The U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Vienna has partnered with The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) to launch a space-themed youth exchange program in recognition of the Apollo 11 mission’s 50th anniversary. Twelve students from six countries will travel to Washington, DC and Huntsville, Alabama July 22-August 2, 2020 to engage in space-themed educational tourism and attend the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Advanced Space Academy as part of the twelve-day exchange program. The exchange will highlight U.S. leadership in discovery and space exploration along with continued U.S. commitment to the peaceful exploration of outer space. Program participants – students or recent high school graduates aged 15-18 – will be recruited for the program by the U.S. Embassies in Brazil, India, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Senegal based on their leadership skills, academic records, and successful mastery of English. UAH’s proposal for the exchange program, selected as part of an open and competitive award process, is entitled “Journey through Space and Time: The Past, Present, and Future of Space Exploration.” The program will introduce participants to the history and current state of space exploration; provide participants with an in-depth, hands-on experience in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities; and, inspire participants toward future space exploration by expanding on the celebration of Apollo 11’s 50th Anniversary and its historical connections to Huntsville and UAH. This exchange initiative is funded by the U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Vienna with congressional appropriations to the U.S. Department of State that support international educational and cultural exchange programs.
