12/18/2007 - 2007 Holiday Message from Tachi Cazal
December 18, 2007
The year 2007 was a fantastic one for AFS. We had one of the largest gains in program growth from one year to another, with close to 13,000 participants. We celebrated our 60th Anniversary of providing quality intercultural exchanges and making important contributions to building voluntarism around the world. We sponsored a well attended and successful World Peace Forum and launched a worldwide petition for a global expansion of educational youth exchange programs; and these were only the highlights of a very busy and productive year. We worked hard to increase the visibility of AFS and to become a recognized leader among like-minded organizations around the world. I am happy to say that we have succeeded in many ways but also acknowledge that we still have much work to do. Our petition has collected 322,000 signatures to date and we ask for your continued support to get many more signatures by April 28, 2008.
In a message sent to all our AFS volunteers on International Volunteer Day I quoted Brian Atwood, the chairperson of the AFS International Board of Trustees from his speech at the World Peace Forum. On that occasion Brian said that “We live in a different world today, one where our solidarity is more important than ever. The values held by the architects of the international system are being challenged by severe pressures: extremism, grievances over territory, enervating poverty, the effects of global warming and other manifestations of change. This is a world that cries out for new leadership and for the commitment of individuals, like you, who have acquired a deeper understanding of human nature and the common humanity that creates the opportunities for peace.”
We have huge challenges ahead of us to continue creating these opportunities for peace, which, I think Brian would agree, are represented by each AFS participant who goes out into the world to experience an intercultural exchange program. In this holiday season in which we take some time off to be with our family and loved ones, let’s find a space to reflect on the great need that this world has for more opportunities for peace to sustain our human family.
Wishing you joy and peace this holiday season. Thanks for all your contributions to AFS in 2007.
Warmest Regards,
Francisco “Tachi” Cazal
President, AFS International
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