Programs

Project Bethlehem

In biology, mitochondria are the power house of a cell generating energy required for growth and movement. In the Judean hills of the West Bank sits the little town of Bethlehem, a source of mitochondria for humanity. Project Bethlehem is not conversions, dogma, orthodoxy, or contemporary boycotts. Project Bethlehem is about the heart.

Project Bethlehem involves a blend of idealism, pragmatism, aspiration, and hope for a more peaceful and compassionate world. Projects include: sister city engagements, cultural exchange programs, artistic collaborations, tourism, youth enrichment programs, and multifaith dialogue.

Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. - Aristotle

Bharat Scouts & Guides Program

In 2010, Scout Troop 1992 “Mark Twain” was established in the heart of Ramapir No Tekro, Ahmedabad’s largest slum community, located in the shadow of the historic Gandhi Ashram. Mr. Brad Baldwin collaborated with Manav Sadhna, a leading NGO in Gujarat, and the executive leadership of Gujarat State Bharat Scouts & Guides to implement the first “open” troop in the state. Traditionally, the scout program in India is administered through schools as an elective class, which differs from the American/Western model of a volunteer-based youth enrichment program.

Despite facing early resistance, lack of awareness, and logistical hurdles, Troop 1992 established roots within the community and continues to flourish. Young scouts acquire valuable life skills, are actively engaged in local community outreach, and are a source of inspiration for others.

Educational

Created by the U.S. Department of State, the J-1 Summer Work & Travel Program (SWT) is an opportunity for qualified foreign college and university students enrolled full-time and pursuing studies at post-secondary academic institutions to gain international exposure through living and working in the United States for up to four months. Participants are placed in “non-skilled” jobs throughout America, primarily in seasonal tourism communities. The Exchange Visitor Visa Program creates platforms for international students to share their culture and ideas with American citizens. Upon completion of the program, participants are granted a “Grace Period” of up to 30 days to travel across the United States and visit notable landmarks.

World Classroom provides international students and educators with an inbound immersion program based in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Programs are a blend of academic, immersion, and sightseeing components. Academic elements include collaboration with public and private schools. Immersion elements include workshops with local police, first responders, and fire departments; cultural events with youth groups, scout groups, churches, and local festivals. Sightseeing includes famous landmarks such as Washington D.C. and New York.

The Secondary School Student Program is an opportunity for qualified foreign students to spend an academic year/semester in the United States. Students reside with American host families and are enrolled in a public school. The Secondary School Student Program is an integral public diplomacy piece of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa Program, established by the U.S. Department of State. The program is an authentic cross-cultural immersion experience in which international students serve as “Youth Ambassadors,” sharing their own culture and customs with American communities across all 50 states; therefore, fostering an awareness and understanding of culture and of the shared human experience.

Think Tank

IT'S A JOINT FAMILY BRUH! Institute for International Affairs

Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity. - P.T. Barnum

if not us, then who
If not now, then when - John Lewis