US-Iraq Joint Coordinating Cmte for Cultural and Educational Cooperation

U.S.-supported infrastructure upgrades to the National Museum of Iraq are complete, and the U.S. is now assisting site management and preservation of the ancient site of Babylon through a $3.7 million grant to the World Monuments Fund. The United States supported a month-long residency at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for Iraqi museum professionals in fall 2011 and will host Iraqi graduate students in the summer of 2012 as part of the Iraqi Museum Residencies Program.

Youth, Sports and Professional Exchanges:

The United States and Iraq are committed to robust people-to-people exchanges, especially focused on youth. Since its creation in 2007, the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program has brought more than 840 young Iraqis ages 15-22 to the United States for summer exchange programs focused on leadership and civic participation. In 2012, another 230 young men and women from all parts of Iraq will participate.

Over 250 Iraqis took part in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in 2010 and 2011, and approximately 150 will participate in 2012 in exchanges focusing on a variety of themes, including human and civil rights, women’s issues, energy reform, transparency in government, rule of law and judicial reform, water management, and preventing domestic abuse and violence.

Since 2009 close to sixty Iraqi athletes or coaches have participated in four sports exchanges, bringing young Iraqi basketball players and coaches and Iraqi female volleyball coaches to the U.S. for programs with their American counterparts, that included sessions on team building, conflict resolution and gender equity.

(Source: US Embassy)

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