January 10, 2005

Secretary of State Powell and Assistant Secretary Noriega met with a group of Brazilian "Youth Ambassadors" at the State Department. The exchange program, begun in 2002, allows highly qualified, disadvantaged Brazilian youth to travel to the United States to broaden their understanding of the U.S., improve their English skills, experience life with an American family, and project a positive image of Brazil to those Americans that they meet.

Secretary Powell told the group he hoped they would take back with them a full appreciation of the complexity of the United States. He also likened Brazil to the United States in that both enjoy vibrant multicultural societies and said that we were both stronger for it. Assistant Secretary Noriega provided the students with copies of the Inter-American Democratic Charter in Portuguese and urged them, as their country’s next generation of leaders, to vigorously pursue their educations to prepare themselves for the globalized economy.

At the State Department, the group also met with Assistant Secretary of State for Education and Cultural Affairs, Patricia Harrison.

The highly successful Brazil exchange program is made possible with the assistance of staff and volunteers from Partners of the Americas and the FedEx Corporation.