Cultural Vistas Celebrates Opening of Berlin Office
Berlin (PRWEB) February 21, 2014 -- Cultural Vistas is proud to now have offices on both sides of the Atlantic. Our nonprofit recently celebrated the opening of its first international office in the heart of Europe: Berlin, Germany.
More than 130 members of our growing international community of alumni, partner organizations, and host companies in Europe were on hand for the February 12 reception, held in the new office space on Pariser Platz, overlooking the Brandenburg Gate and the U.S. Embassy.
This expansion signifies a new chapter for Cultural Vistas, demonstrating its commitment to longstanding relationships in Germany and the goal of promoting the transatlantic relationship through exchanges and practical training opportunities throughout Europe.
In a welcome address to the attendees, Cultural Vistas President & CEO Robert Fenstermacher highlighted this organizational milestone, connecting its January 2011 merger to the decision to open an office next to the Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of German reunification.
"Just as East and West Germany following the opening of the Berlin Wall worked to rebuild, grow together and start a new unified history, we at Cultural Vistas are also in the process of establishing something new following our merger three years ago," said Fenstermacher.
Looking forward, the office’s presence will create pathways to maintain and establish new partnerships and programs and strengthen its relationship with its extensive base of European alumni.
"We hope that the experiences that our participants gain on one of our exchange programs do not end with the conclusion of their time abroad, but rather that the exchange serves as the beginning of a life-long learning experience,” added Fenstermacher.
“Exchanges build relationships, enable the sharing of ideas and best practices and inspire new ways of looking at the world. This dialogue must be continued and we will do our part to engage our alumni with our office here in Berlin."
Cultural Vistas has been established in Germany as a nonprofit organization (gGmbH) and is staffed by a bi-national team with years of exchange experience.
Its opening came after two-and-a-half years of continued growth following the January 2011 nonprofit merger between the Association for International Practical Training and CDS International that gave way to the formation of Cultural Vistas.
Over that time, more than 15,000 students and professionals from more than 140 countries around the world have participated in Cultural Vistas exchange programs.
Cultural Vistas' operations now span four locations, with Berlin joining its headquarters in New York City and regional offices in Columbia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
About Cultural Vistas
A non‐profit organization, Cultural Vistas has been one of the leading international exchange organizations for young professionals and students for over 60 years. Cultural Vistas has decades of experience administering programs that remain important to the transatlantic relationship both in the United States through its role as a J-1 Exchange Visitor Program sponsor for intern, trainee, and teacher programs, and in Germany, such as the Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship and Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals. – Learn more at culturalvistas.org.
Follow @CulturalVistas on Twitter.
Anthony Naglieri, Cultural Vistas, http://culturalvistas.org/, 212-497-3500, [email protected]
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