El Djazair Alumni Newsletter - December 2010
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8/8/2019 El Djazair Alumni Newsletter - December 2010
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Algerians who had came from the
same background as them and who are
living, as they described, the Ameri-
can Dream. The program was a great
opportunity to promote science and
technology, improving knowledge on
U.S. education and available opportuni-
ties for Algerian students and re-
searchers.
On December 5, the U.S. Embassy in
Algiers organized an academic advising
session presented by a panel of the
Algerian-American Foundation for
Culture Science and Technology for
Algerian students interested in the
fields of science.
The session started by a brief intro-duction by Ms. Marissa Scott, the
Cultural Affairs Officer in Algiers
followed by a description of the educa-
tional advising services by Abderrah-
mane Boussoufa, the Educational
Advisor & Alumni Coordinator.
The presentation was opened by Dr.
Farid Amirouche, University of Illinois,
followed by a self introduction of each
of the Algerian-American scholars.
The scholars are all members of the
Algeria-American Foundation for
Culture, Education, Science, and Tech-nology, formally launched at the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences on January
15, 2010 in Washington, DC. The
Chairman of the organization is Dr.
Elias Zerhouni, Presidential Envoy for
Science and Technology. Algerian
Ambassador the U.S., Abdallah Baali,
and U.S. Ambassador to Algeria, David
Pearce, are both Honorary Co-
Chairman of the organization.
The organizations president, Dr. Farid
Amirouche, and the Director General
of the Algerian National Agency for
Scientific Research, Dr. Hafid Aoureg,
led the conference. The mission of
the foundation is to address the fol-
lowing objectives: develop and foster
strategic relations of cooperation
between Algeria and the USA; pro-
mote progress of science, technologyand health between the two countries;
advance the national interest in educa-
tion in both countries; encourage
innovative ideas whenever they arise;
explore and identify opportunities and
resources to promote training and
community relations; and to promote
Algerian and American cultural ex-
change activities.
Six members of the organization spoke
to students about their life as students
in Algeria and how they transitioned
to student life in the U.S. Studentsasked questions about entrance into
U.S. schools and about how their
current education could help them to
get scholarships to study in the U.S.
The CAO and Educational Advisor
talked to students about becoming
more competitive and about packaging
themselves as students.
Students left the two-hour session
excited and honored to be among
Algerian-Americans Get Connected
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
December 2010Volume 2, Issue 13
El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter
Inside this issue:
Algerian-Americans GetConnected
1
U.S. Officials Visit to AC-CESS
2
U.S.-Maghreb Entrepre-neurship Conference
2
Educational Advisor
Visits A.C. Oran
3
Lets Play Some One-On-One. 3
Message to Alumni 4
Dr. Farid Amirouche, President of AA-
FEST, introduces the panel.
AAFEST Panel
Panel Poses With Students
Amina, Access Alumna, asks question
to the panel.
AAFEST panel contact info is available on
U.S.Embassy Algiers-Alumni & Education Advising
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8/8/2019 El Djazair Alumni Newsletter - December 2010
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On November 30, Assistant Secre-
tary for Economic, Energy, and
Business Affairs Jose Fernandez and
Special Representative for Com-
mercial and Business Affairs
Lorraine Hariton spoke to English
Access program students in Algiers.
The two traveled to Algeria for the
U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship
Conference hosted by the Depart-
ment of State and the U.S.Alge-
ria Business Council. Fernandez
spoke to the students about his
background and his passion for
artistic entrepreneurship. He
spoke about establishing the first
Hispanic Theatre Festival in NewYork and managing the first 24-
hour all jazz station in New York.
To the students surprise Fernan-
dez revealed that English was not
his first language and that he did
not learn the language until he was
ten years old. Because of this
experience, he was able to under-
stand the Access students dedica-
tion and commitment to learning
English.
Hariton spoke about her career at
IBM and being the CEO of a tech-
nology company. She also shared
with the students the importance
of entrepreneurship and to thinking
critically about not just getting a
job but also creating jobs in their
country.
After Fernandez and Hariton intro-
duced themselves, the students
asked questions about U.S.Alge-
ria relations, the difficulty in start-
ing businesses, and the role that
education played in their success.Fernandez and Hariton recognized
that the students researched their
backgrounds and were impressed
that the students asked them ques-
tions directly related to their pas-
sions, careers, and objectives of
their visit.
In an effort to expose Access stu-
dents to U.S. officials and native
English speakers, the Public Affairs
Section at the U.S. Embassy in
Algiers, often includes a visit to one
of the Access program Schools to
give students the opportunity to
practice their English skills and to
show the visitors the impact that
the Access school has on Algerian
youth and American public diplo-
macy.
Minister of Industry, Investmentand SMEs, H.E. Minister Mohamed
Benmeradi and US Assistant Secre-tary of State Mr. Jose W. Fernan-dez, with a very warm welcome
from the Chairman of the US-Algeria Business Council, Mr. PaulMikolashek and the US Ambassa-
dor to Algeria, H.E. Ambassador
David Pearce. One of the greatestoutcomes of this important confer-ence was the desire to spin out of
the trans-Maghreb networkingbetween young entrepreneurs. TheUS-Algeria Business Council is
hopeful that at the next round ofthe US-Maghreb EntrepreneurshipConference, many new trans-
Maghreb success stories will beannounced.
