FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Laura Ingalls (laura.ingalls@worldlearning.org) in Washington, 1.202.646.6973
Reciprocity Defined Through Action
BRATTLEBORO, VT (April 12, 2008) -- Pink balloons, ribbons, and posters festooned a high-traffic area of Damascus on Saturday, April 12 for the first-ever "March for Survival". The walk, organized by the Syrian Breast Cancer Society, drew inspiration from the October 2007 International Visitor Program (IVP) on Breast Cancer Awareness which was co-sponsored by World Learning's Visitor Exchange Program. Two members of the society participated in the IVP and took part in the Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure in San Diego. The event drew 200-250 women and men, media attention, and private/public sector sponsorship. The walk proved the existence of a small but significant space for civil society to operate in Syria.
Lamayra Hussari was a participant of the IVP hosted by World Learning and leader in organizing the March in Syria. She said she wanted the Damascus walk "to be as close to the U.S. experience as possible." Hussari’s experience with the Visitor Exchange Program inspired her to lead the first ever Breast Cancer walk in Syria. Before the walk, Hussari spoke about her experience in a panel discussion in Syria. She indicated that frank discussion of illness is rare in Syrian society, which makes the Breast Cancer walk in Syria that much more impressive. She also talked about her experience in the United States, mentioning the International Visitor Program explicitly and talking about the strong network of institutions working in the United States to raise awareness of breast cancer and help treat and support those who are ill.
Hussari painted a glowing picture of the 3-day Susan B. Komen breast cancer walk, clearly impressed by the breadth of participation from all members of the community – men and women, young and old. The Syrian Breast Cancer Society with Lamya Hussari’s leadership organized its own breast cancer walk on Saturday, April 12, in Damascus.
The 17-person delegation in which Hussari was a participant visited the United States as guests of the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program, in partnership with World Learning and the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. The delegates visited other cities including Houston, San Diego and Washington, D.C., to learn about and tour breast cancer treatment facilities.
World Learning’s Visitor Exchange Program provides participants with opportunities to experience American life through the lens of their professional interest, traveling to multiple US cities to learn and engage their American professional colleagues. Participants may visit government offices, companies, NGOs, or other organizations to gain perspective while engaging in a wide range of social and cultural activities.
The feeling of inspiration is reciprocal for U.S. nationals involved in the exchange program. One participant remarked, "One of the most beneficial breast cancer treatments I received was not physical, but mental. It was a change of my perspective about the disease. This occurred due to a visit from a group of breast-cancer survivors and breast-cancer nurses and physicians from the Middle East and North Africa."
The World Learning Visitor Exchange Program provides learning and promotes understanding for over 750 visitors from more than 140 countries each year. It is stories like Hussari’s and her U.S. counterparts that inspire World Learning to continue to bridge cultures and promote understanding and cooperation among nations.
Read more about Crossing Cultures to Raise Breast Cancer Awareness.
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World Learning works globally to enhance the capacity and commitment of individuals, institutions, and communities to create a more peaceful and just world through education, training and exchange programs.
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