50 Years of Fulbright-Romania

Yesterday was a long but wonderful day, as many Romanian educators and officials, a goodly number of current and former Fulbrighters as well as other Americans living here in Bucharest joined to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the educational and cultural exchanges between the two countries, made possible through the work of the late U. S. Senator J. William Fulbright.  There was great respect shown for the Fulbright Program's impact on Romanian-American relations over the past five decades, and for its effects in the lives and careers of us grantees.  A number of participants expressed heartfelt emotions, not the least of whom was your humble blogger, who shared with the audience the last post from A Fulbright Year in Romania.

Here was the day's program:

50th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program in Romania
June 3, 2010


Program of the day and description of the events

The events celebrate 50 years of Fulbright educational program presence in Romania and 130
years of American-Romanian diplomatic relations. 


8.30 to 9 a.m.  Registration


9 to 13.00 a.m.  Anniversary Conference in the Aula of the Carol I Central University Library,
Bucharest 
 
► 9 to 10 a.m. – Opening session


Speakers (10 minutes each) in the following order:
-  Remus Pricopie, President of the Board; 
- Anita McBride, Chair of the Fulbright Scholarship Board (video recording); 
- Anton Niculescu, Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; 
- Jeri Guthrie-Corn, Deputy Chief Of Mission, Embassy of the United States
Bucharest; 
- Minister Daniel Funeriu, Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sport;


Awarding diplomas to the former Fulbright Executive Directors.


► 10 to 10.30 a.m. Coffee break – Press interview sessions


► 10.30 to 11.45 a.m. – Plenary session


Speakers (10 minutes each) in the following order:
- Keith Hitchins, First U.S. Fulbright grantee in Romania (1960);
- Frederick Kellogg, First U.S. Fulbright grantee in Romania (1960);
- Ionel Haiduc, President of the Romanian Academy, Romanian Fulbright alumnus;
- Vasile Puşcaş, Romanian Fulbright alumnus;
- Duncan McDougall, U.S. Fulbright alumnus;
- Radu Florescu Senior, U.S. Fulbright alumnus;
- Rodica Mihăilă, Romanian Fulbright alumna;
Closing remarks: Dorina Guţu, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission.


► 11.45 to 13.00 p.m. – Lunch 
3 to 4 p.m.  Book Launch at the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission headquarters 


► Launch of the anniversary volumes 50 Years of the Fulbright Program in Romania and
On Education. New and Fresh Perspectives (made with financial support of the National
Agency for Scientific Research – ANCS)


Speakers: (5 minutes each) in the following order: 
- Remus Pricopie, President of the Board;
- Adrian Curaj, President of National Agency for Scientific Research – ANCS; 
- Julie O’Reagan, CAO, U.S. Embassy;
- Alina Bârgăoanu, Romanian Fulbright alumna;
- David Banville, U.S. Fulbright alumnus.


► Press interview sessions


4 to 5 p.m. Opening of photo exhibition at the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission
headquarters 


► Opening of photo exhibition A Fish in the Sky by Lauren Hermele, Fulbright Junior 2009-
2010. 


Speakers (5 minutes each) in the following order: 
- Mihai Moroiu, Fulbright Commission; 
- Patricia Guy, PAO, U.S. Embassy;
- Lauren Hermele, U.S. Fulbright grantee; 
- Chris Tănăsescu, Romanian Fulbright grantee. 


► Press interview sessions


5 to 5.15 p.m.  Wrap up session


6 to 7.30 p.m.  Reception hosted by H. E. Mark Gitenstein, the U.S. Ambassador to Romania 


► 6.30 – Speeches 


Speakers (5 minutes each) in the following order: 
- Mark Gitestein, the U.S. Ambassador to Romania;
- Bogdan Aurescu, Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; 
- Representative of the Ministry of Education or Mr. Remus Pricopie (to be
confirmed).


► 6.45 – Photo session with the Ambassador and Fulbright alumni.