Ambassador Morningstar Hosts Reception for Young Leadership Program Participants

On July 12, U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar hosted a reception for Young Leadership Program’s (YLP) Azerbaijani finalists and alumni, as well as American participants and their host families.  The reception reiterated the United States’ support for exchange programs. 

The Youth Leadership Program with Azerbaijan (YLP) is a short-term cultural and educational exchange program focused on expanding relationships between U.S. and Azerbaijani students, educators, and communities from differing ethnic, religious, and social groups and strengthening ties between the two countries.  Program activities will inspire youth participants with a sense of civic responsibility and a commitment to community service.  The program will seek to develop a group of community organizers who will share their knowledge and skills with their peers at home as they work toward common societal goals and interests.

A group of 34 Azerbaijani high school students and six teachers/community leaders travelled to the United States in the summer of 2012 and visited program sites in Seattle, Washington, Tempe, Arizona, and Washington, D.C.  A group of 17 American high school students together with three teachers/community leaders travelled to Azerbaijan last summer and visited the program sites in Baku, Ganja, and Sheki for three weeks.  This summer the second group of Azerbaijani high-school students will visit the United States, while American participants will travel to Azerbaijan.  All YLP participants will explore the theme of social entrepreneurship for youth to illustrate the program’s broader themes of civic responsibility, youth leadership development, respect for diversity, and community involvement.