STATEMENT FROM EF FOUNDATION FOR FOREIGN STUDY PRESIDENT ASA FANELLI

It is with great pride and enthusiasm that EF Foundation for Foreign Study celebrates International Education Week 2005.

For 25 years, we have provided study abroad experiences for more than 90,000 high school students from nearly 40 countries around the world. In that time, we have seen the deep and lasting impact that international exchange has on individuals, communities, countries, and indeed the entire world.

By becoming involved in a student exchange program, ordinary citizens gain the ability to take international education into their own hands. Families become global, local schools take on an international perspective, and whole communities discover that the world isn’t quite as far away as once thought. There is an amazing amount of learning about others, and ourselves, that occurs—all through the simple act of welcoming a stranger into our hearts, homes, and schools.

During this week, EF Foundation wishes to extend our gratitude to the highly dedicated volunteers, host families, schools and local coordinators that help to make our particular contribution to international education possible. Together, we look forward to furthering our commitment to expanding cultural understanding through foreign exchange for years to come.