Time: 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Have you ever wondered what living in America is like for an international visitor? What do they notice about our culture, the way we live, our school life, etc.? What can they tell us about the way they live in their home country?
Northern Ohio is currently hosting students from Kosovo as part of the Kosovo Youth Exchange Program (KYEP). These high school students left their homes, their schools, and their country for an entire school year in order to experience life and academics in America. They are eager to share their impressions with you, and answer your questions about their country of Kosovo, their American schools, and what they are planning to do when they return to their homes in the summer.
Kosovo is a relatively new country. It was part of the Province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia after World War II. The ethnic Albanians of Kosovo pushed for independence from Serbia in the 1980s, but Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic refused to allow a vote. This led to fighting in Kosovo in the 1990s and 2000s. The United States, as part of NATO, carried out a bombing campaign against Milosevic’s forces. Negotiations during the 2000s culminated on February 17, 2008, when Kosovo was declared independent by its national assembly. In 2010, the International Court of Justice supported Kosovo’s independence. The United States recognizes Kosovo as an independent country, as do 97 other United Nations Member States.
Education in Kosovo is mandatory up to the age of 15 (grade 9). Additional secondary education and university-level education is optional, although strongly encouraged. There are both public and private schools in Kosovo.
Plan on having your students interact with the Kosovo students on April 2nd via distance learning.
The program is sponsored by the Council on World Affairs and FREE to participating schools. Schools interested in participating in this program should contact John Ramicone at john.ramicone@ideastream.org or 216-916-6360 by March 31st.