan, on July 8, 2012. [State Department photo by William Ng/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20130216222010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0713_clinton_tomodachi_m.jpg)
![Aleksandr Kim, a participant in the Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX), is pictured with his mother, Olga Pak, in Kyrgyzstan before travelling to the United States in January 2013. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20130216222010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0114_flex_program_m.jpg)
![LettuceBee kids meet with Shelby Means of bluegrass band Della Mae in Islamabad, Pakistan, November 2012. [Photograph by Robert Raines, U.S. Embassy Islamabad/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20130216222010im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0102_kids_pakistan_m.jpg)
