EIL Intercultural Learning

Mr. Billy Kelleher TD, Minister for Trade and Commerce presented the EIL Travel Awards 2009 at a ceremony in Cork on Monday June 8th. At a cost of over 50,000 euros 32 young ambassadors will travel to Japan, South Africa, Ecuador, Argentina, Hong Kong, Mexico, the USA and Germany in 2009.Some will spend time exploring the rainforest in Ecuador, another living with a local family and attending secondary school in Japan, others will debate world issues with young people from Vermont and 12 really lucky people will take part in an exchange between young people in Hong Kong and in Ireland.

For others these trips of a lifetime are designed to seriously challenge and even push people to their limits. Those joining the VIP Volunteer programme will come face to face with extreme poverty, others will get to share their lives with people living with HIV and Aids in South Africa and in Nigeria, one will live with indigenous peoples in a very remote island in Mexico and another will work with children in Santa Fe in Argentina.

"The Awards challenge young people to explore some of the most exciting cultures in the world in a responsible and meaningful way. The results can be life changing! Since EIL founded the Travel Awards in 1994 we have assisted over 542 people at a cost of €430,000 to explore other culture in a way that immerses them in the lives of ordinary local people." Judy Roche chairperson of EIL Intercultural Learning