Haber olmuştuk... :) 26.04.2008

Merhaba bahsettiğim programla Amerika'dayken haber olmuştuk onu da eklemek istedim.. :)Turkish Delegation visits Mesopotamia’s Amish CountryOn Saturday April 26, twenty Turkish delegates took a tour of Amish Country. Sharon Grover, owner/tour guide for Ridgeview Country Tours, coordinated the venture. The objective of the day was to educate the group about Amish Culture. “It is a pleasure to have the delegates visiting our area and a great honor to be able to teach people from different parts of the world about the Amish in Ohio.” said Grover.Their first stop was at Ridgeview Farm where the delegates toured the Amish Culture Center and were introduced to the traditions of the Amish. Speaking fluent English, the group was attentive with many questions and curiosity. Stops on the tour included, The Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op, a meal in an Amish home, a visit to an Amish school house, and a shopping experience at the End Of The Commons store in Mesopotamia.Margarita Shulman, Director of International Visitor Programs, Cleveland Council on World Affairs, explains the basis for their tour, “The project is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Office of Visitor Exchanges, World Learning (Washington Based Program Agency) and locally administered by the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. The project is entitled ‘Foreign Policy Dialogue Among Emerging Leaders in Turkey and the U.S.’ The group will engage in serious, important, and productive dialogue on international issues and ways that strengthen civil society through the democratic process. Meetings will give visitors a better understanding of the priority issues, concerns, and ideas that prevail in each society as well as provide a fuller understanding of American and Turkish foreign policies, political structures, societies, and cultures. The program will explore diversity and how a democratic society handles diversity and other challenging issues.The group includes very accomplished young leaders, representatives of the executive branch, Parliament staff and grantees who work for NGOs or private-public partnerships, students, business people, city organizers and a journalist. All participants have an academic or professional background in foreign affairs.The goals of the project are to:1. Engage in serious and productive dialogue on international issues in ways that strengthen civil society and the democratic process2. Establish new links between emerging leaders and organizations in Turkey and the United States3. Provide a better understanding of the priority issues and ideas that prevail in each society4. Facilitate a fuller understanding of U.S. and Turkish foreign policies, political structures and cultures.The project brings twenty young emerging leaders from Turkey to the United States for a three and one half-week visit. The first week consists of a stay in Maryland, the second week in Cleveland, and the third in DC. In Cleveland, the group stayed with host families all over the city ranging from Middleburg Heights to Solon, Cleveland Heights… the first day was a full cultural experience of multicultural Cleveland, the second and third day was a full job shadowing experience where guests were placed in key NGO and government offices all over town, and the fourth day consisted of a business and education seminar.”This group appeared to thoroughly enjoy their tour of Amish Country, reported Sharon Grover of Ridgeview tours.