April 2013
ProFellows Digest
Inside This Issue:
Professional Fellows Program Empowers Leaders to
Find Collaborative Solutions to Global Challenges
To further the Department’s goal
of empowering young people
globally, the Professional Fellows will work in public and
private sector offices in more
● Spring 2013 ProFel-
lows Snapshot
● Notable Fellows and
than 29
Placements
● Fellows in the Media
● Program Highlights
One Year After the
2011 Professional
Fellows Program:
96% of participants introduced new concepts into
their workplace
58% organized new activities or projects in their
communities
39% established a formal,
institutional relationship
with another organization
21% proposed, wrote, or
passed new laws or treaties
states across the coun-
try to learn first-hand how issues
in their respective fields are addressed in the United States.
Beginning April 1, the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs’
Professional Fellows Division
welcomed 240
leaders from
emerging
44 countries
and territories to the
United States for intensive
month-long fellowships
designed to broaden their profes-
sional expertise in
govern-
The ProFellows Digest
was created by the Professional
Fellows Division to share program highlights, participant impressions, and media coverage
surrounding the Professional
Fellows Program. We hope you
enjoy the read, and encourage
ance, media, and eco-
you to share relevant content
nomic empowerment. The
on your social media sites and
with other key stakeholders.
Professional Fellows Program is
a two-way exchange embracing the power of individuals to
find solutions to challenges that
face their societies and promote
Photo: American Councils
Spring 2013 Legislative Fellows
from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Turkey,
and Ukraine.
shared global prosperity.
Stay Connected and Join the Conversation:
@ProFellows; #ProFellows
17% were elected to government positions
For a copy of the ProFellows social media
toolkit, Please con-
Friend Request “Pro Fellows”
tact Alana Rudkin at
RudkinAB@state.gov.
ProFellows Digest. Spring 2013. Edition 1.
Page 2
Spring 2013 Professional Fellows Snapshot:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, China, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Egypt, Georgia, Ghana, Hungary, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Libya, Maldives, Moldova, Nepal, New Zealand,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Panama,
Peru, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa,
Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
44 countries
and territories
Fellows By Region
30
AF
55%
26
EAP
43
EUR
Regions
Countries
40
NEA
49
SCA
32
WHA
0
10
20
30
40
50
Fellows By Theme
Legislative Affairs
Economic Empowerment
45%
9% (19)
35% (78)
Media
56% (123)
ProFellows Digest. Spring 2013. Edition 1.
Page 3
Notable Fellows and Placements
Ibrahim Kasita, Uganda, Media Fellow with the International Center for
Journalists. As a senior economic and business journalist at New Vision,
Uganda’s leading newspaper, Ibrahim reports on topics including public policy,
human rights, finance, and extractives industries (oil, gas, etc.). In 2011, he
founded the Uganda Energy Journalists Association (UEJA), which brings together journalists interested in energy-related issues to exchange best practices
and improve coverage on energy and the natural resource sectors. Ibrahim will
work with the Tallahassee Democrat for four weeks, learning how the U.S. media
is involved in facilitating well-informed debates on issues related to governance
and development. Visit Ibrahim’s blog to hear more about his experiences in the
U.S.!
Min Min, Burma, Economic Empowerment Fellow with the University of Mon­
tana. As the National Project Manager for Myanmar Business Coalition on Aid’s
Livelihood program, Min Min assists farmers in increasing their incomes through
unique distribution of market information and by creating farmer networks and linking them with wider business access. Min Min works as a liaison between government officials, traders, and farmers to establish commodity exchange markets and
share costs of product promotion and advertising. Min Min is also a founder of the
Ward Reading Club, a free library system for people in low-income areas. While in
the U.S., Min Min will work with the Montana Department of Agriculture to explore
international marketing strategies as well as financing, network-building, sharing
best practices, and the relationship between and among farmers and traders.
Delyana Mihneva, Bulgaria, Legislative Fellow with Great Lakes Consortium/
Global Teach Democracy. Ms. Mihneva is working as a reporter, host and editor in
the first private national radio in Bulgaria, Darik radio. She has been a volunteer in
National Alliance for Volunteer Action. As a journalist, she gives tribute to many
different minority groups: Roma, LGBT, disabled, homeless people. She is interested in Roma inclusion and exploration of society readiness to Roma integration.
While in the U.S., she’ll be working at Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment in St. Louis, MO, where she will explore how community groups in the
U.S. work with the media to generate awareness about social justice issues .
