Daniel Obst, President and CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs, served in the past as Deputy Vice President for International Partnerships at the Institute of International Education (IIE).

There he led the launch of 'Generation Study Abroad',mobilising 700 international partner organisations to help double the number of US students who study abroad and pledging more than $185 million to support the cause. He holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the George Washington University (USA) and a Master's in European Studies from the London School of Economics (UK). 

Excerpts: 

AFS Intercultural Programs has a global network of 60 member organisations with 50,000 volunteers and programmes
in 99 countries.What are the challenges envisaged and faced?

Well, to begin with, I would like to say that I do not see the challenges as challenges but as opportunities to engage with
local and international communities. Of course, flow of communication and trainings are some of the challenges,
but these also offer lots of experiences for learning and growth.

What, according you, is the importance of intercultural learning in the global and Indian scenario?

In today's globalised world, where the world is becoming a 'smaller' place, global engagement is essential. For
this, understanding of the world and its cultures demand some power skills like adaptability, creativity, critical thinking
and empathy. The huge youth population in India is a tremendous resource, waiting to be tapped whether in
terms of training and/or employability. Having said this, it cannot be emphasised enough how important motivation
is, especially amongst peers ~ motivation to engage others positively, for the sake of the betterment of society and
development of the community, and then taking this engagement to an international level. This cannot be done
on an individual level, the involvement of education systems and organisations are essential too. This is the reason
we emphasise on integration of intercultural learning in curricula, as this aspect is a prerequisite for employability.

How has intercultural learning impacted your life?

I have been brought up in a multicultural background and have studied international relations. So, it was always
the exposure to other cultures which helped me grow in my professional and personal life, as skills like understanding
and acceptance are enhanced with exposure to different cultures.

Tell us about the recently concluded 'Global Citizenship Education: Essential for Employability and the 21st Century Workforce', which was organised by AFS .

The main message of the forum was to bring together different stake-holders like school owners, principals, teachers, students, prominent speakers, employers and partners to understand the need for global competence and intercultural learning, challenges faced and the steps forward. This, I feel, is essential for the objectives to be met. The forum was received with a lot of appreciation and served as a platform for fruitful exchanges in order to determine pragmatic and productive ways of moving forward on the subject.

Any message for our readers?

Peace is very important in the world of today. This can be achieved only with the better understanding of the world we
live in. Active citizenship is an integral part of this understanding. Did you know that the first exchange programs
took place in 1947, with a group of German students leaving for the US and this in a time of recent war and uncertainty.
However, the idea was to promote peace and this requires also a lot of courage as is clear from the example I gave.Technical skills are important, but what is more importantis understanding the world and its people, the very
same world you, me and us are a part of.