From the Tragedy of 9/11, Muslim Teens Emerge as Catalyst for Peace

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Conceived in response to the tragedies of 9/11, the YES Program (Youth Exchange and Study Program) was sponsored by Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Lugar (R-IN) with the goal of promoting peace for future generations of Americans and Muslims through the profound power of youth exchange. This month 800 Muslim teens on the YES Program arrive in communities across 48 states to live with a volunteer host family and attend a local high school for one year. Now in its sixth year and funded by the U.S. State Department, this ambitious diplomatic effort gives American high school students and families the opportunity to learn from and develop relationships with Muslim youth turning fear of the unknown to familiarity, respect, and friendship.

"I see the YES Program, and its potential for peace in the years ahead, as our gift to our children and grandchildren, freeing them from the many dangers that result from cultural misunderstandings in the world today," said Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA). "YES Program students and their American peers develop an openness to new ways of thinking and mutual respect that will guide them as they face future challenges in their own day and generation."

The YES students hail from Muslim and Arab countries including Iraq, Bangladesh, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan and the West Bank. Receiving the highly competitive, full scholarship represents a huge honor and opportunity for these students.

"YES students are creating a profound ripple effect, with each student inspiring greater cultural understanding among 100s, if not thousands, of people they touch in their American host communities and their local communities when they return home," said Geoff Watson, President of AYUSA Global Youth Exchange.

There are now 2500 YES alumni, fulfilling the promise of YES to have a long-lasting, positive impact across cultures. YES alumni are doing extraordinary things in their home countries. El Mehdi El Fitr, YES class of 2006, was inspired to start a non-profit organization called "Friends Involved in Helping Needy Students" to provide necessary school supplies to low-income children in his hometown of Laayoune, Morocco. Turab Hassan, from the class of 2004, started a medical camp in northern Pakistan to provide medical supplies and health planning services to those affected by the earthquake in that region.

About The YES Program:

In response to the events of September 11, 2001, the YES Program (Youth Exchange and Study Program) was launched to build bridges of understanding between the United States and countries of the Arab and Muslim world. The YES Program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and is administered through grants to non-profit partners, one of which is a consortium of organizations led by AYUSA Global Youth Exchange and includes Aspect, ASSE, CCI, CIEE, PIE and Youth For Understanding USA. The YES Program needs more American host families to help support and grow this program. Interested families can learn more about hosting a YES student through AYUSA Global Youth Exchange by visiting http://www.AYUSA.org or calling 1.888.55.AYUSA.