American Councils for International Education is pleased to announce the successful completion of the C5+ONE (Opening Networks through English) Program's Cohort One graduation, alongside the National Networking Event for Cohort Two participants. This dual event took place on April 27, 2024, at the Damas Hotel in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan celebrating significant milestones for both cohorts.
The event commenced with the National Workshop (Graduation Ceremony) for Cohort One, where Olivia Stevens, American Councils’ Country Director in the Kyrgyz Republic, and Michael Curtis, Executive Vice President of Strategic Development for American Councils, delivered opening remarks. Graduates were introduced to grant opportunities available in the Kyrgyz Republic by Viktoria Niu, Small Alumni Grants SM Specialist and Consultant, and Asylgul Kenzhebaeva, the C5+ONE Program Officer, who showcased key statistics and program highlights from the ten-month-long journey of Cohort One. The graduates also joined the program’s LinkedIn group to foster ongoing professional connections.
Following the graduation, the event transitioned to a networking session involving participants from both cohorts. This segment included informative presentations by Cohort One and breakout sessions with experts on critical topics such as climate finance, waste management, and energy efficiency. Notably, Dr. Genevieve Balderston, American Resource Teacher for American Councils, announced an upcoming regional conference in Almaty, Kazakhstan that will further extend professional development opportunities for the participants.
The event culminated with a keynote speech by U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, Ambassador Lesslie Viguerie, which preceded an award ceremony where Cohort One graduates received certificates and guest speakers were honored for their participation.
The event was attended by over 90 participants, including program alumni and fellows, guest speakers, environmental and energy experts, classroom teachers, staff from American Councils, and representatives from the U.S. Embassy.
The C5+ONE Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by American Councils, continues to foster professional growth and English language fluency among energy and environment professionals from all five of the Central Asian countries of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.