12/23/2005 - International Update - December 2005 - Message from Francisco Cazal
I would like to update you on the progress we have made and on several key developments that have occurred since we last met three months ago in Torino, Italy for our Network Meeting. My commitment to accountability translates to the development of an organizational scheme that relies on, and follows the input you provided to AFS International in the AFS IP Service Evaluation Report. As outlined in the report, your expectations for improvement in 2005/06 are, among others in, the areas of growth and Partner development, financial arrangements, and fundraising.
In the area of financial arrangements, you will have already seen the announcement posted recently regarding the decisions reached by the Tier Review Group. The Finance Workgroup met this month and their report will be published in early January. We are pleased to share with you that we are presenting the BOT with a balanced budget for 2006 and we are already working on projections for 2007. Another outcome coming out of the Global Leadership Council is the creation of the Governance Workgroup. We will be announcing its composition within the next few days, based on the nominations we received.
The Partner Development Workgroup continues to work closely with AFS International to promote viable growth with quality, with an emphasis in establishing an AFS presence in India and with development plans regarding our program in China. We do, however, face some challenges in this area. We need to look carefully at how to increase our Network’s hosting capacity in key destinations and maximize Partner potential to satisfy demand for our services. We are also facing challenges as we prepare for a possible pandemic related to the Avian Flu. We are monitoring this evolving situation closely and thinking ahead as we make contingency plans.
On the fundraising and public relations front, I am happy to report that we have been increasingly busy. At our Network Meeting in Torino, we made a decision of critical importance; our AFS International Board agreed to a policy of 100% giving according to their individual means. By building up our fundraising capacity, we have begun to move towards what I envision to be a much larger role for AFS International in the field of raising funds and working closely with, and supporting Partners in their fundraising efforts.
We have a goal of reaching USD 50,000 this year from funds donated by Board members and AFS International staff. Additionally, our Fundraising Coordinating Committee has recommended a number of grants to Partners to use for building up their fundraising capacity. Already we have seen the successful application AFS International funds to a fundraising event organized in Belgium with the cooperation of the AFS Belgium Foundation.
Right after the Network Meeting, I traveled to the United Kingdom to meet with key executives at Merril Lynch and with an AFS returnee who is prominent in financial circles. I also had the opportunity to visit Partner offices in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay Chile, and Thailand. While in Brazil, I attended the AFS Brazil National Convention. I was pleased to learn that our Partner there has made a complete financial turnaround from the difficult situation it faced in the 1990s. During my visit to Chile, I had the opportunity to make a presentation of the results of the Assessment of the Impact of the AFS Study Abroad Experience. Among the audience for this presentation in Chile there were four former AFS participants who are now business and government leaders. In Argentina, I met with the country’s vice president, Daniel Scioli. We are developing agreements with the Argentinean government to promote AFS exchange programs and raise their visibility in this important southern hemisphere nation, as well as following up on the government’s interest in funding AFS programs for educators. I met with the Chair of the Board of the Argentina/Paraguay Chamber of Commerce in Paraguay to discuss their interest in funding a regional exchange program for educators. This initiative would be a first in the region. I also had the opportunity to visit AFS Thailand to be present at their Annual Meeting of Volunteers, where Thailand’s achievements in excellence and quality were deservedly recognized. The end result of these international visits has been increased visibility for our AFS programs given the extraordinary media attention given to many of these events.
I am encouraged by all that we have achieved, working together, in the short-term. I would be remiss, however, not to ask you to reflect on our long term goals for AFS, as we approach the beginning of a new year to become a leader in intercultural education; to enable people to become global citizens and global neighbors; to embody diversity; to bring people and organizations together; and to contribute to society through volunteerism and the way we work together.
To those of you who celebrate holidays this time of year, I hope that you have a wonderful season of celebration and to all of you in our Network, please accept my wishes for a very happy and rewarding new year. Thank you for all your work this past year and I look forward to our continued success and collaborative work.
Francisco “Tachi” Cazal
President, AFS International
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