The Professional Fellows Division in the Office of Citizen Exchanges at the U.

S.

Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposal submissions for the FY 2020 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Professional Fellows Program.

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The YSEALI Professional Fellows Program is a two-way exchange program designed to promote mutual understanding, enhance leadership and professional skills, and build lasting and sustainable partnerships between emerging leaders in Southeast Asia and the United States.

The YSEALI Professional Fellows Program will bring at least 200 emerging leaders, ages 25-35, from Southeast Asia to the United States to participate in leadership and professional development activities under the themes of Civic Engagement, Economic Empowerment, Governance and Society, and Sustainable Development and the Environment.

The U.S.-based exchange program will support spring and fall 2021 cohorts.

The U.S.-based exchange program will be five to six weeks in duration and consist of:
1) Professional Fellowship Institutes (“Institute”) in each of the program themes, featuring individually tailored fellowship placements at relevant U.

S.

non-profit, public, or private sector organizations; and 2) a program closing conference called the YSEALI Fellow Forum in Washington, DC.

Upon the conclusion of the U.S.-based exchange program, at least 50 select American participants will travel overseas for minimum one-week reciprocal exchanges to assist the non-U.

S.

participants in implementing Action Plans in their local communities, and help contribute to lasting, substantive partnerships between U.

S.

and Southeast Asian professionals.

The YSEALI Professional Fellows Program will also include follow-on alumni engagement activities.