Letter from Senators Richard G. Lugar and Christopher J. Dodd
March 12, 2009
Dear Colleague,
I hope by now that you have received an invitation from the American Council on Education/Coalition for International Education for Engaging the World: U.S. Global Competence in the 21st Century. A series of events on March 18th will celebrate five decades of the Higher Education Act-Title VI, International Education Programs (originally enacted as Title VI of the National Defense Act in 1958) and the Fulbright-Hay, Section 102(b)(6) overseas program.
The first event, a Global Symposium title Critical Challenges in an Unpredictable World: Implications for U.S. Engagement will take place in Senate Dirksen Buildng G-50 from 1:15pm - 5:30 pm. Featured speakers will be the Honorable Lee H. Hamilton and the Honorable Zbigniew Brzezinski, as well as renowned experts on the Global Financial Crisis and Issues in South Asia. Immediately following the symposium, the American Council on Education will host a reception in the Library of Congress featuring the unveiling of a short video profiling five Title VI/Fulbright-Hays beneficiaries whose foreign language skills and area knowledge combine with professional expertise to make a difference in the world.
Title VI and the Fulbright-Hays programs have had a tremendous impact to our nation over the years by developing a strong foundation in international education, research and foreign language studies, especially in less-commonly taught languages that may be of U.S. strategic interest. These programs continue to be an integral part of our cultural diplomacy.
We encourage you or your senior staff to attend these events and help mark this historic occasion.
Sincerely,
Richard G. Lugar, Christopher J. Dodd
