el djazair alumni newsletter - june-july 2011

8/6/2019 El Djazair Alumni Newsletter - June-July 2011

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tion and drive to achieve my goalswith more confidence, determina-

tion and optimism.

I was really impressed by the energyand determination of women fromall the organizations we have metduring the program, and their deter-mination to work on developing andimproving the womens conditions

in society.Finally, the combat for womens

sake is almost the same as the Alge-rian women who strive in theireveryday life to make their voice beheard to obtain more rights andchange the established perception ofwomen in society. I was quiteamazed to know that until today,the American women are notequally paid as men for the same joband positions they are holding in

companies.I was also impressed by the impor-tance most of the American give toreligion and family in their everydaylife, a kind of reality which is not

well represented by media and TV.

SAMIRA BABA-AISSA

The Women in Entrepreneurshipprogram was a great experience; thefirst thing I would insist on is theorganization that I would say wasexcellent. Everything was planned inadvance and explained to inform usabout the travel period program.The logistic was good, with timerespect in regards with the meetings

and business lunches. The transla-tors were very helpful and respon-sive to our request, and contributeda lot in instilling a very friendly at-mosphere among the whole group.

They were simply great.If I have to state the positive as-pects, I would state the relevance ofthe program with the subject ofwoman entrepreneurship and theamount of information and insightsabout the political, social and eco-nomic mechanisms existing in theUSA for women empowerment.There was also a great deal of ex-amples on social and economic

initiatives coming from the private,and nonprofit organization evenfederal organization to foster andpromote the welfare of women byimproving their working conditionsand advancing their opportunities inbettering their lives and professionalcareers; another aspect I reallyappreciated were the Cultural ac-tivities and home hospitality dinnerswhich allowed us to know more

about the American culture.I would like to emphasize theamount of interactivity in most ofthe meetings which enabled moreinterchange and communication onwomen issues in general and on

entrepreneurship practices in spe-

cific.This experience incites me to focusmore about the social and economicrole I have to play as a businessowner in my region by using net-working and interactions with publicinstitutions and organizations tohelp youth carrier development and

readiness to get into the job market.

The Woman in Entrepreneurshipprogram was a kind of a life lessonwherein I learned a great deal fromthe work and life experience of thefolks we met and grasped very goodadvice on the different ways andpossibilities we have to reach ourpersonnel and professional goals. Ialso learned how to open up and be

receptive to additional methods oflearning from all source of informa-tion I can deal with in my every dayto day experience, and avoid stickto the idea that there is only oneway to get where we want to. Tocatch the big picture and focus onthe global vision by being open to

step forward.From the professional perspectives,

the talks, and meetings with somefolk helped me to grasp very valu-able and relevant information inrelation with my professional fieldand projects and go ahead withtheir achievement such as the imple-

mentation of a career center andentrepreneurship center in myregion to improve job readiness foryouth and business creation. I alsogot a lot of hints to know moreabout the logic of business to keepup my business on challenginggrowth and how to make myselfand my business more valuable and

relevant for the people we serve.As from the personnel developmentperspective, the program enabledme to make a sort of evaluation onmyself on where I stand as awoman, as a business owner and asa key player in my society, and tookawareness that true learning comes

from every day-to-day experiencewhatever we undertake as chal-lenges in our lives. I learned not toneglect the opportunity to mentorand inspire others to achieve theirpersonnel greatness because even ifwe cannot change the world, we canpositively influence the parts weinteract with. For sure, I will alwaysconsider this trip as a real inspira-

A Women in Entrepreneurship Program Participant speaks about her Experience

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

June/July 2011Volume 2, Issue 18

El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter

Inside this issue:

Word from the

Alumni

1

Information Re-source CenterTakes off

2

American Independ-ence day to Algeri-ans

2

IRC Hosting CollegeApplication Work-shop

3

Le Cartable Bleu

Presented at U.S.Embassy

3

YLP 2011 4

Access Teachers'Workshop

4

Samira Baba-Aissa


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The U.S. Embassy in Algiers istoday endowed with a newspace for Algerians students,

scholars and also to generalpublicthe Information Re-source center.