The US-Algeria Business Council is
a non-profit, independently fundedbusiness association composed of
nearly 100 Algerian and US mem-bers. The mission of the US-AlgeriaBusiness Council is to expand anddiversify US-Algeria trade while
On December 1-2, 2010, the US-Algeria Business Council and the
US Department of State organizedthe 2010 US-Maghreb Entrepre-neurship Conference in Algiers,
Algeria. This conference was thefirst of its kind in the region andfeatured the voices of numerous
young entrepreneurs, globally
recognized business leaders andexperts, key government officialsand international press figures.
Participants came from Algeria,Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, theUnited State and Tunisia, as well as
the European Union and the MiddleEast. Far from being an isolatedevent, this conference was the first
official follow-on conference to the2010 Presidential Summit on Entre-preneurship hosted by President
Barak Obama in Washington, DC,
and the first of many ongoing US-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Confer-
ences to be held annually.
The keynote address at this confer-ence was presented by the Algerian
representing the interest of ourmembers as a whole. Through the
year the USABC hosts eventsfeaturing key figures in US-Algeriatrade and organizes sector-specific
trade missions. Companies operat-ing in US-Algeria trade are encour-aged to contact and join the US-
Algeria Business Council and bene-
fit from its outstanding network ofmembers and partners. More infor-mation about the USABC can be
found atwww.us-algeria.org .
U.S. Official Visit to Access School
U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference
Page 2 El-Djazair Alumni Newsletter
Fernandez greets stu-dents after their discus-
sion
Hariton talks about her
experience
View of the Meeting
U.S. Entrepreneurship Con-
ference Opening
Assistant Secretary of StateJose Fernandez speaks to stu-
dents about entrepreneurship
http://www.us-algeria.org/http://www.us-algeria.org/ -
8/8/2019 El Djazair Alumni Newsletter - December 2010
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As part of the efforts to increaseAlgerian students interest in the
U.S. Education, A. Boussoufa, the
Educational Advisor at the PublicAffairs Section visited the American
Corner in Oran on December 22,
2010.
The main purpose of the visit wasto meet with local students and to
give a presentation on U.S. Univer-sities and Colleges and the processof application for international
students.
Students from all fields such as
science, technology, medicine or
humanities, attended the presenta-tion and showed great interest in
the subject but also on the U.S.Department of States sponsored
programs and EducationUSA ser-vices for international students.
Most of the topics were new for
the audience as they learnt how tomore efficiently find an institution
that fit their requirements, but alsohow to compare both the Algerianand American system, which for a
majority seemed to be an impor-tant part in making up their choices
for their academic future.
The application process has taken abig part of the Q&A that followed
the presentation, as students werevery interested to have tips on howsuccessfully apply to U.S. institu-
tions; they also exposed somedifficulties they can encounter withsuch a process, this presentation
was also attended by Barbara
Rumbinas, the English Language
Fellow in the University of Oran.
The American Corner in Oran wasa perfect venue for such presenta-tion; it has a strategic location inthe Faculty of Medicine in the Es-
Sania, Oran and is run by a verydynamic team led by Mrs. FatimaKazi, the Corner was first opened
to the public on June 6, 2008.
over the next year, with the ulti-
mate goal of establishing a basket-
ball academy in Algeria for junior
high school students.
The next two visits will occur in
the spring and summer of2011. The opening ceremony was
attended by Ambassador Pearce
and the Chef du Cabinet of the
Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The members of the One on One
team were extremely impressed by
the energy and talent of the chil-
dren and their coaches. Arthur
Jackson, the President of One-on-
In conjunction with the Ministry of
Youth and Sports (MYS), the Alge-
rian Basketball Federation, and the
Algerian Embassy in the U.S., Em-
bassy Algiers sponsored a group of
six basketball coaches and players
from Washington-based NGO One-on-One Basketball to conduct a
basketball camp December 16-20
at the Salle de Sport in Staoueli
(Algiers).
Participants included approximately
120 students aged 11-14 and their
coaches. This is one of three visits
One-on-One will make to Algeria
One, noted, An impressive im-
provement in the way the kids
were playing in just five days of
training thanks to their determina-
tion to learn.
All the coaches were thrilled withthe hospitality and new friendships
they found in Algiers, and are ex-
cited to come back in the spring.
Educational Advisor Visits American Corner Oran
Lets Play Some One-On-One
Page 3Volume 2, Issue 13
Arthur Jackson, Presidentof One-On-One
American Corner Oran Advising Session
Answering students
questions
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8/8/2019 El Djazair Alumni Newsletter - December 2010
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U.S. Embassy Algiershttp://algiers.usembassy.gov/
Alumni Coordinator/Educational Advisor at theU.S. Embassy
Dear Alumni,
The El Djazair Alumni Newsletter, is celebrating its first anniversary after hav-
ing been published the first time on December 2009.
On the eve of our first year anniversary but also the New Year, we would like to
thank all of the Alumni who contributed with their writings and also the grow-
ing number of readers for their comments, support and interest in this product
and in the activities of the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in Algiers.
Our wish is that you will continue to support our work and to receive more
information about your contributions to the Algerian American relationship
featured in your newsletter.
More contributions are needed from you all. Send your stories on U.S. Spon-
sored programs you attended and being Alumni back in Algeria.
Contribute to the Newsletter! Visit our Facebook page! Stay active!
Happy New Year.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Nassira Nouioua
NESA Yasmina Boumerah
MEPI
Mohamed TabboucheIVP Fewzia Bejaoui
TESOL
Mouloud Mouhoubi
YES Isma Hadji
SUSIWalid Baba Ahmed
NESALatifa Krachi
FLTA
Women 2 WomenBetween the Lines
Rached Zaghlache
AYLPAA FEST