Cuba Exchange Program: A Letter of Invitation

Dear ACEI Members and Friends,

The Association for Childhood Education International is pleased to offer an exchange and research program to Cuba in spring 2012 (specific date to be announced).  ACEI is excited to offer a platform through which education professionals are able to learn and share with their Cuban counterparts. Licensed travel by U.S. educators to the island has only recently been made possible due to changing policies with regard to Cuba. Therefore, this is an incredibly opportune and interesting time to engage with a successful model of education that appears to attend to both equity and quality for all its children.

It is an honor to introduce Meg Gardinier, Director of Arigatou International, as the ACEI Delegation to Cuba leader. Meg is looking forward to this unique opportunity. As a founding member of the Campaign for the U.S. Ratification on the Rights of the Child and former Managing Director for Education and Community Partnerships at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in New York, Meg will bring a breadth of experience to the ACEI delegation while sharing in this learning experience with you.

The program will be coordinated by Professionals Abroad, a division of Academic Travel Abroad, a 60-year-old organization that handles the logistical arrangements for prestigious organizations, such as National Geographic and The Smithsonian, as well as many top universities. Academic Travel Abroad is licensed by the OFAC as a Travel Services Provider for U.S. travel to Cuba.

Program Content

During the trip, participants will choose from the following focus areas of investigation:

• Cuban Education Structure and Provision
• Teacher Training
• Cuban Education Policy
• Special Topics*

(*Special Topics may include Early Childhood Development, Education for Vulnerable Children, Curriculum, and Career Development.)

Delegates will participate in professional meetings and site visits each day; the specific meetings and topics for discussion will be determined by the research interests and composition of the team. Additionally, in the spirit of exchange, participants will also be given the opportunity to make a brief presentation on an education topic of their choice to our Cuban hosts. Presentations by participants will be integrated into our meetings with Cuban educators. Questions regarding presentations should be directed to Yvette Murphy, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Also, visit ACEI’s page for the Cuba Professional Exchange information.

Requirements for Program Participation (IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ)
By joining ACEI’s delegation to Cuba, you become a welcomed partner in our efforts. To ensure a successful experience, please continue reading the VERY IMPORTANT logistical information below.

As you may know, travel to Cuba is restricted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Treasury Department. This delegation will be traveling under OFAC regulation 31 CFR §515.564 General License for professional research. This license supports our access to the highest level professionals in Cuba. Each member of the delegation must be in compliance with the General License issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, which authorizes full-time professionals to conduct a full-time schedule of research activities in Cuba. Thus, it is likely that this research will be publicly disseminated.

To ensure compliance, each participant in the program will be REQUIRED to:

• provide a resume and/or curriculum vitae
• sign an affidavit attesting to their status as a full-time professional, paid or unpaid, in the field.

During travel, each delegation member will be given a copy of the regulation, authorized by the Office of Foreign Assets Control that will serve as their license to travel.

Program Cost

The estimated cost per delegation member is $3,995 USD for double-occupancy accommodation. This cost includes round-trip international air arrangements between Miami and Havana; group transportation, meetings, accommodations in double-occupancy rooms, most meals, and essentially all other costs associated with participation, as outlined in the final schedule of activities. (The final schedule of activities will be provided before departure.)

For U.S. citizens, expenses associated with this program may be tax deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense. We suggest that you consult with a tax adviser to determine if tax deductibility is applicable to you.

Due to the extensive planning and communication involved in coordinating a program of this nature, we ask that you respond with your intentions regarding this invitation as soon as possible. Please see ACEI’s program on the Professionals Abroad Website, and RSVP to Professionals Abroad at 1-877-298-9677 or via the web at www.professionalsabroad.org.

A $500 deposit is required to secure your space. In the event that you are unable to accept this invitation, an alternate delegate candidate will be invited. You may also recommend a colleague as your alternate for the program. We look forward to hearing from you regarding your participation.

If you have any questions regarding the delegation, you are encouraged to contact our Program Representative at Professionals Abroad, at 1-877-298-9677. For additional program details or to recommend a colleague to be invited, please visit www.professionalsabroad.org. Again, any questions regarding presentations should be directed to Yvette Murphy, ACEI’s Director of Advocacy and Outreach, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We are pleased to be involved in this exciting opportunity and hope that you will strongly consider participating in the delegation to Cuba.

Sincerely,
Diane Whitehead
ACEI Executive Director

and

Meg Gardinier