The IRC officially opened onJune 12, after a ceremonyhosted by William Jordan,Charg at U.S. Embassy Algiers.The inauguration of the Infor-mation Resource Center wasattended by Students, profes-sors, journalists, languageschool directors, and Embassypersonnel; most of the guests

were patrons of the formerAmerican Corner of Algierswhich closed recently and as atribute to the work and effortsthat were carried out at theAmerican Corner Algiers, theCharg shared the symbolicribbon cutting of the IRC withRadia and Hayet the formerAmerican Corner Algiers staff.

During the event visitors wereprovided with flyers and bro-chures with different informa-tion on IRC services, upcoming

events, and general informa-tion.

The Charg provided opening

remarks about the importanceof the IRC and its role in help-ing the Algerian public under-

stand the U.S. The Charg alsosaid farewell to PAO LawrenceRandolph and thanked him forhis efforts in seeing the IRC inits fruition. CAO Marissa Scottdescribed the IRCs function asa public diplomacy tool.Diplomacy Section staff. ReginaCocco, A/CAO and IRC direc-tor, went through the re-sources the IRC offers to itsvisitors and briefly introducedthe future users to the online

databases.

The IRCs print collection in-cludes books in English, French,and Arabic. Visitors to the IRChave access to over 3000 fic-tion and non-fiction books,including specialized referencepublications, government docu-ments, encyclopedias, hand-books, and directories. Visi-tors will also have access toElectronic books, journals, andnewspapers through our manyonline databases. For studentsinterested in studying in theU.S., information about col-leges, graduate schools, andother study programs is avail-

able.

For students and professionalsinterested in improving theirresearch skills, internet data-base instruction sessions arealso available. A schedule ofupcoming events such as speak-ers, films, book discussions, andEnglish language discussiongroups is planned and will beavailable in the near future onthe U.S. Embassys website athttp://algiers.usembassy.gov

and lively and the Algeriansstudents, aged 14-18, re-counted their own Independ-ence Day traditions.

After talking to the students,Ms. Cocco met with the Alge-rian Learning Centers Englishlanguage teachers in order topromote the Embassys newlyopened Information ResourceCenter. The teachers re-ceived folders with informationabout the IRC and vowed tovisit in the near future to check

Assistant Cultural Affairs Offi-cer Regina Cocco spoke withEnglish language students at theAlgerian Learning Center inAlgiers about the ways in whichAmericans celebrate theFourth of July. Students heardabout parades, fireworks, con-certs, picnics, and NathansInternational Hot Dog EatingContest. Students were espe-cially interested in learningabout parade floats, as theconcept was new to them. Thediscussion was light-hearted

out the selection of books,magazines, and online databasesaimed at English language learn-ers. They also offered sugges-tions for future programs atthe IRC and stressed the needfor English language materials inAlgeria.

A.B

Information Resource Center Takes off

American Independence day to Algerians

The importance

of the IRC and

its role in helping

the Algerian

public

understand the

U.S

Page 2 El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter

Charg, PAO and former ACAlgiers staff cutting ribbon

The ACAO

IRC director showing online re-sources to visitors

Visitors checking out books
http://algiers.usembassy.gov/http://algiers.usembassy.gov/http://algiers.usembassy.gov/


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On June 20, 2011, the U.S.Embassy in Algiers organized aninformative session directed to

local college students and re-lated to the College Admission.

The session was hosted at theopened Information ResourceCenter that opened to thepublic recently.

The workshop was presentedby Lindsey Cameron and KennyRodgers, two American Offi-cers working at the U.S. Em-bassy in Algiers, and it coveredthe application process for

Algerian students, standardizedtesting, financing studies andtips writing to American col-leges and advice on finding theright fit for international stu-dents.

The audience showed greatinterest in the presentation andposed questions to the pre-senters that also were relatedto life in the U.S.A and being aMuslim in an American campus,a thing that gave the presentersan opportunity to talk about

their own experience and tell-ing some anecdotes to give theattendance a taste of a realstudent life in the U.S.

