For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 25, 2001
Fact Sheet: Friendship Through Education
Today's Presidential Action:
President Bush joined leaders of
non-governmental and private organizations at Marshall Elementary
School in the District of Columbia to announce the formation of
"Friendship Through Education" -- a consortium of groups facilitating
expanded links between US students and students in countries with
Muslim populations.
As the first stage in this initiative,
three schools in the US communities most directly affected by the
September 11 terrorist attacks will be linked for student and teacher
interchanges with schools in Islamic nations.
About Friendship Through Education:
Friendship Through Education is a
consortium of non-governmental organizations and private groups
committed to connecting children from different nations in an effort to
bridge cultures and broaden understanding. One of the best ways to
deter terrorism is through education and understanding. This
interaction will build friendships and involve students in
discussions of issues facing them as future global citizens.
Friendship Through Education will
facilitate expanded student and teacher exchanges among countries
throughout the globe. It will launch this effort with a
commitment to expand links between US schools and those in Islamic
countries, including Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Bahrain
and Afghan refugee camps. The Friendship through Education
consortium will identify appropriate friendship schools in Islamic
nations, help provide safe and secure Internet-based communications
among students, assist with translations and facilitate classroom
projects.
The consortium includes: iEARN-USA, People
to People International, The UN's Cyberschoolbus, ePals Classroom
Exchange, Global SchoolNet Foundation, Schools Online, Sister Cities
International, US Fund for UNICEF, and Paul D. Coverdell World Wise
Schools Program of the Peace Corps. Additional organizations will be
able to join the consortium, thereby expanding the number and types of
projects available for schools. iEARN will be the organization
responsible for coordinating the consortium members.
The consortium is modeled after several
successful existing programs, including the "President's People to
People program." This initiative was launched on September 11, 1956, by
then President Dwight D. Eisenhower. After touring the liberated death
camps after World War II, Eisenhower was sure that, if people could
have face-to-face contact, future atrocities could be avoided through
better understanding. President Eisenhower's granddaughter,
Mary Eisenhower, is Executive Director of People to People, one of the
groups involved in the Friendship Through Education consortium.
How Friendship Through Education Works:
Schools from the US communities most
directly impacted by the September 11 terrorist attacks will be the
first to participate in this program.
These schools have been chosen to work
with the Friendship Through Education network to reach out,
respectively, to:
The goal of Friendship Through Education
is to link an American school in every state with a school in countries
with Muslim populations in the Middle, Near and Far East.
Initially, the Friendship Through
Education consortium will encourage two types of projects:
These opportunities will be promoted by a
new "Friendship Through Education" website. Schools interested in
participating in these projects can visit the website where
registration can take place through the members of the consortium and
schools can indicate their interest in connecting with another
class. Additionally, schools will be able to access all
programs offered by members of the consortium. The web
address is: http://www.FriendshipThroughEducation.org
|