Il Programma FulbrightIl Programma FulbrightLinking Minds Across Cultures

The Fulbright ProgramCommissione per gli Scambi Culturali fra l’Italia

e gli Stati UnitiThe US –Italy Fulbright Commission

www.fulbright.itVia Castelfidardo 8 – 00185 Roma

Tel. 06 - 4888.211 - email: info@fulbright.it

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TopicsTopics

• History• The Fulbright Program• The Fulbright Program in Italy• What it means to be a

Fulbrighter

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HistoryHistory

J. William Fulbright1905 - 1995

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J. William FulbrightJ. William Fulbright• Graduate of the University of Arkansas• Rhodes Scholar (Oxford): 1924-1928 (personal

experience)• A U.S. House of Representative (1924-44) and U.S.

Senate (1945-75)• Chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee,

1959-1974 (Arrogance of Power, 1996)• Relationship between getting to know foreigners,

the promotion of mutual understanding and peace• Authored amendment to the “Surplus Property Act

of 1944” that established the Fulbright Program in 1946

• Fulbright-Hays Act, 1961

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HistoryHistory

U.S. President Harry Truman signing the initial Fulbright Act,

1946

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HistoryHistory

JWF (far left): U.S. President

John F. Kennedy signs the

Fulbright-Hays Act, 1961

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Fulbright-Hays ActFulbright-Hays Act

Public Law 87-256, 1961

“Increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations....”

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HistoryHistory

Sen. Fulbright (r.) with a talented and

aspiring young politician from Arkansas (Bill

Clinton)(m.), who also was a Rhodes

Scholar, in the 1970s

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The Program Today: The Program Today: CharacteristicsCharacteristics

• Oldest and largest international exchange program (270,000 plus and 140 countries)

• Binational “two-way exchange”,non-partisan

• Promotion of mutual understanding• Instrument of public as well as people’s

diplomacy: citizens as diplomats and Public benefit: “giving something back”

• Open, annual, national, merit-based competition

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Organizational ChartOrganizational Chart

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The Fulbright Program in The Fulbright Program in ItalyItaly

• Honorary Chairs: Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and U.S. Ambassador to Italy

• Binational Funding (U.S. Government and Italian Government) since 1975

• Binational board (6 Italians and 6 U.S. Citizens)

• Binational decision-making• Binational mobility of graduate students,

researchers, and scholars in all fields

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What it means to be a What it means to be a FulbrighterFulbrighter

• Promote mutual understanding and Promote mutual understanding and respect between the United States and respect between the United States and Italy Italy

• Meet as many people as possible...Meet as many people as possible...

• Participate in a broad range of social Participate in a broad range of social and community activities....and community activities....

• Continue to learn about the history and Continue to learn about the history and culture of Italy culture of Italy

ContactsContacts

Commissione per gli Scambi Culturali fra l’Italia e gli Stati Uniti

The U.S. Italy Fulbright Commission Via Castelfidardo 8, Roma 00185

Website: www.fulbright.itFacebook: facebook.com/fulbrightcommissionitaly

Tel. 06/48.88.211.18

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