Over the last 17 years more than 7,000 Afghans have participated in U.

S.

Embassy Public Diplomacy programs, and are now part of a large network with the potential to influence the future of Afghanistan.

These alumni come from programs such as (but not limited to) Fulbright,

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International Visitor Leadership Program, academic exchanges, university scholarships, English language programs, and many more.

These alumni reside across Afghanistan as well as around the world.

The aim of this program is to organize and empower alumni of U.

S.

government-funded programs to unite their efforts and take an active part in contributing to the social, economic, and political development of Afghanistan, as well as the peace and reconciliation process.

The objectives of this project are to enhance coordination among U.

S.

Public Diplomacy alumni on the priority topics of peace and reconciliation, youth and women’s empowerment, economic prosperity, government capacity building, and active civil society; empower individual PAS alumni to initiate community-based projects by providing small grants; continue to support the work and activities of the Organization of Afghan Alumni (OAA) and the Afghan Fulbright Association (AFA); encourage mentorship and professional network development among alumni; inform Department of State stakeholders about the attitudes, achievements, and efforts of individual alumni as pertains to U.

S.

policy priorities in Afghanistan.