International Education Week is an annual celebration held in over 200 countries since 2000. It is organized by the U.S. Departments of State and Education to promote international education and cultural exchange. During IEW, American Councils alumni in many Eurasian countries hold various events like cultural fairs, presentations on international education opportunities, and film screenings. These events aim to raise awareness of international education programs and their benefits in developing global competencies and mutual understanding between nations.

1. International Education Week 2013

2. Fact Sheet
• First held in 2000
• Celebrated in more
than 200 countries
• Initiated by U.S.
Departments of State
and Education

3. Goals
• Celebrate the benefits of international education
and exchange worldwide
• Promote international understanding
• Build support for international education
exchanges
• Encourage the development of programs that
prepare Americans to live and work in a global
environment
• Attract future leaders from abroad to study in the
U.S.

4. Statistics
•
Over 720,000 international students from more than 200 countries
study in the U.S. each year.
• The Department of State’s ECA annually supports more than 40,000
students, scholars and other exchange participants.
• Approximately 270,00 Americans study abroad every year.

5. Benefits
• Develops mutual
understanding and
respect
• Builds leadership
• Fosters an appreciation
for the U.S.
• Invests in the future
relationship between
Americans and world
citizens

6. Almaz
Combining good ideas from Central Ukraine AC Olga Sokolova ’07
and Kyrgyzstan AC Iuliia Tokareva ’10 after the AC Conference,
Eurasia FLEX ACs two years ago incorporated into their 2011 IEW
events a screening of the documentary film Almaz, made by FLEX
alumna Elnura Osmonalieva ’99.

7. Almaz
The film shows how
exchanges open up
the world to young
people and how, in
Almaz's case, it gave
him great motivation
to learn more.

8. Almaz
“The movie made them think
how many opportunities to
study they are offered
nowadays and decided not to
be lazy and appreciate it more
and be more active.”
-Taibat Kadiyeva ’11 in
Yaroslavl
“While watching the movie, I
remembered my exchange
year and how it changed my
life afterwards.”
-Keti Chitashvili ’10 in
Tbilisi

9. Armenia 2011
American Councils and
IREX had an Open Door
Day, which allowed the
public to visit.
Alumni joined a march
from the American
Councils office to the
IREX office to promote
these organizations and
their contributions to
international education.

10. Armenia 2012
In cooperation with NGO
Emanuel and
EducationUSA Advising,
alumni read international
fairy tales to disabled
children. They also held a
flashmob in Yerevan’s city
center, to celebrate its
appointment to World Book
Capital of 2012.

11. Central Ukraine 2011
• FLEX alumni with a PCV
in Poltava presented
international education to
the Poltava English Club
at the local American
Center.
• Special IEW activities
were incorporated into
EFL lessons at Korosten
orphanage.

12. Georgia 2011
FLEX alumni and local partners organized a fair at which
volunteers from Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland,
Scotland, and the U.S., as well as Georgia, presented their
countries at special booths and held 20-minute language
workshops. There was also a children’s corner.

13. Georgia 2012
Alumni in cooperation with the American Corner and Youth
Association DRONI organized a cultural presentation at the
Youth Palace of Georgia for 45 visitors. Volunteers from
different countries presented their culture and traditions via
table displays, presentations, and music.

14. Kazakhstan 2011
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Cultural diversity tables
EducationUSA advising
A presentation on the U.S.
education system
Debates on the development
of Kazakhstan’s education
system
Roundtable discussions
Career counseling
A fair at a local mall

15. Kyrgyzstan 2012
Alumni organized a
charity evening
highlighting international
literature and that of
Kyrgyz writer Chyngyz
Aitmatov. His sister Roza
Aitmatova shared
memories of her brother
at the event and other
famous authors read their
work. Participants
donated books for the
Bishek Rehabilitation
Center for Homeless
Children.

16. Moldova 2012
Over 60 high school and university students took part in an alumniorganized event at the Alumni Resource Center of the U.S. Embassy to
Moldova. Participants learned about American universities and high
schools, how Americans spend free time, and U.S-Moldova exchange
programs. Alumni, Peace Corps volunteers, and Embassy staff spoke at
the event.

17. Northwest Russia 2011
• Arkhangelsk, St. Petersburg and Vologda FLEX
alumni learned about traditional Jewish holidays
and discussed the book Everything is Illuminated
and its movie adaptation.
• Murmansk alumni shared their impressions of
the U.S. with residents of a nursing home,
presenting books and photographs from their
FLEX years. They also read aloud Hemingway’s
short stories.

18. Tajikistan 2011
• An AUBG presentation
for FLEX and an “open
house” AUBG
presentation
• Volunteering at an
educational fair in the
language learning center
Bacteria
• English Language Fellow
seminars on Americanstyle essay writing
• Leadership seminar for
trainers of the youth
organization Nasli Navras

19. Turkmenistan 2012
Alumni and American Corner
staff members organized a
week of events at the center
for the community. Alumni
made presentations about
studying in U.S. universities
and high school, promoted the
FLEX program and made
presentations about their host
communities, and explained
standardized tests in the U.S.
and the need to complete
these tests for applying to
universities.

20. Urals 2011
• After the Urals FLEX CR Conference, CRs joined AC
Lyaysan Sultanova in sharing American high school life
with Ufa’s English Discussion Club
• Tyumen’s CR spoke about her U.S. experience at the
after-school program, “FLEXible English”

21. Resources
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American Councils
American Spaces (Corners, Centers, Windows)
EducationUSA
U.S. Embassies
Local Universities
Youth Organizations & Partner NGOs
People you serve already!

22. What You Can Do
• Share this new ECA video promoting IEW
• Spread the word about EducationUSA’s
November 13 international student virtual
college fair, the world’s largest
• Consult the ECA’s suggested activities for
secondary schools, universities and community
organizations
• Register your FLEX IEW events at
http://eca.state.gov/programsinitiatives/international-education-week/iewevents-2013 and
http://www.bradleyherald.org/events/

23. Ideas?