Friday, March 16th 2012

CIOGC hosts exchange students

CIOGC hosted a group of exchange students from Europe, Tanzania, Moracco, Armenia and other countries here with the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program.

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program provides scholarships to high school students from countries with significant Muslim populations to spend up to one academic year in the United States. During the program, YES students live with American host families and are enrolled in accredited U.S. high schools.

Ahlam Jbara, Rita Sutton, Imam Rufai and Maqsood Qadri greeted the group, gave them a tour of the Downtown Islamic Center and shared with them the work the Council and our members are doing with the Illinois Muslim Community.  The youth had many questions regarding Islam and our community.

For more information on the YES program, visit http://exchanges.state.gov/youth/programs/yes.html