Senator Bradley Celebrates 15 Years of the FLEX Program with Ukraine Alumni

Senator Bill Bradley, the "father" of the FLEX Program joined over 50 FLEX alumni from all over Ukraine to celebrate 15 years of this historic high-school exchange program on November 28, 2008. U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor and the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Kyiv hosted a two-hour forum to recognize the anniversary, which was also attended by American Councils staff.

Each alumnus/a was given an opportunity to introduce him/herself and to tell the Senator and Ambassador about their most memorable experience on program. The week-long Civic Education Workshop in Washington, DC was among the more popular opportunities FLEXers remembered, and many talked about the community service projects in which they participated.
Playing baseball and/or American football and US holiday traditions were also highlights. After the introductions, alumni had the opportunity to ask Senator Bradley questions, the answers to which informed alumni about why Senator Bradley thought it important for the young people of Eurasia and the U.S. to have the opportunity to learn more about each other through cultural exchange after the years of the Cold War and why this opportunity is still important today.

Four alumni coordinators, present and past, then gave brief presentations about events the alumni community has held throughout Ukraine: professional development trainings, healthy life-style sessions, peer education seminars in schools, holiday events in orphanages, toy drives, clothing drives, blood drives, Miracle Christmas Tree projects, Earth-Day cleanups and social networking events were all presented. A special presentation was made on the Benefit Evenings Kyiv FLEX Alumni organized in the past seven years.

The highlight of the event was the launch of the "United Colors of FLEX" Traveling Flag. The flag will travel throughout Eurasia in the coming year, and all FLEX alumni will have the opportunity to place their thumb-print on the flag to signify FLEX unity. Senator Bradley was the first to place his thumbprint on the flag, as did Ambassador Taylor, PAS representatives, American Councils staff and of course - all FLEX alumni present.

At the end alumni thanked Senator Bradley for instituting the FLEX program, and for his work on legislation that established a U.S. Congressional Commission on the Ukraine Famine 1932-33. They presented the senator with a traditional embroidered "ryshnyk", signed by all the participants of the forum.