Following the presentation, theEducational Advisor at the U.S.Embassy gave the attendees a

brief presentation on the avail-able exchange programs thatare directed to Algerian stu-dents.

Thanks to the presence ofsome Access program Alumni,the rest of the attendance hadthe chance the hear their ex-perience within this programand all the benefits, theseAlumni, had from it.

The workshop was an opportu-nity to promote U.S. Educationbut also to promote available

U.S. Government sponsoredprograms and tackle some ofthe challenges that Algerianstudents encounter during theirapplication process.

A.B

ism from which suffered all theAlgerians, but more specifi-cally , Le Cartable Bleu is anapology of forgiveness andhow to today victims and assas-sins face each other in the Al-

gerian society.

Leila Aslaoui comment on that

period was that Algerians will

live, indeed, in the samecountry, but they will nothave the same memory be-cause no one can ever heal

On June 29, 2011, the IRC atU.S. Embassy Algiers invitedMrs. Leila Aslaoui-Hammadi forpresentation and discussion ofher last book Le Crtable

Bleu (The Blue Satchel).

Mrs. Aslaoui is an author, aformer minister and a currentadvocate for womens rights in

Algeria.

Her book is tale of the darkestyears in the recent Algerianhistory and the event of terror-

an infected wound.The attendance had the oppor-

tunity to ask the author several

questions on her book.

A.B

IRC Algiers Hosting College Application Workshop

Aslaouis Le Cartable Bleu Presented at U.S. Embassy

Page 3

Mrs. Aslaoui during her bookpresentation.

The College applicationworkshop.

Lindsey Cameron giving tips on Financial

aid.

Educational Advisor promoting Exchange

programs.

El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter


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Email:[email protected]

Public Diplomacy,U.S. Embassy Algiers,Algeria

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

lish Language Officer (RELO)facilitated the workshop. Par-ticipants shared best practicesand lessons learned from cur-rent Access programs.The Charg at the U.S. Em-bassy, William Jordan greetedthe participants on their open-

ing ceremony and Acting PublicAffair Officer Marissa Scottstressed during her speech onthe importance of the AccessProgram for both Algeria andthe U.S. She emphasized thatthe spirit of the program is keyin promoting mutual under-standing between Algerian andAmerican people, highlightingthe Access difference.The Access teachers attendedmany sessions intended toimprove the studentsexperi-ence and give them a taste of

the American culture. PAS staffcontributed also by giving apresentation on the social me-dia which included both thetechnical side of using this tooland the educational aspects inpromoting the use of thesemedia within an Access class-room.This year, the Workshop hadan increase in the number of

The Public Affairs Section atthe U.S. Embassy in Algierscoordinated Algerias EnglishAccess Teachers Work-shop. Hopeland Institute, aprivate language institution thathas a long experience withtraining English teachers, han-dled the logistics of the work-shop.The Access Teachers Work-

shop was held at the MarsaHotel from June 26-30; theworkshop focused on class-room dynamics, summer en-hancement activities, and use ofinformation technology, socialmedia, drama, music and publicspeaking in the classroom.Teachers from thirteen differ-ent wilayas attended theWorkshop. The Regional Eng-

teachers as it was attended bythe new Access schools thatopened in 2010.

A.B

Access Teachers Meet Again

El Djazair Alumni NewsletterJune/July 2011

Access Teachers WorkshopOpening Ceremony

YLPs Taking souvenir picture near the

White House

YLPs celebrating July 4th in the USA.

Youth Leadership Program 2011

YLP 2011, an active group of Algerianyoung high school students from differentpart of the country, left Algeria on June 27,2011 for a four-week unforgettable experi-

ence.

Yosra, Khaoula, Anis and others, are nowin Nevada and they are sharing this won-

derful experience through the Facebook.

Presentation on Social Media

RELO presentation on teachingEnglish through music

el djazair alumni newsletter - june-july 2011

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