The U.S. capital hosted Fulbright’s 80th global anniversary and the start of Fulbright Colombia’s 70th anniversary celebration
Washington, D.C. The Official Residence of the Embassy of Colombia in the United States hosted a bilateral diplomatic reception to commemorate 80 years of the Fulbright Program worldwide and to officially launch the 70th anniversary of the Fulbright Commission in Colombia. The evening, jointly organized by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), the Embassy of Colombia in Washington and Fulbright Colombia, was one of the main gatherings of the official anniversary week.
The event brought together leading figures in diplomacy and higher education from both countries. Remarks were delivered by Cate Dillon, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA); María Consuelo Araújo Castro, Ambassador of Colombia to the United States; Stewart D. Tuttle, Public Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá and Chair of the Commission’s Board of Directors; Richard Alexander Caicedo Rico, President of ICETEX; and Giovanni Anzola-Pardo, Executive Director of Fulbright Colombia.
“Celebrating 80 years of Fulbright and nearly seven decades of cooperation with Colombia means recognizing one of the most valuable expressions of our relationship with the United States. Through education, science and culture, this program has trained generations of Colombians who today contribute to our country’s development and keep the ties between our societies alive. Each grantee represents an opportunity for the knowledge they gain, the relationships they build and the experiences they share to become concrete progress for Colombia,” said Ambassador María Consuelo Araújo Castro.
In the spirit of the anniversary, the evening reaffirmed the Binational Commission’s commitment to keep strengthening scientific, cultural and educational cooperation between Colombia and the United States, and to Fulbright’s role as a bridge of exchange that changes lives and brings Colombian talent to the world.
Stewart D. Tuttle, Public Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Colombia:
Giovanni Anzola-Pardo, Executive Director of Fulbright Colombia, noted:
The reception was also attended by senior officials from the Department of State and the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as members of our Fulbright Alumni network.
