SPRING 2013 PROFESSIONAL FELLOWS CONGRESS IN WASHINGTON, D. C. May 8 - 11, 2013
At the end of the 6-week fellowship program on “Building Grassroots Democracy in Minority Communities”* organized by the Great Lakes Consortium for International Training and Development, a 19-member delegation of professional fellows from Bulgaria, Hungary, Roma-
nia and Slovakia joined with more than 220 other fellows from 44 countries from around the world at the U.S. State Department Professional Fellows Congress in Washington, D.C. for a 4-day program. During these days European fellows got a chance to build an interna-
tional network of professional fellows involved in legislative development, young entrepreneurship or women empowerment. In addition to new contacts, participants of the Congress gained additional experience that they may use after returning home. Establishing a broader network of the U.S. State Department alumni is especially useful when participants are looking for alumni grants that requires a broad collaboration. The Congress agenda included sharing experience on the U.S. fellowship, skill building workshops, Open Space activities, interesting speakers and forums. The opening plenary session included a panel on "The Power of One" The Citizen Diplomacy Luncheon gave an opportunity for the fellows to meet with representatives of their respective embassies in Washington D.C., and our fellows enjoyed the meeting with the leaders of the Romanian and Slovakian Embassy during and after the luncheon, when they showed their posters and talked about their work at home.
* Sponsored by the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Organized by the Great Lakes Consortium for International Training and Development with WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc. – Contract Agent and Manager Website: http://www.glc-teachdemocracy.org/ Facebook: GLC_TeachDemocracy Contact: glc_teachdemocracy@hotmail.com
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Spring 2013 Professional Fellows Congress (May 8 - 11)
Professional Fellows in the U.S. (April 1 - May 11, 2013)
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Spring 2013 Professional Fellows Congress (May 8 - 11)
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“Building Grassroots Democracy in Minority Communities”
Graduation Party at Ken Grossinger’s Residence May 7 Congratulations to All the Graduates of the “Building Grassroots Democracy in Minority Communities” Spring 2013 exchange program from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia! Thank you to Ken Grossinger for his invitation and hosting of our graduation ceremony and birthday party at his home in Georgetown. Thank you to David Gustafson, Program Officer of the U.S. Department of State Professional Fellows Division for joining the celebration and presenting the program certificates to our European professional fellows.
Thank you to Alexei Lazarov, distinguished alumni from Moldova, who celebrated with us on this evening! We had a great time celebrating Ioana Petrache and Silvia Ursu’s birthdays
and Monika Vaskovicova’s nameday! The delegates had an interesting discussion on cultural differences between the U.S. and European countries and how community organizing is funded
in the United States, Laszlo Jakab was playing a guitar, and everyone was happy to singing, dancing, sharing our cultures and had much fun with each other.
Professional Fellows in the U.S. (April 1 - May 11, 2013)
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Meeting with Fellows Officers from the Embassy May 8
Special thanks to Peter Zelenak (on the left) from Embassy of the Slovak Republic in the U.S. for joining our Slovak fellows during Congress sessions and for the Citizen Diplomacy luncheon, and visiting our poster show.
Special thanks to representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Romania in the U.S. for joining our Romanian fellows. (L-R) Mr. Adrian Tudorache, Ruxandra Borca, Silvia Ursu, Ms. Andra Popescu, Raluca Negulescu, Simona Barbu.
The Citizen Diplomacy Luncheon May 8
Legislative Fellows from Bulgaria engage in conversation with Department of State representative during the Citizen Diplomacy Luncheon. Special thanks to Ms. A. B. Rudkin (in the middle) for joining our fellows
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Regional Panel at the U.S. State Department May 10
Mr. Michael Stanton, Chief of the Professional Fellows Division of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, presents the agenda for the morning and introduces the first speaker.
