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Assistant Secretary Goli Ameri Visits South America

Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Goli Ameri embarked May 26, 2008, on her first trip to South America since taking office.

Assistant Secretary of State Goli Ameri with Brazil's Chamber of Deputies President Arlindo Chinaglia and U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Ambassador Clifford Sobel
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On May 27 in Brasilia, Ameri met with Brazil’s Minister of Education Fernando Haddad and Ministra Eliana Zugaib, acting head of the Cultural Section of the Foreign Ministry, to discuss a range of issues in hopes of further expanding educational and cultural cooperation between Brazil and the United States. Ameri, Ambassador Sobel, Minister of Education Haddad, and President of the Chamber of Deputies Arlindo Chinaglia launched a new Fulbright/CAPES (Brazilian Ministry of Education) scholarship in honor of Julio Redecker, a Brazilian Congressman who perished in a July 2007 plane crash in Sao Paulo en route to the United States, as part of a Brazilian congressional delegation. Ameri announced ECA’s additional $1 million investment for the Fulbright Program. Assistant Secretary Ameri and Ambassador Sobel also signed a new Fulbright Agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In Brasilia, Ameri engaged approximately 40 young school children studying English and had dialogues with future participants and alumni of the Community College, Youth Ambassadors, English Immersion, and Opportunity Grants programs. She applauded them for their determination to pursue their education, encouraging them to take advantage of their opportunities, and to give back to others. Throughout her trip to Brazil, Ameri is meeting with International Visitor Leadership Program, Fulbright and Humphrey alumni, who are discussing with her their experiences in the United States and how they are using their experience to give back to their communities and country.

Emphasizing the strong relationship between Brazil and U.S. Binational Center partners, several whom she visited, and highlighting the importance ECA places on reaching out to and providing opportunities for talented disadvantaged students from public schools, Ameri announced the launch of the Access English MicroScholarships Program, which will provide two-year scholarships for 50 youth in Recife, Salvador and Sao Paulo, respectively. In Recife on May 28, she presented certificates to the 50 students selected for the Recife program and encouraged them to follow their dreams and aspirations. Ameri also met with several of the students’ proud parents, who expressed gratitude for the study opportunities extended to their sons and daughters.

Assistant Secretary of State Goli Ameri, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Clifford Sobel, Ambassador Everton Vargas and Minister Eliana Zugaib at the signing of Fulbright renewal agreement.

Brazil is also one of six countries to be selected to send 50 students from vocational/technical schools for one- to two- year exchanges in a U.S. Community College in 2008, which quadruples the number from its 2007 pilot year.

Ameri is also meeting with members of the American Chambers, Binational Centers and the private sector to learn more about the challenges they face in addressing English language needs, to acknowledge the private sector’s valuable role in improving pubic education, and to explore ways to amplify educational and exchange opportunities and programs.

On May 30, Ameri met with seven Brazilian businesswomen to share experiences and expectations, and to discuss ways to mentor and provide aspiration to young girls and women, particularly those participating in ECA and U.S. Embassy Brazil programs.

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