In a ceremony at the Luang Prabang Provincial library today, Matthew Ference, Public Affairs Officer from the U.S. Embassy to the Lao P.D.R., and Mr. Ounchanh Souvannalith head of Information Culture and Tourism department in Luang Prabang province signed a grant worth more than $18,000. The funds will go to support the operations of Luang Prabang Provincial library for the next year, as well as provide funding for the American Reading Corner, located in the library.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Mr. Ference discussed the important role that the library has in the education of local children “We all know how important education is, not only for the future of each individual, but also for the overall prosperity of society and the country. No society will flourish unless the individuals in it can take advantage of the opportunities open to them – and education is the key that enables them to do so”, Mr. Ference said at the grant signing ceremony.
Mr. Ference also discussed the many opportunities that the United States Embassy has available for Lao students, including graduate and undergraduate scholarships, and exchange opportunities such as President Obama’s Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), which seeks to strengthen leadership development and networking in ASEAN, deepen engagement with young leaders on key regional and global challenges, and strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and young Southeast Asian leaders. To register to become a YSEALI member visit: https://asean.usmission.gov/yseali/
