U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today announced that the response to President George W. Bush's call for schools and students to take part in the new Friendship through Education initiative to promote communication between U.S. students and students in predominantly Muslim countries has been very strong and growing since it was announced on October 25, 2001. The Friendship Web site has logged more than half a million hits from visitors from almost every state in the U.S. and nearly 80 countries, and an estimated 350 schools in the U.S. are in the process of establishing relationships with schools throughout the world.

Paige also encouraged schools throughout America to help celebrate International Education Week by doing their part to connect with children from predominantly Muslim nations.

"One of the best ways to combat terror is to build strong and lasting relationships between American children and those from other countries and cultures, and Friendship through Education helps us do that," Paige said. "American and Muslim children can share their interests and desires, and demonstrate all that's noble and good in their respective homelands. I'm delighted that so many schools here in the United States and abroad have responded to the president's call, and I encourage every school to get involved in this important ¾ and rewarding ¾ project."

On Oct. 25, schools from the U.S. communities most directly impacted by the Sept.11 terrorist attacks were the first to participate in this program. Thurgood Marshall Extended Elementary School in Washington, D.C.; Patrick Henry Elementary School in Arlington, Va.; and Mott Hall School in New York City were the first American schools to sign on to the initiative.

These schools established relationships with Al-Raja Elementary School in Manama, Bahrain; Dawood Public School in Karachi, Pakistan; and Abbas El-Akkad Experimental Language School and Nefertari Language School, in Cairo, Egypt. Since then, students in these schools have begun to exchange e-mails, and teachers are working with students on other projects as part of the initiative. Some students are introducing themselves by describing a typical day in their lives. Others are creating Web pages to build a community between their partner schools, and some are making friendship quilts to exchange with their partners. The Mott Hall Elementary School in New York City already has increased the number of students involved from approximately 75 sixth graders to approximately 150. These students have been exchanging information with their peers at the Nefertari Language School and the Abbas El-Akkad Experimental Language School in Cairo.

Other schools throughout the country also have been involved in projects that help bridge the miles between America and schools in other parts of the world. An elementary school in Pennsylvania, for example, started a mail exchange with students in Kuwait, while a high school in Minnesota raised more than $1,500 during a telethon for the Fund for Afghan Children, which President Bush announced last month. A middle school in New York held a bake sale and sent the proceeds to the fund.

Friendship through Education is a consortium of international organizations committed to connecting children from different nations in an effort to bridge cultures and broaden understanding. Friendship through Education will facilitate expanded student and teacher exchanges among countries around the globe and will continue to identify appropriate friendship schools in Islamic nations, help provide safe and secure Internet-based communications among students, assist with translations and facilitate classroom projects. The consortium includes: iEARN-USA, People to People International, The UN's Cyberschoolbus, ePals Classroom Exchange, Global SchoolNet Foundation, NetAid, Schools Online, Sister Cities International, US Fund for UNICEF, and the Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools Program of the Peace Corps. Additional organizations will be able to join the consortium, thereby expanding the number and types of projects available for schools. iEARN-USA is the organization responsible for coordinating the consortium members.

For more information about this international program, visit www.friendshipthrougheducation.org.

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