Pacific Cascades Area
AFS Intercultural Programs

AFS is the leading high school foreign exchange program, with opportunities to live and study in over 50 countries worldwide. 

A MORE JUST and PEACEFUL WORLD:
THE AFS MISSION AFTER SEPTEMBER 11

As the smoke clears from the devastating attacks in New York and Washington, DC, one thing becomes clear: the mission of AFS is more important than ever. Take a look at the opening words of our Mission Statement: AFS-USA works to build a more just and peaceful world by providing international and intercultural learning experiences....

At the risk of stating the obvious, a more just and peaceful world is a pretty important goal to work for right now. How do we go about doing this most important work? We have lined up to donate blood, and we have reached into our wallets to provide aid for families who lost loved ones. The international outpouring of grief and dismay has reminded us we are not alone and that the world community may be more tightly knit than we thought. This generosity of spirit is important, but will these efforts change the future? What can we really do to make a lasting difference?

Every time we host an AFS student or send an American student abroad, that student touches hundreds of lives. With almost every life an AFSer touches, understanding and tolerance increase. Students living abroad learn acceptance and respect for other cultures. They learn adaptability and a new language. And they learn to think for themselves. These are not trivial lessons. These are core experiences that will influence students for the rest of their lives. In that sense, each AFS experience touches thousands of lives.

How do we get at the root causes of what happened in New York and Washington, DC? Can we prevent attacks like this from happening again without becoming an armed camp? Will we surrender to hatred and war? The mission statement of AFS may hold the answer to these questions.

Last revision October 22, 2006