From The U.S. Department of State media note April 12, 2013: “U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs welcomes 220 emerging leaders from 44 countries and territories to the United States for intensive month-long fellowships designed to broaden their professional expertise in governance, media,
and economic empowerment and promote the Department’s goal of empowering young people globally. They will participate in the Professional Fellows Program, a two-way exchange embracing the power of individual citizens to find solutions to challenges that face their societies and promote shared global prosperity. The Professional Fellows are
placed in public and private sector offices across the country to learn firsthand how issues in their respective fields are addressed in the United States. ...” To read whole note follow the link: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ ps/2013/04/207418.htm
Professional Fellows in the U.S. (April 1 - May 11, 2013)
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Regional Panel at the U.S. State Department May 10
Tara Sonenshine, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs presents distinguished alumni awards to Ms. Shailey Hingorani from India, Mr. Alexei Lazari from Moldova.
“Building Grassroots Democracy in Minority Communities”
Page 8 On April 4, 2013 in the Staybridge Suites hotel in Maumee (Toledo) our delegation voted for the best posters in our group. All posters also participated in the Poster session and competition of the Professional Fellows Congress and our #1 was also presented at the U.S. State Department during our meeting there. The first place winner is Dzhevid Mahmoud (Bulgaria) with his poster: “10 Million Roma = 10 Million Different Stories!”. The second
place winner is Raluca Negulescu (Romania) with her poster: “Powerless to Powerful”. The third place winner is Monika Vaskovicova (Slovakia) with her poster: “RegiON OFF the Duty? Bring it ON, it is your RegiON!”. And the 4th is Delyana Mihneva (Bulgaria) with her poster: “We Act, We Organize”. Congratulations to our winners of the poster contest and “Thank You” to delegation for creating these great posters.
Poster Session at the Congress May 10
Professional Fellows in the U.S. (April 1 - May 11, 2013)
Poster Session at the Congress May 10
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Congress Last night and Farewell Party May 10 The farewell night on May 10th at the hotel was the last opportunity to enjoy each others company and celebrate the end of the program before everyone is returning home. The delegation built strong friendships with each other and established bonds across the U.S. and
beyond with the help of the Congress. Thank you for the support of the U.S. State Department, Congress organizers, U.S. and European partners and organizers, U.S. hosting organizations and mentors, European Country Directors and other alumni!
WE BECAME FRIENDS FOREVER!
Thank you to Raluca Negulescu, Delyana Mihneva, Elizabeth Balint, Viktoriya Maryamova, the U.S. State Department official photographer and all others, whose photos were used for this publication.
Professional Fellows in the U.S. (April 1 - May 11, 2013)
Congress Last night and Farewell Party May 10
Follow this link to review the Congress May 2013 program E-book: http://issuu.com/worldlearning/docs/pfc.program.e-book?mode=window&pageNumber=14
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Professional Fellows Congress Closing Day - May 11 May 11th was the last half-day of the Professional Fellows Congress, and also the final day for our delegation before returning home.
The program was a great success. On this last day of spring 2013 6-weeks program in the United Sates, the delegation got sincere “Congratulations!”
It was an amazing experience working with this delegation for 6 weeks. It feels like yesterday when the group arrived in Detroit, and it is hard to believe that this 6 weeks are now completed very successfully. The delegates learned a lot from Americans and from each other,
and Americans learned also a lot from them. We became friends forever! I am proud to say that each and every one of you will make a big difference in your country after your return—working with minority and communities, and sharing the knowledge you gained in the U.S.A.
and received a certificate before saying theirs “Good bye!” to the Program Officer of the U.S. State Department in Washington D.C.!
Silvia Elena Ursu: “Happy and sad to return home! We made so many great friends and had a great time with this delegation! Although we all returned home we agreed that this is not a good-bye but see you again soon!”
THANK YOU TO the U.S. State Department for sponsoring the Spring 2013 Professional Fellows Congress and to World Learning to organize all the Congress related activities in Washington, D.C.!