2009 Speeches
Remarks by Timothy Zuniga-Brown for the International Visitor Program Alumni Reception
Thursday, September 24, 2009
British Colonial Hilton Hotel
Good evening. Let me welcome each and every one of you to our first gathering of the International Visitor Program alumni. I hope that this will be the beginning of a revitalized IVP program that will provide us with ample opportunities to bring this prestigious group together more often in the future. It is my pleasure to speak before such an accomplished collection of educators, scientists, artists, government officials, journalists and businesspersons. As alumni, you all share a commitment to excellence.
Tonight I would like to recognize the contributions you have made to your communities as leaders, scholars and innovators. I also want to thank you for using your exchange experience to build a stronger bond of friendship between Bahamians and Americans.
The United States has sponsored thousands of up-and-coming academics and professionals from all over the world through Fulbright scholarships, IVP, Latin American Scholarship Program and the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship. As you know, recipients of the Fulbright Graduate Student Program and Fulbright Latin American Scholarship Programs study for advanced degrees at top U.S. Universities. Eighteen Bahamian Fulbright alumni in a wide variety of occupations have benefitted from this exchange.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship brings accomplished professionals from developing countries to the U.S. for one year of academic study. Fourteen Bahamians have participated in this program.
And finally, the International Visitor Leadership Program sends participants to the U.S. for professional development. This training includes meetings with their counterparts in the public and private sectors and exposure to American culture.
I trust you all agree that these exchange programs allow future leaders to experience America first hand while developing professional and academic skill sets. More often than not, alumni return to their countries with fresh ideas and the drive to set those ideas in motion. IVP graduates from The Bahamas are no exception.
Among us here tonight is a cabinet minister, a Supreme Court justice, a communications company CEO and a pastor. These are the type of civic leaders that make a society thrive and prosper. The United States has participated in exchange programs with The Bahamas for over 35 years, and we think you will agree that both Bahamians and Americans have benefited enormously. These exchanges only strengthen the close relationship that we have shared for so long.
We want to continue this long-standing tradition of academic and professional cooperation. I am pleased to announce that my government will reinitiate the IVP Program in the Bahamas this year and we are looking into restarting the Fulbright program as well. To do this, however, we need your assistance in order to identify potential leaders from all walks of life. From education, the arts, business, government, politics, the media, and other fields.
It may be interesting for those of you here to know that of the thousands of IVP alumni from all over the world, more than 290 are current and former Chiefs of State and Heads of Government. Over 2,000 are cabinet-level ministers, and many, many others are distinguished leaders from the public and private sectors.
You never know – you could be the one who nominates a future Prime Minister or prominent CEO. Tonight is your night. I encourage you use this event to network with program alumni on a local and on a global level. Each of you should have received a pamphlet explaining the ways in which you can connect with other Fulbright, Humphrey and IVP alumni through an Online Alumni Program. We hope that you will fill out the information cards given to you this evening so that we can keep in touch and send you information about similar networking opportunities in the future.
I want to thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend this important event. Most of all I want to thank you, on behalf of the American people, for your continied support for International Visitors exchange programs in The Bahamas. Thank you. .
And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure and honor to present Dr. Keva Bethel with an International Visitors Program Award. Dr. Bethel, would you please come to the stage? Dr. Bethel, on behalf of the U.S. government and the American people, I would like to thank you for your tireless efforts to promote and support the International Visitor Exchange programs during your tenure at the College of The Bahamas.
During your distinguished career as past president of The College of the Bahamas, you have enabled dozens of young, promising Bahamian academics to obtain training, advanced degrees and professional development in the United States.
Your efforts have enriched and deepened the bonds between our two nations. In recognition of this it is my pleasure to present to you this certificate and award. Thank you for all that you have done for The Bahamas.