6/5/2007 - Chair of AFS International Board of Trustees Addresses International Educators
On May 30, 2007, J. Brian Atwood, the Chair of the AFS Board of Trustees, addressed the annual conference of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. To an audience of participants from all over the world, Mr. Atwood stressed the importance of international travel and education in today’s globalized world. Addressing the increasing hostility found throughout the world toward the United States, he offered, “One answer lies in the mission this organization espouses. Intercultural understanding has gone missing from our inter-governmental discourse. It is time to listen to the perspectives of other great societies and traditions.”
Underscoring the mission of AFS to enable people to act as responsible global citizens working for peace and understanding in a diverse world, Mr. Atwood encouraged conference attendees to sign the Exchanges4Peace.org petition. “Today, only a small percentage of the world’s population can have that experience,” Atwood reminded the crowd. “Just imagine the impact if we were able to give every one of our young people an intercultural experience before they left college. War would certainly be a less desirable option!”
The www.exchanges4peace.org petition recently received its 10,000th online signature. It is on its way towards delivering thousands of signatures in October to the world’s leaders to gather support for international education and intercultural communication.
Click here to read the full text of the speech.
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