The
Cultural Affairs Office (CAO) is part of
the Embassy’s Office of Public Diplomacy.
The Cultural Office is responsible for promoting
cultural and educational ties between the United
States of America and Uruguay in order to foster
a better understanding of the American society and
culture among Uruguayans. The CAO has responsibility
for managing the U.S. Department of State's educational
and cultural exchange programs in Uruguay.
The Cultural Affairs Office, in collaboration with
the Press Office and the Information Resource Center,
works closely with Uruguayan institutions in organizing
a variety of activities which promote personal,
professional, and institutional ties between private
citizens and organizations in the United States
and Uruguay and also in presenting U.S. history,
society, art and culture in all of its diversity
to Uruguayan audiences. These activities include
lectures, seminars, workshops, exhibits and performances
by U.S. officials, academics, writers and artists
in Uruguay, as well as the visit of Uruguayans professionals
to the U.S.
International
Visitor Program The International Visitor Program brings participants
from Uruguay to the United States each year to meet and
confer with their professional counterparts and to experience
the United States firsthand. The visitors, who are current
or potential leaders in government, politics, the media,
education, and other fields, are invited to participate
by members of the U.S. Embassy in Uruguay. More than 200
current and former Heads of State, 1,500 cabinet-level ministers,
and many other distinguished world leaders in government
and the private sector have participated in the International
Visitor Program.
Facilitative
Assistance The Cultural Affairs Office assists individuals
traveling to the U.S. on professional programs as well as
organizations seeking information and links with U.S. institutions
for a wide variety of projects and programs that promote
mutual understanding. Funds for special projects are very
limited.
Programs for
Politicians
• American Council
of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL)
This program sponsors reciprocal study tours of two weeks
duration for delegations of U.S. and Uruguayan young political
leaders to learn about each other’s political systems
and institutions.
The Cultural Affairs Office, in coordination with the
Uruguayan political parties, organizes the visit of U.S.
participants to Uruguay and of Uruguayan participants
to the United States. Click
here for additional information on ACYPL
• Center for Strategic
and International Studies (CSIS)
The CSIS Americas Program established the South
America Project to upgrade U.S. government, congressional,
and private sector understanding of, and relations with,
the countries that make up this region.
To improve legislative ties between the two regions, the
bi-partisan MERCOSUR Congressional Study Group (CSG) was
established in 1995, and remains the only group in the
U.S. Congress dedicated to this region. Through its activities,
the CSG has taken the lead in addressing the limited understanding
of MERCOSUR within the U.S. Congress. An important component
of the CSG is the visits of congressmen and congressional
staffers. The Cultural Affairs Office sponsors these visits
on a yearly basis. Click here for additional information
on CSIS
Speakers and Specialists
U.S. Speaker and Specialist
programs provide opportunities for U.S. experts to visit Uruguay
to share U.S. experiences of professional importance and relevance
with their Uruguayan counterparts, and allow an exchange of
viewpoints on subjects of common interest.
Since the U.S. Speaker participants hail from a wide variety
of private and public institutions, including universities,
think-tanks, NGOs, and state and federal government offices,
their views and analysis may reflect U.S. government policies
or views of their own.
In all cases, Speakers and Specialist programs are proposed,
planned and organized by the Embassy's Cultural Affairs Office.
Most of the programs, however, are co-organized and co-sponsored
by Uruguayan academic, public and private sector institutions.
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Fulbright Commission
Programs In addition to the Speakers and Specialists programs,
the Public Diplomacy Office interacts with Uruguay's public
and private universities through the Fulbright Commission
program. The Fulbright Commission in Uruguay administers a
wide variety of academic programs that enable Uruguayans students
and professors to study in the United States and also U.S.
students and academics to study and research in Uruguay. The
Commission also provides counseling services for those interested
in studying in the United States. Click here for additional information
on the Fulbright program.
• Binational
Center The Binational Center,
Alianza Cultural Uruguay-Estados Unidos, maintains a
vibrant English teaching center in Montevideo and 44
branches throughout the interior of Uruguay. The U.S.
Embassy in Uruguay provides regular support to the Center
and develops special programs for key audiences. Click
here for additional information on the
Binational Center
• English
Immersion Program
The United States Embassy in Uruguay is supporting the
Uruguayan educational authorities in their efforts to
implement a series of educational reforms at primary
and secondary levels. As part of the reform, in March
2001 Uruguay began an innovative project in a group
of public elementary schools attended by children from
low-income families, which consists of teaching English
via immersion in the foreign language.
Click
here for further information on the program
• The Office of English Language Programs Click
here for information.
CULTURAL
PROGRAMS
General The Cultural Affairs Office organizes presentations
of plastic and performing U.S. artists and co-sponsors local
events that include U.S. artists and/or their work.
Sponsorships Artistic presentations promoting cultural exchange
between the U.S. and Uruguay qualify for sponsorship by the
U.S. Embassy. Embassy sponsorship does not necessarily mean
a commitment on the part of the Embassy to fund the activity;
however, limited funding is available throughout the year.
If you are interested in requesting Embassy sponsorship for
a cultural activity, please refer to Sponsoring Guidelines
Jazz Ambassadors The Department of State’s Cultural Programs
Division has established the Jazz Ambassadors Partnership
with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to
send selected professional U.S. jazz musicians on concert
tours throughout the world. Jazz Ambassadors tour abroad under
official U.S. Government auspices, following their debut performances
as Jazz Ambassadors at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium
Stage. The 2004 Jazz Ambassadors
program will mark the seventh anniversary of the Department
of State and Kennedy Center partnership. Quartets of outstanding
American jazz musicians will highlight the influence of Latin
rhythms on American Jazz.
Art in the Embassy The Cultural Affairs Office is responsible for organizing
and implementing the Art in the Embassy Program. This program
offers Embassy staff and visitors the possibility to enjoy
original art by Uruguayan plastic artists through monthly
exhibitions held in the lobby of the Embassy. Click
here for additional information on exhibitions.
Binational Center The Cultural Affairs Office is a major sponsor of
the Binational Center cultural activities program. The Center,
Alianza Cultural Uruguay-Estados Unidos, runs a very ambitious
cultural program hosting an all-year-round theater season,
regular art exhibits as well as concerts and dance performances. Click
here for additional information on the Alianza
Cultural Uruguay-Estados Unidos.
Arts & Culture in the U.S. Click here for information.
To contact the
Cultural Affairs Office:
Cultural Affairs Office / Embassy of
the United States of America
Lauro Muller 1776 / Montevideo, Uruguay 11200
Tel: (598-2) 418-7777, ext. 2357 and 2358
FAX: (598-2) 4109775
Email: MVDCultural@state.gov
The
Cultural Affairs Office (CAO) is part of
the Embassy’s Office of Public Diplomacy.
The Cultural Office is responsible for promoting
cultural and educational ties between the United
States of America and Uruguay in order to foster
a better understanding of the American society and
culture among Uruguayans. The CAO has responsibility
for managing the U.S. Department of State's educational
and cultural exchange programs in Uruguay.