Open World Program Romania – Anniversary

On March 6, Jane Sargus, the Executive Director of the Congressional Office for International Leadership accompanied by Maura Shelden, Deputy Director of COIL, Eliza Chirilă-Pop, Country Director of the American Councils for International Education and Andrei Vitiuc, Open World Program Coordinator, had a meeting at the US Embassy in Romania. They also met with the Cultural Attache, William O’Connor.

Jane Sargus, has also met with State Counselor Mădălina Turza, at the Romanian Government. The goal of this Congressional Office visit to Romania is to explore how the Open World program can be developed, and what are the priorities of the local Government, when it comes to the program.

Jane Sargus and Maura Shelden, were interviewed by Calea Europeană, the largest EU & Transatlantic affairs' media community in Romania and one of the largest in the European Union.

The day ended with a roundtable, organized in Bucharest, which was centered on the needs of the society that the NGOs identified and how they can be turned into possible themes for the delegations of 2024.

On March 7, Jane Sargus, on behalf of the Congressional Office for International Leadership, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Directorate of Anticorruption regarding future professional exchange experiences on topics related to the rule of law, through the Open World Program.

Open World organized two follow-up workshops and consultations with the OW Alumni on two themes: education and NGOs. The workshops were facilitated by two former participants in the Program, and they were accompanied by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Education and the Presidential Administration State Counselor for Civic Society.

The day ended with the Open World Anniversary Reception, celebrating one year since the start of the Open World Program in Romania. At the reception, participants included alumni of the Open World Program, the four future delegations on Human Trafficking and Nursing & Hospital management, as well as the American Councils for International Education staff. The reception consisted of two parts, the speech of the guests and a network session. The guests that held speeches were Jane Sargus, Executive Director of COIL, Mark Taplin, the American Councils for International Education Trustee, the Secretary of State for the Health Ministry, the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Education and the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as a representative from the Romanian Parliament. All the speakers showed their willingness to continue supporting the Open World Program through the institutions that they represent.

On March 9, a roundtable was held with the NGOs from Cluj-Napoca. The roundtable was centered on the needs the NGOs identified in the society and how they can be turned into possible themes for the delegations of 2024.

On March 10, Jane Sargus and Maura Shelden participated in a meeting with the Rector of the Babeș-Bolyai University, Daniel David, to discuss new theme proposals for 2024.

Final point on the agenda was the meeting with the mayor of Cluj-Napoca, Emil Boc, discussing possible future partnerships regarding the local administration.