KUALA LUMPUR: The 23 Malaysians who left for the United States of America (US) in January under the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program are back home.
The teenagers are now more mature, with a hunger for knowledge and education, as well as for leadership opportunities, says Yayasan AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia partner and national director Kuhan Kandiah Chelvanathan.
“You survived the winter, navigated American high schools, shared our rich Malaysian culture and built bonds that bridged the thousands of miles between our two nations,” he said during their homecoming event at Mecure Hotel Kuala Lumpur on Monday (June 8).
He said the students, who had just received their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results a few months back, had spent almost six months living with host families, attending high school and joining extracurricular activities in the US as part of the exchange program.
Organised by the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in partnership with Yayasan AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia, the students acquire critical leadership skills through community service, and educate their host communities about the rich diversity of Malaysian heritage, traditions and perspectives.
Embassy of US in Kuala Lumpur counselor for public diplomacy Morgan O'Brien said he hopes the students make full use of the YES Alumni network, which is about 800-strong for Kuala Lumpur alone.
“You have big things ahead of you. You should dream big and tou should look for every opportunity,” he said when welcoming the students back.
Established by the US Congress in 2002, the YES programme was created to promote global harmony and build bridges between American citizens and countries worldwide, particularly those with significant Muslim populations.
The programme is fully funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
