The Ambassador of the United States of America, Maura Connelly, invited all Lebanese YES alumni to a reception hosted at the Embassy in Awkar, to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program on Friday, April 12, 2013.

So far, 336 Lebanese high school students have spent a year in the United States since the 2003 launch of the YES exchange program, administered by AMIDEAST and funded by the U.S. Department of State. Ninety YES alumni from all ten cohort-years attended the beautiful reception on Friday, which turned out to be a great networking event. The YES alumni in attendance shared their program experiences and success stories with U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly, other U.S. Embassy officials, and Lebanese media representatives. The U.S. Ambassador gave a speech at the reception, and mentioned many achievements that YES alumni in Lebanon have had throughout the past 10 years, noting especially their many diverse community projects and the leadership they have demonstrated since their return.

Two YES alumni, Myriam Aziz (YES 2007 - 2008) and Rayan Abu Khouzam (YES 2005 - 2006), also spoke about how YES was a life-transforming experience, and how thankful all 336 alumni were to the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Department of State for believing in the youth of Lebanon.

The Daily Star Lebanon wrote the article, “Exchange students encounter all sides of America” highlighting a few YES alumni experiences as well as how this program is much more than just improving U.S. and Lebanon relations. You can also view a television news clip about the reception in Arabic here.