U.S. Presidents
on International Exchanges
and the Fulbright Program
"...This program is vitally
important in widening the knowledge and technical ability of the peoples
of the twelve participating countries..."
Harry S. Truman,
Letter to the Chairman, Board of Foreign Scholarships, on the Fulbright
Program, May 11, 1951.
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"The
spirit of seeking understanding through personal contact with people of
other nations and other cultures deserves the respect and support of all."
Gerald
R. Ford, July 13, 1976, remarks to foreign exchange students.
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"...the
exchange of students...should be vastly expanded...Information and education
are powerful forces in support of peace. Just as war begins in the minds
of men, so does peace."
Dwight
D. Eisenhower, Remarks at ceremony marking the tenth anniversary of
the Smith-Mundt Act, January 27, 1958.
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"...I think one of the
wonderful things about the program which you represent is its contribution
to the barriers (of culture, events, religion, and ethics) having been
broken down..."
Jimmy Carter,
at a Fulbright ceremony in Hungary in 1996.
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"I
am delighted to sign the new Fulbright-Hays Act. This ceremony has historic
significance because it marks full recognition by the Congress of the importance
of a more comprehensive program of educational and cultural activities
as a component of our foreign relations..."
John F. Kennedy,
remarks upon signing the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act,
September 21, 1961.
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"There
is a flickering spark in us all which, if struck at just the right age...can
light the rest of our lives, elevating our ideals, deepening our tolerance,
and sharpening our appetite for knowledge about the rest of the world.
Educational and cultural exchanges... provide a perfect opportunity for
this precious spark to grow, making us more sensitive and wiser international
citizens through our careers."
Ronald
Reagan, The White House, May 1982.
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"...International
education cannot be the work of one country. It is the responsibility and
promise of all nations. It calls for free exchange and full collaboration...The
knowledge of our citizens is one treasure which grows only when it is shared."
Lyndon
B. Johnson, message to Congress in February, 1966, on international
education.
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"International
exchanges are not a great tide to sweep away all differences, but they
will slowly wear away at the obstacles to peace as surely as water wears
away a hard stone."
George Bush,
1989.
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"This report...is largely
devoted to an aspect of the program too often overlooked...the extraordinary...cooperation
and assistance...from United States private groups...This private cooperation...gives
the program its essential character and effectiveness..."
Richard M. Nixon,
message to Congress, June 15, 1970.
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"No
one who has lived through the second half of the 20th century could possibly
be blind to the enormous impact of exchange programs on the future of countries..."
Bill
Clinton, May, 1993.
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