Ambassador
Ambassador's Speech
REMARKS BY AMBASSADOR WAYNE FOR THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS 2008 PRESS CONFERENCE
February 22, 2008
Good afternoon. It is my honor today to introduce you a great group of young Argentines who have been selected to participate in the 2008 edition of the Youth Ambassador Program.
I think is better that they introduce themselves. Please tell us your names and a little bit about yourself.
This is the second time we are sending Argentines to the United States to participate in this program. The Youth Ambassadors is an initiative designed to increase the contact between young people in the United States and Argentina to cement our relationship on a people-to-people basis.
In this program, the group will have the opportunity to visit the United States and learn about it, as well as tell the American people they meet about Argentina.
They will spend four days in Washington, DC seeing the historical and cultural sights and meeting government officials before they travel to Montana to live with a host family and attend school.
This year we have increased the number of Youth Ambassadors. Last year we sent five Argentines, and this year we are sending 12, including YAs from nine new provinces.
In addition, I would like to highlight a very important fact. Every time we send a young Argentine to the U.S. we create new linkages, and through them we reach out to more people.
This year, we have chosen participants who learned about this program from former embassy grantees, like the Teacher Ambassadors and Fulbright grantees, and others who study English at binational centers.
This fact is very important to us, since we are creating new relationships and putting our efforts into continuing our contact with them over the years.
Since 2004, the U.S. Government has invested more than 6 million dollars in youth programs. It is our goal to continue this effort and to offer new opportunities to young Argentines.
Last, but not least, I would like to specially thank the Ministry of Education and the Fulbright Commission in Buenos Aires for their support. This kind of program is not possible without such committed partners
And now I invite you to ask our outstanding young Ambassadors a couple of questions directly.
