Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC November 18, 2005 International Education Week, November 14-18, 2005: Recognizing Youth and Undergraduate Exchange Program ParticipantsAs a part of the ongoing International Education Week (IEW), November 14-18, the U.S. Department of State recognizes all those who are currently participating in an international youth or undergraduate exchange program. Exchange programs are a critical element of our efforts to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other nations. For the 2004-05 academic year, over 190,000 American undergraduate and graduate students studied at nations outside of the United States. In addition, there were more than 565,000 foreign undergraduate and college students studying in the United States. Over 2,500 students are currently participating in U.S. Department of State sponsored secondary school and undergraduate international exchange programs. Examples of current U.S. government youth and undergraduate exchange programs include: The U.S. Department of State has encouraged its program participants to take an active role in International Education Week. Thousands of exchange program participants across the country are making presentations about their home countries and cultures in their communities and in their classrooms this week. In its sixth year, IEW is a global event. During the week, students, educators, and community leaders and our Embassies participate in a wide range of activities to recognize and celebrate the benefits of internationalism in our classrooms and our educational systems. For more information on IEW, including a worldwide list of events, please visit <http://iew.state.gov/>. 2005/1083 |