The U.S. Agency for International Development is pleased to announce the launch of the 2013 Community Connections program in Belarus. You can find information on the 2013 program themes, conditions of participation, application deadlines, interview and travel schedules, and the application forms here:

Community Connections 2013 Program Description (MS WORD file, 535 KB) - (in Russian language only)

Application Form (MS WORD file, 170 KB) - (in Russian language only)

******************************************************************************************

The Community Connections (CC) is an exchange program, which supports U.S. public diplomacy goals and promotes mutual understanding between American and Belarusian people. CC contributes to economic and democratic reforms by exposing Belarusians to the American people.

The program provides Belarusian professionals from business, education, law, civil society organizations, and state institutions the opportunity to gain practical experience from their American counterparts within their respective fields. The program lasts for three weeks and includes site-visits to American governmental agencies, businesses and NGOs, meetings with experts and participation in voluntary activities. Approximately 50 professionals per year participate in the exchange programs tailored to their professional interests and development needs.

Program candidates are recruited through an open competition process from a wide array of communities across the country based on their capacity to further promote and apply the received experience. To date, 340 professionals have successfully completed the program with USAID assistance and are applying the knowledge and skills they learned in the United States.

Critical issues that resonate with the public are reflected in the topics of the three-week programs. The 2012 program send 80 Belarusian professionals to the U.S. to obtain direct experience on the following themes: Sustainable regional economic development; International standards and innovative approaches in business education; Promoting innovative managerial practices among young business professionals; Early childhood services to disadvantaged groups; Strengthening community journalism; Green tourism development; Workforce development; and the Role of arts in political and social life.