* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Holton
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
In Support of International Education Week - November 12-16, 2007
FOR the purpose of expressing support for International Education Week, a celebration of international education and exchange worldwide and a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States, and encouraging young people throughout Baltimore City to open their minds to learn from and appreciate young people of other cultures, their histories, and their customs.
Body
Recitals
In support of International Education Week 2007, Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice stated, in part, that "in a world where challenges transcend borders, education is essential for making the world more peaceful and more prosperous. American students can better understand global issues by learning other languages and experiencing other cultures first-hand. Moreover, our country has no more valuable asset internationally than the friendship of the millions of young people, citizens, and leaders around the world who understand the United States because they have studied here."
The Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings states, "as a universal value, education plays a fundamental role in the life of every nation. And an important part of education is teaching children to be active and informed international citizens. By studying the history, culture, and languages of other countries, students gain invaluable insights into how others live and learn important lessons about respecting their fellow citizens of the world".
The message from Ambassador of Japan to the United States Ryozo Kato states: "The theme for this year, International Education: Fostering Global Citizenship and Respect, could not be more pertinent to our children. In our globalizing of societies, all of us must face a large number of pressing issues, including world peace, the development of the global economy, and protecting the earth's environment. The campaign under this year's theme is designed to further global awareness and knowledge among students as a means to develop citizens who are fully prepared to engage in critical issues."
Executive Director, Bret Lovejoy, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages remarks that "the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages has been a proud supporter of this joint initiative since its inception in 2000. We recognize that there is much to do in order to build a citizenry that is equipped to interact successfully with the rest of the world. That is why our organization established 2005: The Year of Languages to bring attention to the need for language education as part of every child's academic career".
The Director-General for International Affairs of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Kiso Isao offers an outlook that we, in Baltimore, strive to adopt in the smaller arena of our ever-changing and evolving neighborhoods' the realization that "it is crucial that people living in the 21st century develop the capacity and qualities needed to understand other cultures in a broad perspective and to coexist with people from different customs and cultural backgrounds, while deepening the comprehension of their own history, culture, and conditions."
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That this Body supports International Education Week, a celebration of international education and exchange worldwide and a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States, and encourages young people throughout Baltimore City to open their minds to learn from and appreciate young people of other cultures, their histories, and their customs.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Director of the Mayor's Office of International and Immigrant Affairs, the CEO of the Baltimore City Public School System, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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