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U.S. Embassy Chargé Paul Jones Bestows Graduation Certificates to Muslim Leaders in USAID-Funded Congressional Intern Program U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Paul Jones participated in the graduation ceremony of 21 participants in the Congressional Internship Program for Young Muslim Leaders on December 12. The program, managed through a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), offers 4-month internships in the Philippine House of Representatives to young leaders from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Here, U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Paul Jones (right) bestows graduation certificates to the 21 interns along with Philippine Speaker of the House of Representatives Jose de Venecia, Jr. (second left) and President Ricardo de Leon of Mindanao State University (left). The 21 graduates of this fall's Congressional Internship Program for Young Muslim Leaders pose for a group photograph with President Ricardo de Leon of Mindanao State University (middle row, second from left), U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Paul Jones (middle row, third from left), Speaker Jose de Venecia (middle row, center), USAID Mission Director Jon Lindborg (middle row, fifth from left), and USAID Economic Growth Advisor Bob Barnes (middle row, far right). The internship program is a partnership between the Philippine House of Representatives, USAID, and Mindanao State University. It is managed through USAID's Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) program. U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Paul Jones (left) chats with Speaker Jose de Venecia and USAID Mission Director Jon Lindborg (right) before the graduation ceremony begins. The Congressional Internship Program for Young Muslim Leaders is the brainchild of Speaker de Venecia, who approached the U.S. Embassy with the idea in 2002 to form a partnership to create the internship. Since then, there have been four classes of intern graduates totaling 71 young leaders who acquire hands-on experience in legislation and policy formulation. This allows the interns to return to Mindanao with real-world knowledge and skills to contribute to the development of a culture of peace in Mindanao and respect for the country's democratic values. U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Paul Jones congratulates interns after the graduation ceremony. During their Congressional Internship, these young Muslim leaders were assigned to standing committees and offices of members of Congress; participated in field visits to government agencies; prepared special reports for Congressional committees; and attended legislative briefings and plenary sessions of Congress. Mindanao State University and USAID, through its Growth with Equity in Mindanao program, are currently recruiting for the fifth internship program to start in 2006.
	Last Update :: 01/05/2007
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U.S. Embassy Chargé Paul Jones Bestows Graduation Certificates to Muslim Leaders in USAID-Funded Congressional Intern Program