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Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs Ten entrepreneurs from government and non-government sectors in the Republic of Georgia will arrive in Hayward, California, on October 10 to spend four weeks working in the area and living with local American families. The Georgians are participants in the Community Connections program of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which provides short term homestay-based practical training opportunities in the United States for entrepreneurs, local government officials, non-governmental organization leaders, and other professionals from ten Eurasian countries. The 2003-2004 program, which is hosting more than 1500 participants, is working directly with the emerging professional sectors of several nations that are part of the US coalition against terrorism. More than 10,000 participants have participated since the program began in 1994. U.S. community host organizations arrange internships for the participants - based on interests and experience - at companies ranging from small, family-run enterprises to major, multi-national "Fortune 500" corporations. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs awarded a grant to California State University, Hayward, to host the Georgian group. CSU, Hayward has been hosting groups like this one since 1998. The FREEDOM [Freedom for Russian and Eurasian Emerging Democracies and Open Markets] Support Act of 1992 provides funding for Community Connections. Program participants are recruited by U.S. non-profit organizations within the Eurasian countries through an open merit-based competition. Candidates must compete in a three-stage selection process, including completion of an application, interviews, and selection by the local U.S. host community. For more information, visit the Community Connections Web page at http://exchanges.state.gov/education/citizens/comcon. Contacts: Nicole Deaner, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, tel. 202-203-7613 or email ndeaner@pd.state.gov Norman Smothers, College of Business and Economics, California State
University, Hayward, tel. 510-885-3797 or e-mail prof77@aol.com
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