- A lecture with Dr. Eleonora Suleimenova, Russian linguistDr. Eleonora Suleimenova, an internationally renowned linguistics scholar, held a lecture at American Councils on the current state of language in Kazakhstan. Fellow linguists and the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United States, Mr. Kairat Umarov, came to hear Dr. Suleimenova speak about her expertise in language policy in Kazakhstan."Knowing another language helps you understand the heart and soul of people," said Dr. Suleimenova. "… Read More
- Learning a Foreign Language a 'Must' in Europe, Not so in AmericaPew Research Center Europeans learn multiple languages before they reach high school while many Americans don't even learn a second language in their lifetime. This Pew Research Center report explores the link between foreign language study requirements in schools and multilingualism of the population. The results probably won't surprise you. Integrating Study Abroad Into School Curriculum and CultureEducation Week Not all… Read More
- Most high school students are not spending their summer practicing another language and learning about another culture. But Emma and Karissa are exceptions: both students are preparing to spend the next year in Vilnius, Lithuania with a host family and attending a local high school through the ExCEL Abroad initiative. Emma: An aspiring, multilingual diplomat Emma is not a stranger to adapting to and sharing new cultures: she spent seven weeks in Tajikistan learning Tajik and Farsi with the… Read More
- Youth with disabilities are often neglected in or even denied access to public education across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. A 2013 UNICEF Report found that many children with disabilities in the region are often not even given the chance to attend secondary school.The lack of resources for youth with special needs is still a lingering problem in many post-Soviet Union countries. But a haven for students who are eager to learn English exists in an unassuming place: a summer camp in Chisinau… Read More
- Several weeks ago, a major flood devastated sections of Tbilisi, Georgia's capital city. The damage was severe; 19 people were killed with hundreds more suffering from injuries. The Tbilisi Zoo also flooded, killing or setting loose over 300 animals. An escaped tiger fatally injured a man, while images of a hippopotamus roaming the streets of Tbilisi received global attention.Despite capturing limited media coverage, thousands of volunteers across the country mobilized within hours of the flood… Read More
- The lecture halls are rarely empty at Northwestern University when Dr. Irwin Weil lectures. Well known across campus for his ability to draw large numbers of students to his courses on Russian culture and the evolution of the former Soviet countries, Irwin Weil's life work has been promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the United States and the former Soviet Union. Irwin Weil, the longest-serving member of American Councils' Board of Trustees, recently published his… Read More
- American Councils President Dr. Dan E. Davidson welcomed a delegation from the Kyrgyz Republic this past week. The delegation included representatives from the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic to the US and Canada, along with members of the Kyrgyz Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. Group discussions focused around the current needs in the Kyrgyz higher education system in addition to American Councils' long history of work in educational development and exchange programs in Kyrgyzstan. The… Read More
- One Reason #WhyHostingMatters: Volunteerism Makes Communities StrongerThe Huffington Post US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Evan Ryan believes hosting is more than welcoming an international exchange student to your home it's the first step toward strengthening a community. Students from the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) and the American-Serbia and Montenegro Youth Leadership Exchange (A-SMYLE) contributed a combined 4,000 hours of community service across… Read More
- Community and faith-based leaders from around the world came together to share insights on how interfaith relations can encourage peace and mutual understanding at the International Forum on Religion and Peace in Batumi, Georgia. Social Inclusivity in Georgia With the country's history of ethnic conflict in the 1990s, Georgia was a meaningful place to hold the Forum. While ethnic Georgians make up around 84 percent of the population, there are large minority Armenian (5 percent) and… Read More
- "I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." Sona exhaled, as she read aloud that final passage of Robert Frost's famous poem The Road Not Taken. Her nerves started to relax as she realized she had just recited an entire poem in a completely foreign language. Like most Armenian teenagers, reciting works of poetry isn't an everyday activity for Sona but here… Read More
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