U.S. Consulate General and AMIDEAST Host First U.S. University Fair in Gaza

July 27, 2010

Jerusalem: The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem, AMIDEAST's Gaza office, and the Gaza chapter of the Palestinian Fulbright Alumni Association hosted the first-ever U.S. university fair in the Gaza Strip, attracting hundreds of young Gazans interested in learning more about options for study in the United States. The fair, held at the Avenue Restaurant on Gaza City beach, is part of the U.S. Consulate General's goal of increasing outreach to Gazans to offer them the same opportunities open to their fellow Palestinians in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Following introductory remarks by AMIDEAST Country Director Steven Keller, the U.S. officer responsible for educational exchanges, Alistair Baskey, welcomed the students with a videotaped message, noting that, "We supported this fair to express our confidence in your abilities and to help you realize your dreams and ambitions." Mr. Baskey also noted that the U.S. Consulate General will assist any Gazan student who has received a scholarship to study in the United States to come to Jerusalem for the required visa interview. Since 2008, the Consulate has helped more than 170 students obtain the necessary permits to exit Gaza for travel to the United States.

The U.S. Department of State has a number of programs to support Palestinian students, including the English Access Microscholarships program (Access), which provides teenagers with free English language instruction, the Youth Exchange and Study program (YES), which supports one year of study at U.S. high schools, and the Fulbright Foreign Student program (Fulbright), which fully funds study for M.A. or PhD degrees at U.S. universities. Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and east Jerusalem interested in learning more about Access, YES, Fulbright, or other U.S. study opportunities should contact their nearest AMIDEAST office. Three hundred and sixty two Palestinians studied in the United States during the 2009 academic year, a number which the U.S. Government hopes to increase significantly in the coming years.

For more information please contact the Consulate Press Office at 02-622-6909 or Information Assistant Hassna Dajani at 0546620257.