The Public Diplomacy Initiatives include three meaningful and rewarding programs that host international participants in the United States. These programs include Youth Exchange Study (YES), Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX), and the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program (CB). These three programs offer international participants the opportunity to study in the United States on full scholarships, funded either by grant-making foundations or by the Educational and Cultural Bureau of the U.S. Department of State.
AFS Public Diplomacy Initiatives embrace the Mission of AFS, to build a more just and peaceful world through international exchange.
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS (GC) Newsletter
Spring 2007 GC Issue: Leadership
Winter 2007 GC Issue: Diversity
Fall 2006 GC Issue: Cultural Ambassadors
Congress Bundestag
The Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CB) was launched in 1983 by the U.S. Congress and the German Parliament. AFS currently provides 50 merit-based, full scholarships for U.S. students and 60 scholarships for German participants.
Future Leaders Exchange
The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program originated in the FREEDOM Support Act, which was sponsored by U.S. Senator Bill Bradley and was passed by Congress in 1992. FLEX provides full merit-based scholarships to students from the countries of the former Soviet Union.
Youth Exchange and Study
Youth Exchange and Study (YES) was initiated by The Department of State in the aftermath of Sept. 11. It aims to build bridges of understanding between Americans and people in countries with significant Muslim populations.
Global LEAP
The AFS Global LEAP (Global Leadership Exchange for Administrators and Principals) program, Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is designed for secondary school administrators from Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela. The three-week U.S. program will take place in Boise, Idaho and will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate and address the needs of their students, schools, and communities within their respective countries. Participants will also focus on strategies, resources, and research needed to develop curriculum for their schools. During this time, participants will develop curriculum to implement in the respective schools when they return home.
