DEPARTMENT OF STATE

El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 18 June/July 2011

A Women in Entrepreneurship Program Participant speaks about her Experience

The Women in Entrepreneurship program was a great experience; the first thing I would insist on is the organization that I would say was excellent. Everything was planned in advance and explained to inform us about the travel period program. The logistic was good, with time respect in regards with the meetings and business lunches. The translators were very helpful and responsive to our request, and contributed a lot in instilling a very friendly atmosphere among the whole group. They were simply great. If I have to state the positive aspects, I would state the relevance of the program with the subject of woman entrepreneurship and the amount of information and insights about the political, social and economic mechanisms existing in the USA for women empowerment. There was also a great deal of examples on social and economic initiatives coming from the private, and nonprofit organization even federal organization to foster and promote the welfare of women by improving their working conditions and advancing their opportunities in bettering their lives and professional careers; another aspect I really appreciated were the Cultural activities and home hospitality dinners which allowed us to know more about the American culture. I would like to emphasize the amount of interactivity in most of the meetings which enabled more interchange and communication on women issues in general and on entrepreneurship practices in specific. This experience incites me to focus more about the social and economic role I have to play as a business owner in my region by using networking and interactions with public institutions and organizations to help youth carrier development and readiness to get into the job market. The Woman in Entrepreneurship program was a kind of a life lesson wherein I learned a great deal from the work and life experience of the folks we met and grasped very good advice on the different ways and possibilities we have to reach our personnel and professional goals. I also learned how to open up and be receptive to additional methods of learning from all source of information I can deal with in my every day to day experience, and avoid stick to the idea that there is only one way to get where we want to. To catch the big picture and focus on the global vision by being open to step forward. From the professional perspectives, the talks, and meetings with some folk helped me to grasp very valuable and relevant information in relation with my professional field and projects and go ahead with their achievement such as the implementation of a career center and entrepreneurship center in my region to improve job readiness for youth and business creation. I also got a lot of hints to know more about the logic of business to keep up my business on challenging growth and how to make myself and my business more valuable and relevant for the people we serve. As from the personnel development perspective, the program enabled me to make a sort of evaluation on myself on where I stand as a woman, as a business owner and as a key player in my society, and took awareness that true learning comes from every day-to-day experience whatever we undertake as challenges in our lives. I learned not to neglect the opportunity to mentor and inspire others to achieve their personnel greatness because even if we cannot change the world, we can positively influence the parts we interact with. For sure, I will always consider this trip as a real inspira-

Inside this issue:

Word from the Alumni Information Resource Center Takes off

American Independ- 2 ence day to Algerians IRC Hosting College 3 Application Workshop Le Cartable Bleu Presented at U.S. Embassy YLP 2011 3

Samira Baba-Aissa tion and drive to achieve my goals with more confidence, determination and optimism. I was really impressed by the energy and determination of women from all the organizations we have met during the program, and their determination to work on developing and improving the womens conditions in society. Finally, the combat for womens sake is almost the same as the Algerian women who strive in their everyday life to make their voice be heard to obtain more rights and change the established perception of women in society. I was quite amazed to know that until today, the American women are not equally paid as men for the same job and positions they are holding in companies. I was also impressed by the importance most of the American give to religion and family in their everyday life, a kind of reality which is not well represented by media and TV. SAMIRA BABA-AISSA

Access Teachers' Workshop

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El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter

Information Resource Center Takes off

The U.S. Embassy in Algiers is today endowed with a new space for Algerians students, scholars and also to general publicthe Information Resource center. The IRC officially opened on June 12, after a ceremony hosted by William Jordan, Charg at U.S. Embassy Algiers. The inauguration of the Information Resource Center was attended by Students, professors, journalists, language school directors, and Embassy personnel; most of the guests were patrons of the former American Corner of Algiers which closed recently and as a tribute to the work and efforts that were carried out at the American Corner Algiers, the Charg shared the symbolic ribbon cutting of the IRC with Radia and Hayet the former American Corner Algiers staff. During the event visitors were provided with flyers and brochures with different information on IRC services, upcoming events, and general information. The Charg provided opening remarks about the importance of the IRC and its role in helping the Algerian public understand the U.S. The Charg also said farewell to PAO Lawrence Randolph and thanked him for his efforts in seeing the IRC in its fruition. CAO Marissa Scott described the IRCs function as Charg, PAO and former AC a public diplomacy tool. Algiers staff cutting ribbon Diplomacy Section staff. Regina Cocco, A/CAO and IRC director, went through the resources the IRC offers to its visitors and briefly introduced the future users to the online databases. The IRCs print collection includes books in English, French, and Arabic. Visitors to the IRC Visitors checking out books have access to over 3000 fiction and non-fiction books, including specialized reference For students and professionals publications, government docu- interested in improving their ments, encyclopedias, handresearch skills, internet databooks, and directories. Visibase instruction sessions are tors will also have access to also available. A schedule of Electronic books, journals, and upcoming events such as speaknewspapers through our many ers, films, book discussions, and online databases. For students English language discussion interested in studying in the groups is planned and will be U.S., information about colavailable in the near future on leges, graduate schools, and the U.S. Embassys website at other study programs is availhttp://algiers.usembassy.gov able.

