April 16, 2008

Bolivian “Youth Ambassadors” Meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

Ten Bolivian youths invited to participate in a cultural tour in the United States from April 13 to 27 met with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington, D.C. The students are participating in the Youth Ambassadors program, sponsored by the U.S. Government through the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
In the attached photograph we can see from left to right: (standing) Jimena Gironda from La Paz; Susana Torrico from Santa Cruz; Alexis Guzman from Santa Cruz; Paola Carrillo from Oruro; U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Aldo Zarate from Potosí; Luis Chipana, from El Alto; Jimena Salazar from Cochabamba; in the front row: Norma Choque from Sucre; Brandon Lima from Pando, and Miguel Angel Nuñez from Cochabamba.
This program was organized by Partners of the Americas, a non-profit, private institution, the Bi-national centers (Centro Boliviano Americano) in several Bolivian cities, and the U.S. Embassy in La Paz. The students were selected from public schools throughout the country and they come from low-income families. In order to be accepted in this culturally-oriented scholarship program, the students needed to have outstanding academic performance, leadership skills, commitment to volunteerism, and good knowledge of spoken and written English language.  Also, they should not have traveled abroad previously.