Ivan Moraes Filho, Brazil, Legislative Fellow with Partners of the Americas. As
the Communications Coordinator of Centro de Cultura Luiz Freire for the last ten
years, Mr. Moraes has lead campaigns to increase support for community radios,
production groups and newspapers, as well as educate the public regarding legislation regulating media ownership. He is also the author of books with short stories
and hundreds of articles about human rights. Since 2009, he has been involved in a
television show titled Pé na Rua (Foot on the Street), which focuses on historically
excluded segments of society and provides a platform for citizens to speak their
minds on public television. Mr. Moraes joined civil society after a career with traditional commercial media groups. During his Fellowship with Free Press in Washington, DC, Ivan will provide a policy analysis on media ownership and public media in
Brazil and the United States.
ProFellows Digest. Spring 2013. Edition 1.
Page 4
Fellows In the Media
Africa
(Tallahassee Democrat, US) A perfect ecosystem for Ugandan journalist.
(AllAfrica.com) Nigeria: Three Journalists for Exchange Fellowship in the U.S.
(Ghana News Agency Online, Ghana) 10 African Journalists in US for Exchange Program
(Channels Television, Nigeria) Channels TV Lanre Lasisi Selected For Exchange Fellowship In US
Middle East & North Africa
(Jerusalem Post, Israel) Entrepreneurship program brings together 16 young people from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia
East Asia & The Pacific
(Aspen Times, Colorado) Basalt selected to host professional exchange
(Otago Daily Times, New Zealand) Dunedin City Council Manager bound for US to study information management
(State Magazine, pages 28-29) Mekong to Montana: Exchange Benefits Asian Communities.
Program Blogs
International City/County Managers Association. Legislative Affairs Fellows from China, New Zealand, and Thailand.
University of Montana. Economic Empowerment Fellows from Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand,
and Vietnam.
Europe
(The Blade, Toledo Ohio) Foreign Delegation in U.S. to learn about community organizing, democracy
ProFellows Digest. Spring 2013. Edition 1.
Page 5
So, what have our Fellows been up to? University of Montana Economic Empowerment Fellows
from Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam
have been immersed in pre-Fellowship training including a
full day hosted by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai
Tribes. The group was honored with a welcome by the Tribal
Council, followed by meetings to discuss Indian selfsufficiency, tribal sovereignty, and the balance of economic
development and resource conservation through the prism
of cultural preservation. The Fellows reflected on similarities between the Tribes and their own cultures, making connections on shared challenges and the importance of community and tradition. Photo by University of Montana
Twenty Pakistani Legislative Fellows with World
Learning were hosted at the U.S. Congress on
April 16, to present a poster show entitled, “My
Pakistan: Views from Legislative Fellows.” Each
fellow created a poster representing the work they
do on key issues facing Pakistan. More than 90
guests attended the event, included congressional
staff, embassy staff, media professionals, and foreign affairs professionals from various Washington think tanks and international development
organizations. Cong. Sheila Jackson Lee (D) TX,
chair of the House Pakistan Caucus, offered remarks, including strong praise for State exchange
programs, and took questions from nearly all the
Pakistanis, staying nearly an hour after the event
concluded. Photo World Learning.
Legacy International’s Legislative Fellows from Egypt,
Libya, and Tunisia, attended a meeting on Capitol Hill
with former Congressmen Scott Klug, Larry LaRocco, Ron
Sarasin, and Obama transition team leader Mark Lindsay.
The group discussed how Congress works, best practices
for organizing support for ideas and policies, and how to
manage political transitions. Earlier this year Scott Klug
and Larry LaRocco were participants on Legacy International’s U.S. outbound delegation to Egypt. Photo by Leg­
acy International.
ProFellows Digest. Spring 2013. Edition 1.
Page 6
On April 8th, in Chicago, IL, 19 Economic Empowerment Fellows from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania,
and Slovakia celebrated International Roma Day
as part of "Building Grassroots Advocacy in Minority Communities" program implemented by
the Great Lakes Consortium. Four of the fellows
representing the Roma community gave a presentation about the history of Roma in Europe and
the current situation in Central and Eastern
Europe. They sang the Roma anthem, talked
about the significance of their flag, and discussed
the hardships that face many Roma minorities.
After this discussion the group went out for a dinner celebration at Chicago’s famous Lou Malnati’s pizza parlor, and gave the Windy City a little taste of Roma Day. Photo by Great Lakes Consor­
tium, Global Teach Democracy
The International City/County Managers Association’s Legislative Fellows from China, New Zealand, and Thailand, met with Deputy Assistant
Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Susan
Stevenson, to discuss U.S. strategic interests in the
region. One Fellow, Trinnawat Suwanprik, from
Chiang Mai, Thailand, spoke with Stevenson about
her time spent as Consul General in his home town.
Photo by ICMA.
To end their first week on the professional exchanges program, the Bangladeshi Media Fellows
at the University of Oklahoma went for a day-long
visit with all eight media organizations that will
host the fellows for their professional placements.
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the surprise brief about the Channel 9 news helicopter!
The pilot gave the group a personal tour of the
equipment and strategies to cover breaking news from fires to tornadoes to high-speed chases!