Dear ADR Professionals:

The Department of State’s Youth Programs Division invites you to help us enhance cross-cultural understanding and improve our international relations around the world by taking part in a social media campaign called “Host an International Student.”  Having previously worked in the field of mediation, dealing with cross-cultural conflict can be a particularly challenging area and hosting an international exchange student is a wonderful way to get direct cross-cultural experience on a regular basis and develop these critical skills.

 Here is how the social media campaign works:

 Thunderclap is a website that lets people donate their “social reach” to raise awareness of a certain cause. The campaign page asks people/organizations to sign up using their Facebook, Twitter and/or Tumbler accounts.  Once the sign up goal is reached (which is 100 supporters for our campaign), Thunderclap will send out a blast message on the pre-determined launch date (July 23) on the social media properties of everyone who signed up, essentially flooding the social media world with promotional hosting messages. 

 We are  inviting everyone to share the message, “Host an International Student!” on July 23 by visiting our Thunderclap campaign webpage and signing up  (prior to noon EST on July 23) to donate a message through their respective social media.   Your promotion would also be very helpful - spread the word through your social media outlets and contacts! You can join the Thunderclap campaign or follow the growth of our hosting social reach on the  Thunderclap campaign webpage. 

You might  also be interested in the following article about hosting written by Evan Ryan, the Department of State’s Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evan-ryan/hosting-an-exchange-stude_b... . Feel free to link to this article as you wish.  I have also included an announcement below and attached which you might use in other electronic postings, email lists, etc.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide in spreading the word about this great opportunity!

Tara Rougle

Program Officer

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

U.S. Dept. of State