Open World Executive Director, Ambassador John O’Keefe Pays His First Visit to Georgia
On October 1, 2007 Ambassador John O’Keefe, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Open World program visited Georgia as part of his visits to Open World expansion countries. The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi and American Councils for International Development in Tbilisi arranged and coordinated the Ambassador’s visit to Georgia.
U.S. Ambassador in Georgia, John E. Tefft hosted a reception at his residence in honor of Ambassador O’Keefe. Among invited guests were alumni of the Open World program, representatives of the Georgian government as well as directors of different non governmental organizations. Ambassador O’Keefe enjoyed the opportunity of meeting and talking to a number of Open World program alumni, who shared their U.S. experiences and impressions with him. During the visit, the Ambassador also met with the Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Ms. Bela Tsipuria and attended a roundtable meeting with U.S. government funded Edmund Muskie program alumni, who actively participated in a discussion related to the future perspectives of the Open World program development in Georgia.
Open World is the only exchange program of the U.S. legislative branch. It aims to promote mutual understanding between Eurasia and the United States by enabling Eurasian leaders to meet with their American counterparts and share with them ideas and expertise in the subjects and issues most important to both sides. In 2007 five groups of Georgian professionals visited the United States through the Open World program on Rule of Law, Local Governance and Education. |
