2004 Programs and Events

U.S. Embassy Increases Outreach to Rural Schools

Deputy Chief of Mission Karen Stewart and representatives of the Public Affairs Staff, U.S. Embassy Minsk, have recently participated in events to donate English language teaching materials,  books about U.S. society and institutions, and audio-visual equipment to schools in rural areas of Belarus. The initiative marks a new effort to reach out to a young generation of Belarusians, to broaden their understanding of the United States, and to improve the teaching of English in schools in rural areas.

Recipients of the U.S. Embassy donations include schools in the rural towns of Ukhaloda, Dzerzhink, Ivenets, and Rakov. U.S. Embassy representatives have been warmly received at each school where they have been treated to concerts and dance performances. The English teachers have arranged roundtable sessions with students of English who question their American guests about a wide range of issues, including politics, music, hobbies, and other everyday issues. The visits marked the first time that U.S. Embassy personnel had visited the schools; and, for most of the students, the visits were the first time they had heard English spoken by a native speaker of the language.