Washington, D.C.
June 2002

Dear Principal:

I would like to congratulate you as you complete another academic year. I trust the school year was successful.

I am writing to you now to invite you to participate in this year's International Education Week, November 18-22. In September, the U.S. Department of Education will send you more detailed information about the week, including concrete suggestions for ways to celebrate International Education Week. For now, however, I would like to encourage you to ask your staff to save the dates and to begin thinking of ways in which your school can participate to raise student awareness of the importance of learning about other countries, cultures, languages as well as international issues.

International Education Week is an opportunity to promote and celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Education and U. S. Department of State is part of our effort to build international understanding, encourage programs that prepare Americans for a global environment, and attract future leaders from abroad to study in the United States. Please visit the joint website of the Departments of State and Education at http://exchanges.state.gov/IEW2002/ for more information about International Education Week.

To have a truly successful celebration of International Education Week, schools, colleges, universities, embassies, businesses, and other organizations are encouraged to participate in any way that is meaningful to them. Often, they will choose to highlight their own successful programs. Schools could partner with local colleges and universities to organize a cross-cultural Thanksgiving gathering, which brings international students and American students together. Librarians could highlight books by foreign authors by creating special displays in the school library. You may wish to ask your governor or mayor to issue a proclamation to commemorate International Education Week. Or, your school could sponsor a "world geography bee" and invite other local schools to participate. I am confident that your teachers will have many interesting and original ideas to help students learn about the world around them.

Thank you for all that you do to educate our Nation's children. We look forward to your active participation in International Education Week 2002.

This page last modified—October 8, 2002 (jaj).