FY 2021 J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (Stevens Initiative)

Overview

<p>The Stevens Initiative was inspired by the meaningful international exchange experiences that Ambassador Stevens had as a young man, which helped to shape the kind of diplomat he became. The Stevens Initiative aims to make similar experiences available to unprecedented numbers of young people in the Middle East and North Africa through programs that connect youth virtually in sustained and meaningful ways.</p> <p>The J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (Stevens Initiative), developed in partnership with the Stevens Family Foundation is a multilateral public-private partnership that will strengthen engagement between young people in the Middle East and North Africa (NEA) and in the United States as a lasting tribute to the legacy of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. The Stevens Initiative will use technology and online tools to facilitate educational exchanges between the United States and the Middle East and North Africa. Through intensive, structured online engagements between youth at various<br>education levels, the Initiative will increase mutual understanding and equip more than one million youth with the skills and aptitudes they need to succeed in the 21st century. Launched in 2015, ECA’s Stevens Initiative has implemented over 63 projects involving nearly 70,000 participants in 17 NEA countries and the Palestinian Territories. It has also included participants from 47 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, D.C., and one tribal community.</p>