PHL EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON LAUNCHES 4TH ANNUAL FIL-AM YOUTH LEADERS PROGRAM 22 January 2015 - The Philippine Embassy in Washington announced on January 14 the search for the fourth batch of delegates for the annual Filipino American Youth Leadership Program (FYLPro). The brainchild of Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., FYLPro was launched in 2012 as part of his advocacy to reach out to the youth and encourage them to actively engage in their own communities and, at the same time, promote Philippines development. The Embassy and Philippine Consulates General in the U.S. co-organizes the FYLPRo with the Ayala Foundation in the Philippines. “We are giving young Filipino-American leaders the opportunity to have a better appreciation and understanding of the land where their parents came from, and in doing so, we hope to inspire them to be stronger advocates for the Philippines and the Filipino-American community in the United States,” Ambassador Cuisia, Jr. said. Thirty (30) promising Filipino-American youth leaders have participated in the immersion program that includes meetings with top government, business and civil society leaders and visits to local communities. Previous FYLPro delegates were able to undertake political advocacy initiatives, cultural and tourism promotion programs, social entrepreneurship activities, education innovations, Filipino-American heritage projects, voter awareness and education, and even political campaigns upon their return to the US. The previous delegates are now focused on mentoring the incoming batch and undertaking concrete projects that would ensure the batch’s legacy. FYLPro offers an entry point - the beginning or continuation of a journey towards finding a meaningful connection to the Philippines,” said FYLPro alumnae Bea Querido, who works for Boeing in Seattle. “Its about building empathy and learning between Fil-Ams and Filipinos in the Philippines in hope of creating impactful collaborations that will push forward our global and local Filipino communities forward,” Querido said. END
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 07:39:06 +0000