| Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC September 24, 2002 Afghan Women Visit U.S. to Build Future of AfghanistanFourteen women representing various Afghan government ministries have traveled to the United States to study specific computer skills and communications and leadership management. The U.S. Department of State, in association with the U.S-Afghan Women's Council, designed the educational exchange program called, “U.S. Leadership Management and Computer Education for Afghan Women." The itinerary includes visits to Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta, Austin, and New York City. The goal of the project is to enhance the capacity building skills of the participants and their ministries.
EVENTS FOR PRESS COVERAGE
On Wednesday, September 25th, the media is invited to attend several of the events on the schedule. All events will be open for the first 5 minutes.
Please note times for arrival. Please call the designated contact for each location by 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 25, to confirm your attendance.
Wednesday, September 25 11:15 a.m. U.S. Department of Education Location: 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 6C100; Use the C Street Entrance. Contact: Daniel Langen, 202-401-1576; RSVP for security purposes 11:30-11:45 Camera Spray with DOE Speaker: Lenore Garcia, Director, International and Territorial Services 12:30 p.m. US Agency for International Development Location: Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW; Use 14th Street Entrance Contact: Harry Edwards, 202-712-5174 1:00-1:15 p.m. Camera Spray with USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator James Kunder 2:30 p.m. U.S. House of Representatives Location: 2175 Rayburn, Education Workforce Hearing Room Contact: Jeff Trexell, 202-225-3515 3:00-3:15 p.m. Camera spray with Congressional Women's Caucus 4:40 p.m. Embassy of Afghanistan Location: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW Contact: Arzo Mansury, 202-483-6410 ext. 811 5:00-5:30 p.m. Camera spray with Ambassador Ishaq Shahryar Computer education is a large component of the itinerary planned for the Afghan women. On Friday, September 27, Gateway Computers will present the women with laptop computers. For more information on the event, please contact Greg Lund with Gateway at 858-848-2512. The "U.S. Leadership Management and Computer Education for Afghan Women" tour is part of the International Visitors Program, administered by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which brings participants to the United States from all over the world each year to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience the United States firsthand. The project consists of a four-week educational program in the United States. The program will focus on computer skills for grant writing and administration, and leadership. During their stay in the U.S., the participants will have a chance to meet and build relationships with U.S. Government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations and other members of the donor community. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) fosters mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through international educational and training programs. The Bureau promotes personal, professional, and institutional ties between private citizens and organizations in the United States and abroad. The International Visitors Program brings participants to the United States from all over the world each year to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience the United States firsthand. The emphasis of the program is to increase mutual understanding through communication at the personal and professional levels. The visitors, who are current or potential leaders in government, politics, the media, education, and other fields, are selected by American embassy committees. More than 186 current and former heads of state, 1,500 cabinet-level ministers, and many other distinguished world leaders in government and the private sector have participated in the International Visitors Program. For interviews about the International Visitors Program with Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Patricia S. Harrison, contact Nicole Deaner at 202-203-7613. For more information on program offered through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, go to: http://exchanges.state.gov/. For interviews with Senior Coordinator for International Women's Issues April Palmerlee, contact Rainy Young at 202-647-0875. For more information on women's issues involving the U.S. Department of State, go to: http://www.state.gov/g/wi/. Information on U.S. Aid to Women in Afghanistan: http://www.state.gov/g/wi/rls/c6927.htm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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