“Educational exchanges between countries can transform nations into people, promoting communication and mutual understanding, that is, humanizing international relations,” Senator William Fulbright, who gave his name to the most famous educational program in the world, wisely said. The Fulbright Foundation’s presence in Greece spans more than seven decades, and thanks to it, thousands of students and graduate students, teachers and artists crossed the Atlantic to receive new supplies and then “enrich” the homeland with their knowledge of us. At the same time, the Foundation ensures that relevant American scientists visit Greece. Some time ago, a reception was held in Athens for new arrivals from the United States with its active leader Artemis Zenetou, Secretary General of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education Odysseus Zora and US Ambassador George Tsunis. They all had hopes and dreams in their “baggage” to make the most of the experience.

New Horizons

In addition to scientists and artists, scientists become, as we have seen, teachers and professors. For nearly 20 years, through the Foundation, they have been participating in either month-long or six-month intensive summer programs to open their minds, learn from best practices, and explore the US education system. . In mid-October, an important international meeting dedicated to the exchange of teachers of the Foundation took place in the Greek capital. These were the Fulbright Scholars of the last three years who took part in the international conference of the US educational program, which was organized for the first time in our country.

The initiative of its organization belongs to one of our teachers, Ms. Georgia Giftula, Principal of Zografou 3rd Primary School and EKPA doctoral student. Having herself participated as a teacher in the special summer programs of the Foundation, she managed to hold a conference in our country with the support of three American universities hosting scientists (University of Montana, ITD Amherst, Massachusetts and CSU, Chico, California), but also the US State Department.

84 participants from 63 countries met in Athens. Its aim was to further develop an international network of educators dedicated to the development and improvement of courses on democracy and culture in the educational systems of their countries of origin. As for the foreign teachers and professors who came here, they said that they fulfilled their dream by visiting the country where political institutions were born and visiting the Parthenon.