U.S. Embassy and Universidad Latina Open “Centro Estamos Unidos”

September 19, 2012

José Barrios, President of the Board of Directors of Universidad Latina; Vicky Alemán de Cordero, Director of the Fundación Buenos Vecinos del Banco General; and Jonathan Farrar, U.S. Ambassador to Panama during the Opening Ceremony

The U.S. Embassy and the Universidad Latina de Panamá celebrated the ceremonial opening of the new “Centro Estamos Unidos”, a cultural and educational center that combines the Center for English Language Immersion (CELI) with the Embassy’s new American Corner resource library and EducationUSA college advising service.

CELI is a non-profit, public-private partnership between the Embassy and the Universidad Latina that offers high-quality, low-cost English classes to the public. Its goal is to improve English language capacity in Panama, increase the number of Panamanian students who qualify for admission to U.S. universities, and strengthen the overall U.S.-Panama relationship. The American Corner is a small, U.S.-style library in the same building created to share research tools and information about the United States, thereby reinforcing the intercultural exchange taking place at CELI and helping to increase mutual understanding between Panama and the United States.

The U.S. Ambassador to Panama, Jonathan Farrar, inaugurated Centro Estamos Unidos today in the company of José Barrios, President of the Board of Directors of Universidad Latina. Current CELI students, representatives of the American Society, and Embassy scholarship recipients were also present.

Ambassador Farrar thanked MEDUCA for its support for English learning in Panama and highlighted that “Centro Estamos Unidos will be a one-stop shop for Panamanians looking to learn English, study in the United States, connect with Americans in Panama, and find information about U.S. government, society and culture.”

The U.S. Embassy offers a wide variety of programs for students of all ages that wish to learn English, apply to U.S. universities and participate in cultural and exchange programs that promote continued educational growth. The Embassy has worked with partners in the private sector, including Banco General and the American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to develop scholarship programs for students to learn English at CELI. For more information about CELI, please visit www.celionline.com or contact info@celionline.com.