IRC director showing online resources to visitors

The importance of the IRC and its role in helping the Algerian public understand the U.S

American Independence day to Algerians

Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer Regina Cocco spoke with English language students at the Algerian Learning Center in Algiers about the ways in which Americans celebrate the Fourth of July. Students heard about parades, fireworks, concerts, picnics, and Nathans International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Students were especially interested in learning about parade floats, as the concept was new to them. The discussion was light-hearted and lively and the Algerians students, aged 14-18, recounted their own Independence Day traditions. After talking to the students, Ms. Cocco met with the Algerian Learning Centers English language teachers in order to promote the Embassys newly opened Information Resource Center. The teachers received folders with information about the IRC and vowed to visit in the near future to check out the selection of books, magazines, and online databases aimed at English language learners. They also offered suggestions for future programs at the IRC and stressed the need for English language materials in Algeria. A.B

The ACAO

El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter

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IRC Algiers Hosting College Application Workshop

On June 20, 2011, the U.S. Embassy in Algiers organized an informative session directed to local college students and related to the College Admission. The session was hosted at the opened Information Resource Center that opened to the public recently. Following the presentation, the Educational Advisor at the U.S. Embassy gave the attendees a brief presentation on the available exchange programs that are directed to Algerian students. The workshop was an opportunity to promote U.S. Education but also to promote available U.S. Government sponsored programs and tackle some of the challenges that Algerian students encounter during their application process. A.B

Thanks to the presence of some Access program Alumni, the rest of the attendance had The workshop was presented the chance the hear their exby Lindsey Cameron and Kenny perience within this program Rodgers, two American Offiand all the benefits, these cers working at the U.S. EmAlumni, had from it. bassy in Algiers, and it covered the application process for Algerian students, standardized testing, financing studies and tips writing to American colleges and advice on finding the right fit for international students. The audience showed great interest in the presentation and posed questions to the presenters that also were related to life in the U.S.A and being a Muslim in an American campus, a thing that gave the presenters an opportunity to talk about their own experience and telling some anecdotes to give the attendance a taste of a real student life in the U.S.

The College application workshop.

Lindsey Cameron giving tips on Financial aid.

Educational Advisor promoting Exchange programs.

Aslaouis Le Cartable Bleu Presented at U.S. Embassy

On June 29, 2011, the IRC at U.S. Embassy Algiers invited Mrs. Leila Aslaoui-Hammadi for presentation and discussion of her last book Le Crtable Bleu (The Blue Satchel). Mrs. Aslaoui is an author, a former minister and a current advocate for womens rights in Algeria. Her book is tale of the darkest years in the recent Algerian history and the event of terrorism from which suffered all the Algerians, but more specifically , Le Cartable Bleu is an apology of forgiveness and how to today victims and assassins face each other in the Algerian society. Leila Aslaoui comment on that period was that Algerians will live, indeed, in the same country, but they will not have the same memory because no one can ever heal an infected wound. The attendance had the opportunity to ask the author several questions on her book. A.B presentation.
Mrs. Aslaoui during her book

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

El Djazair Alumni NewsletterJune/July 2011

Youth Leadership Program 2011

YLP 2011, an active group of Algerian young high school students from different part of the country, left Algeria on June 27, 2011 for a four-week unforgettable experience. Yosra, Khaoula, Anis and others, are now in Nevada and they are sharing this wonderful experience through the Facebook.
Email: Boussoufaa@state.gov Public Diplomacy, U.S. Embassy Algiers, Algeria

YLPs Taking souvenir picture near the White House

YLPs celebrating July 4th in the USA.

Access Teachers Meet Again

lish Language Officer (RELO) facilitated the workshop. Participants shared best practices and lessons learned from current Access programs. The Charg at the U.S. Embassy, William Jordan greeted the participants on their opening ceremony and Acting Public Affair Officer Marissa Scott stressed during her speech on the importance of the Access Program for both Algeria and the U.S. She emphasized that the spirit of the program is key in promoting mutual understanding between Algerian and American people, highlighting the Access difference. The Access teachers attended many sessions intended to improve the studentsexperience and give them a taste of the American culture. PAS staff contributed also by giving a presentation on the social media which included both the technical side of using this tool and the educational aspects in promoting the use of these media within an Access classroom. This year, the Workshop had an increase in the number of

Access Teachers Workshop Opening Ceremony

RELO presentation on teaching English through music

The Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in Algiers coordinated Algerias English Access Teachers Workshop. Hopeland Institute, a private language institution that has a long experience with training English teachers, handled the logistics of the workshop. The Access Teachers Workshop was held at the Marsa Hotel from June 26-30; the workshop focused on classroom dynamics, summer enhancement activities, and use of information technology, social media, drama, music and public speaking in the classroom. Teachers from thirteen different wilayas attended the Workshop. The Regional Eng-

teachers as it was attended by the new Access schools that opened in 2010. A.B

Presentation on Social Media