Page 9 The Bradley Herald
Alumni Beat America,” all the seminar participants went to a pizza reception hosted by John Balian, public affairs officer, U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Kelly Keiderling welcomed the new alumni, and noted the importance of the FLEX program, and the contribution that the alumni bring to their society.
Russia More than 70 FLEX alumni from Moscow, Ryazan, Samara, Tula, and Yaroslavl participated in the Alumni Reunion that took place at U.S. Embassy dacha on August 26. The main goal of this event is to unite the FLEX community by sharing information about opportunities and to help alumni meet old friends and find new ones. Joel Ericsson, regional director of American Councils in Russia, welcomed everybody and spoke of the importance of alumni in bringing positive change to the country. Yulia Tell ’02 highlighted program opportunities for FLEX alumni: scholarships to participate in Global Village at Lehigh University (PA, USA), the new Legislative Education And Practice (LEAP) program, various volunteer opportunities, FLEX Alumni Grants Program and Faces of FLEX Photo Contest. Natallia Pilipenka ’00 spoke about the Education Without Borders 2007 international student conference, which will take place in United Arab Emirates in February 2007. Natallia is a member of the Global Student Organizing Committee of this conference. Anastasia Ekkert ’95 (and Muskie ’04) talked about the Muskie program and their alumni network. She invited FLEX alumni to cooperate. Inga Okruzhnaya, who works at the Center for Curative Pedagogics, a non-governmental organization that assists children with disabilities, spoke about the activities conducted by the Center. After her speech, Igor Alexeyev ’99 led a lively auction of children’s artwork, through which the alumni collected more than $200 to support the Center.
Tajikistan Seventy-six FLEX alumni from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan and the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program from Afghanistan and Bangladesh met in Dushanbe, Tajikistan for three days of discourse on the topic of diversity and tolerance June 8-12. On the first day participants attended workshops, lectures, and discussions on selected topics related to tolerance and diversity. On the second day, they explored the practical side of respecting diversity and promote tolerance: how alumni can promote these concepts in their communities. Participants listened to presentations by experienced FLEX alumni about how they successfully organized past alumni activities. Askar Sheraliev ’03 explained the nuts and bolts of organizing a charity event; Boris Pilipenko ’99 spoke about the successes and challenges organizing a charity football game. Firuza Djabbarova ’04 spoke about
Global Youth Service Day and explained the GYSD project she organized this year. Malika Khakimova ’04 spoke about organizing a camp for disabled students in Tajikistan. Participants then brainstormed in groups by country about projects they could organize. Each country presented their top two ideas to the whole group, followed by moderated discussion. Participants then learned the fundamentals of project design and grant writing, followed by time to begin actual project design. Evening social activities included a spectacular “cultural showcase”, where delegations presented meticulously planned presentations and exhibitions. This was followed by a rock concert featuring the band of Khurshed Isamov ’04 and Azim Ochilov ’04. Day three began with more time for project planning, followed by time for each country to present their project idea to the entire group. Projects generally targeted marginalized groups, from orphanages to isolated ethnic groups, students with disabilities to victims of domestic violence. U.S. Embassy Charge d’ Affaires Tom Armbruster and special guest Anna Mussman from U.S. State Department Youth Programs Division in Washington, D.C. conducted the official closing ceremony.
Rahim Mamenov '05 and Maksat Annamuradov '05 lead HIV/AIDS session at Active Citizen Summer School
Turkmenistan Over four days in July, FLEX alumni organized and conducted the Active Citizens of Turkmenistan Summer School for 12 young adults in Ashgabat. Summer school participants, who were selected on the basis of their applications and essays, attended lectures and actively discussed contemporary social problems around the world. Alumni took turns leading sessions on poverty (Aygul Begjanova ‘05), hunger in the world and active citizenship (Bahar Nuriyeva ‘02), world peace (Ejegul Nuriyeva ‘05), HIV/AIDS (Maksat Annamuradov ’05 and Rahim Mamenov ’05), and gender and development issues (Selbi Djumayeva ‘03). Alumni also offered two elective classes. Kristina Razahova ‘04 taught a session on social behavior; and Ahmed Tagiyev ‘04 led a session on volunteerism and project development. Kristina and Ahmed taught participants how to develop projects, look for sponsors, and bring their ideas to life,
using entertaining skits, and examples from their own experience. Bayram Magtymov ‘02, a senior at American University - Central Asia, majoring in Economics, taught several sessions on marketing. At the final awards ceremony, all the students received certificates of participation in the Active Citizens of Turkmenistan Summer School. All participants and organizers were invited to a pool party in reward for their hard work.
Alumni Join Race for Children in Kyiv
Ukraine Alumni of the FLEX and Eurasia Undergraduate programs organized what is an extremely ambitious alumni charity project. The Race for Children was a 46-day marathon through Ukraine to raise funds and awareness for Lviv’s under-funded maternity hospitals. Alumni wanted to draw public attention to the needs of their society’s most vulnerable by helping provide better medical care to newborns. They hoped to raise $100,000 in funds and equipment donations. On April 11, the Race for Children began on the Russian border, and during April participants covered 678.6 kilometers. Eurasia Undergraduate program alumnus Andriy Maksymovych ran the marathon, and was joined by other alumni along his route. To begin their fundraising appeal, the organizing committee distributed 200 sponsorship packages to domestic and international companies. Thirty donation boxes were placed around Lviv, including on two university campuses. Alumni conducted 19 press conferences, which resulted in press coverage on seven radio channels and two regional and two national TV channels during the 40 days. In this phase of the fundraising campaign, alumni are now negotiating with specific potential donors. The Canadian Ukrainian Children of Chornobyl Fund (Toronto, Canada) agreed to purchase a newborn photo therapy unit, which costs approximately $1,750. In September, Lviv alumni raised $1,000 by holding a charity ball, and are planning to hold a second charity gala together with the ZONTA charitable club on old New Year, January 13, 2007. Alla Ivanova ’02, Iryna Kruchkevych ’03, Alla Myshalova ’03, Olha Panchak ’03, Mykola Pekh ’00, and Nataliya Salo ’01 are members of the original organizing committee and more alumni have joined them.