PR94219

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

AFS is proud to announce the new AFS Global STEM Changemakers Initiative,

funded by bp. This new initiative aims to provide 5,000 young people worldwide

with immersive learning experiences through STEM, global competence, and

sustainability-focused intercultural exchange programs. The initiative will

span the next five years (2022-2026) and is run by AFS Intercultural Programs,

an international education nonprofit, with funding from bp, a global integrated

energy company.

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Giving young people the tools to help build a more sustainable future

Through immersive learning experiences, the AFS Global STEM Changemakers

Initiative will equip diverse young people with critical technical and STEM

competencies needed (including exposure to engineering, digital, data science,

and wider STEM awareness), paired with design thinking and global competence,

including critical thinking, intercultural awareness, and teamwork, to help

scholars understand and be prepared to help the world transition to a more

sustainable future.

The program is also designed to empower underrepresented populations,

especially young women, with pathways to STEM education, leadership, and social

impact.

Over the next five years, AFS plans for selected young scholars to be able to

participate in one of three distinct programs:

    --AFS Global STEM Academies, which combine virtual and in-person learning

      and gather diverse young people aged 15 to 17.5 from around the world in

      global cohorts. The 2022 in-person Academies are scheduled to be held in

      Brazil, China, India, the USA, and Belgium/UK, where scholars will

      collaborate on real-world case studies in each market.

    --AFS Global STEM Accelerators, which are virtual interactive workshops for

      girls around the world between the ages of 15 and 17.5, with a focus on

      sustainability and positive social impact, empowering girls to become

      changemakers in their communities.

    --AFS Global STEM Innovators, for young people, aged 14 to 16, that

      commence with a virtual curriculum on global competence skills and

      culminate in a two-day in-person workshop, focused on sustainable

      development and local impact. The 2022 workshops are scheduled to take

      place in Perth, Australia; Cairo, Egypt; and Jakarta, Indonesia.

After program completion, scholars will be invited to join an alumni community

which will offer diverse mentoring opportunities, skills development sessions,

panel discussions and other development opportunities. Scholars will also have

the chance to be invited to participate in the AFS Youth Assembly, a global

gathering of young people actively tackling the United Nations Sustainable

Development Goals.

Empowering young people to become changemakers through STEM

AFS brings decades of expertise in impact-driven educational exchange and the

power of a global network. "Skills like cross-cultural communication, empathy,

and conflict resolution are mission-critical for our world. Educating more

young people to become global citizens is crucial if we want to create a more

sustainable future. We are delighted to scale our partnership with bp and

advance our shared commitment to more equitable education," says Daniel Obst,

President and CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs.

bp supports initiatives such as this to help build the STEM talent that the

world needs to create sustainable solutions and improve the diversity of talent

in STEM.

Applications for the AFS Global STEM Academies will open in January 2022, with

applications for the Global STEM Innovators and Global STEM Accelerators

programs to follow. Find out more about the initiative, program requirements

and dates at afs.org/global-stem (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3421843-1&h=35875243&u=https%3A%2F%2Fafs.org%2Fglobal-stem%2F&a=afs.org%2Fglobal-stem

).

About AFS

AFS Intercultural Programs is a global not-for-profit Network that provides

intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge,

skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.

Through international exchange programs, education initiatives, volunteerism

and advocacy, AFS empowers people from all backgrounds with essential global

skills—and the passion for making a difference. AFS Intercultural Programs

leverages the power and reach of 55 National AFS Organizations working together

to accelerate local, global and collective impact. www.afs.org.

About bp

bp's purpose is to reimagine energy for people and our planet. It has set out

an ambition to be a net zero company by 2050, or sooner and help the world get

to net zero, and a strategy for delivering on that ambition. For more

information visit www.bp.com.

SOURCE: AFS Intercultural Programs

CONTACT: Milena Miladinovic, m.miladinovic@afs.org