KOHIMA — Minister Counselor for Public
Diplomacy at the United States Embassy in New Delhi, Gloria Berbena on Tuesday
highlighted the potential for increased collaboration and engagement between
the US and Nagaland state with focus in the educational sector.
On her first visit to Nagaland during the 25th Hornbill
Festival, where the US is the partner country, Berbena met and interacted with
representatives from Nagaland University, Kohima and YouthNet.
At Nagaland University, they discussed the potential for
strengthening educational ties between Nagaland and the United States,
particularly through hosting Fulbright scholars, she disclosed during her
interaction with media persons at Hotel Vivor, Kohima.
Barbena, who is also the co-chair of the flagship academic
exchange programme, expressed her desire to see more applications from
Nagaland, both from students and scholars. She encouraged the university
community to be aware of this opportunity and take part in it.
“We're really hoping to see additional (qualified)
applications from Nagaland and really encouraging students and scholars to know
about that opportunity and to take advantage of it,” she said expressing strong
interest in hosting a Fulbrighter from the state.
Emphasising further on the potential for collaboration with
Nagaland University and alumni involved in various impactful initiatives, she
said success stories —especially those of alumni, Fulbright scholars, and
others who have worked or studied in the US — can inspire others to pursue
similar paths.
While India tops the list of international students in the
United States at the undergraduate graduate and postgraduate levels, she said
women are fewer compared to men and encouraged women to take advantage of the
educational opportunities in the United States.
She said she would be discussing with colleagues on how to
build on the insights gained during her visit to Nagaland, especially how the
US can support some of the youth initiatives and add expertise or opportunities
for more people to get together to amplify their work.
She added that the US has a “very active” plan to visit
“regularly” and would continue to build relationships because there is no
substitute for person to person connection. Meanwhile, she also welcomed the
people of Nagaland to the larger networks and building stronger relationships
across the region.
She also noted that the US government is involved in
cultural and environmental preservation in India through the ambassador’s fund
for cultural preservation, which is a proposal driven programme.
Proposals including preserving historical sites and
intangible cultural heritage like music, languages as well as environmental
conservation come under this programme.
She welcomed proposals from groups like NGOs, academic
institutions, and government institutions, looking to preserve and partnering
with the US.
