U.S. launches youth ambassador programme

TIMES INT'L

United States embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Thomas Pierce has launched the Youth Ambassador Program (YAP) in Guyana last Thursday at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).

The YAP is a three-week cultural and leadership exchange programme sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Partners of the Americas.

The programme focuses on youth citizen diplomacy, service, and volunteerism. This is the first time the YAP will be offered in Guyana. YAP participants will be selected this summer and will visit the United States from September 4 to 25, 2012. Through site meetings, learning activities, leadership training, and home visits with local families across the United States, the programme prepares participants for a lifetime of leadership and community service.

“The participants and U.S. audiences will increase the mutual understanding among peoples of the Americas,” Pierce said. “Through this exchange programme, the youth ambassadors will strengthen ties of friendship and also acquire new ideas for community service.” The YAP underscores Secretary Clinton’s priorities of engaging international youth in meaningful dialogue, fostering relationships among youth from all backgrounds, and creating networks of youth leaders. “I know this programme will be a significant and exciting opportunity for our youth ambassadors from Guyana. The YAP presents another facet of our close bilateral relationship with Guyana, as well as build on the strong people-to-people contact our nations share.

This international experience will reinforce the basis of the already existing bridges of friendship and cooperation between our two nations and help us to invest in future generations, Pierce said.

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