16/4/2008 - The Dawn of AFS
Anzac Day at AFS Australia
Anzac Day is a time to commemorate the fallen soldiers who became casualties in the fight for liberty and peace during World War I. It was during this Great War that the ANZAC soldiers, who landed at Gallipoli at dawn on the 25th of April, forged friendships with the very Turkish soldiers they fought in the trenches, when the guns fell silent for the day. It was during this Great War that A. Piatt Andrew formed the American Field Service (AFS), seeking to evacuate wounded French soldiers from the battlefields and working to liberate survivors from inhumane concentration camps, without using arms.
Upon the death of A. Piatt Andrews in 1936, Stephen Galatti continued these humanitarian efforts around the world. After World War II, he established AFS International Scholarships in a bid to foster global inclusion and peace through intercultural student exchange. Today, with more than 100,000 volunteers worldwide and over 50 partner countries, AFS Intercultural Programs works to uphold the values of its founders by promoting international harmony through intercultural exchange. AFS Intercultural Programs seeks to instil a value for compassion, not conflict, among individuals of the world so that people can act as responsible global citizens working for peace and understanding in a diverse world.
“We live in a different world today, one where our solidarity is more important than ever. The values held by the architects of the international system are being challenged by severe pressures: extremism, grievances over territory, enervating poverty, the effects of global warming and other manifestations of change. This is a world that cries out for new leadership…” said Brian Atwood, chairperson of the AFS International Board of Trustees.
This Anzac Day, AFS Australia celebrates 49 years of fostering international understanding and tolerance, and commits itself to respecting the sacrifices, courage, spirit and faith in humanity that has shaped our lives and perceptions of war. We reflect upon and strengthen our values of mateship, equality, harmony and tolerance to create a united global community where cultural diversity is respected and celebrated.
“I want to come to your country to learn your culture and language…to make new friends and to share things with them,” said Damla Yolsal, a Turkish exchange student who is set to visit Australia this year to strengthen the cultural and historical bonds between the two countries.
At the dawn of this Anzac Day, where conflicts around the world plague our daily lives, AFS Australia offers individuals the opportunity to engage with different people, perspectives and cultures around the globe, in the hope that one day people worldwide will be able to enjoy fundamental freedoms without distinction as to race, sex, language, religion or social status.
Media Contact:
Barbara Ratusznik
barbara.ratusznik@afs.org
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