CDS International's Inaugural My America Contest
Strengthening Intercultural Understanding Through Photo & Written Essays
NEW YORK, May 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In 2006, CDS hosted its
inaugural My America: A Country Through a Foreign Lens contest that invited
CDS participants on the U.S. State Department J-1 Visitor Exchange Program
to submit a photo or written essay about their experiences in the U.S. The
winners, announced this spring, in each category received a US$1,000 travel
voucher from STA Travel to be used for an international flight.
Submissions came from a diverse group of young people who participated
in the exchange program and represented the following countries: Colombia,
Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, Serbia &
Montenegro, and South Korea. The My America Contest challenged program
participants to artistically express their impressions of the U.S. Entries
addressed a variety of topics that articulated the participants' thoughts
and perceptions about America, its people, politics and culture, the
company where they were trained, and the town where they lived.
"The submissions were incredibly powerful, positive, and moving," noted
Cari E. Guittard, Executive Director of Business for Diplomatic Action and
one of the contest judges. "When so much of the world is inundated with
negative perceptions of the U.S., it is refreshing to see ourselves through
the eyes of others who are actually experiencing American culture and life
firsthand-their candid and fresh perspectives capture the complexity of
America and provide a more complete picture of who we are as a people-truly
diverse, empathetic, accepting, and hopeful."
With over 50 entries received in 2006, the first-ever My America
Contest was a great success. Participants devoted tremendous time and care
assembling creative essays through a variety of mediums, among them:
calendars, homemade photo albums, and PowerPoint presentations.
"In a time when the U.S. is in the midst of selecting new presidential
candidates, the U.S. is mindful of its global reputation. In terms of our
national security, economic competitiveness, and the critical public
diplomacy goal of mutual understanding," noted Rob Fenstermacher, Executive
Director at CDS International, "CDS has found that the U.S. profoundly
benefits from exchange programs as participants come away with a better
understanding and appreciation of Americans and the American way of life."
CDS' My America Contest is an extension of these exchange programs and aims
to deepen intercultural awareness as well as promote international
understanding through an accessible medium. CDS J-1 participants, after
working in the U.S. for 3 to 18 months, recognize that the U.S. is a
welcoming nation and one interested in understanding the rest of the world.
All of the contest's submissions positively and uniquely portrayed
America-the entries were striking, enlightening, and provocative.
Marius Renn, a German participant, won the written essay category. Renn
describes how working in the U.S. changed his life. He states:
"Winning the My America Contest means so much to me, especially at this
time when my studies are dragging on longer than I would like, and the
thing that keeps me going is my dream of working in an environment like I
did in America. The news that I have won gives me such a great deal of
strength, and gives me hope that somehow in some way America will be a
great part of my life in the near future. The contest was a fantastic way
to let out the explosion of thoughts going on inside of me after the
internship [in the U.S.]."
The winners' work as well as the 20 top photo essay finalists can be
viewed by visiting http://www.cdsintl.org/myamerica.
The 2007 My America: A Country Through a Foreign Lens, invites
international trainees on the J-1 Visitor Excchange Program to submit
pictures they have taken depiccting their impressions of the U.S. The 2007
Beyond My America: Capturing Experiences Abroad photo essay contest has
also launched and invites Americans interning in Germany, Spain, and
Argentina to share their experiences abroad.
CDS International, Inc., a New York-based, nonprofit organization, is
committed to the advancement of international career training opportunities
customized to provide individuals with in-depth practical knowledge of
other nations' business practices, cultures, and political traditions. CDS
offers a diverse portfolio of exchange programs, professional work
internships, study tours, seminars, and language and cultural training
programs designed to prepare individuals and corporations for an
increasingly competitive international market. For more, visit
http://www.cdsintl.org.
The U.S. Department of State's Exchange Visitor Program is carried out
pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as
amended. Its purpose is to enhance understanding between the people of the
U.S. and the people of other countries through educational and cultural
exchanges.
