FTEpressrelease.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Initiative Launched to Connect Schools Worldwide: Friendship Through Education Consortium

On Thursday, October 25, President George W. Bush joined leaders of the Friendship Through Education Consortium at a Washington, DC school to highlight the group's important new effort to build relationships between youth in the United States and other countries. The initial members of the Consortium include: The UN's Cyberschoolbus, ePals Classroom Exchange, Global SchoolNet Foundation, iEARN-USA, People to People International, Schools Online, Sister Cities International, US Fund for UNICEF, and Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools Program of the Peace Corps. The Friendship Through Education Consortium is committed to creating opportunities that facilitate online and offline interactions between the youth of the world, inside and outside of classrooms, in order to build a culture of peace in which the dignity and rights of all human beings are respected. The effort focuses initially on expanding links between U.S. schools and those in Islamic countries, including Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Bahrain and Afghan refugee camps. The Consortium will provide information on how students can link with others through letters, email, art, collaborative projects and physical exchanges to foster mutual respect and greater understanding of cultural differences. For more information about Friendship Through Education: http://www.FriendshipThroughEducation.org

Organizational Contact Information:

UN Cyberschoolbus William Yotive 212/963-1400

E-Pals Maggie Papoulias Toll Free: 1-888-770-3333 X 162

iEARN-USA Radha Blackman 212/870-2693

People to People Karen Hoch 816/531.4701

Schools Online Valeri Shah 408/579-0503 U.S.

Fund for UNICEF Lisa Szarkowski 212/ 922-2643

World Wise Schools Donna Molinari 202/692-1469

Global SchoolNet Yvonne Marie Andres 760/635-0001

back to top