EDUCATIONAL MISSION

The USACC believes strongly in promoting education, both in Azerbaijan and the United States. It has undertaken a number of major initiatives that strive to increase the understanding of the Caspian region in the U.S., as well as to provide better educational opportunities for students in Azerbaijan.

The Caspian Studies Program at Harvard University

In the United States, the USACC founded the Caspian Studies Program and Azerbaijan Initiative at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. The program also offers the prestigious USACC Fellowship to advanced scholars. For a list of scholars, please click here. Started in 1999, the Caspian Studies Program unites Harvard's world-renowned faculty and intellectual resources with the talents and experience USACC members. The Program is a unique opportunity to raise the profile of the Caspian region in the United States, increase the understanding of the U.S. policymaking and business communities of the region's problems, and utilize Harvard resources to train new leaders who will shape the future of the region.

For more information on the Caspian Studies Program, click here.

PILOT SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN

In 1997, the United States-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC) committed its strong support to providing improved educational services for refugee children in Azerbaijan. The USACC hosted President Heydar Aliyev in Washington, D.C. on several occasions, collected some $36,500 and donated these funds to Relief International (RI) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

Thanks to this funding, RI and IRC have constructed 22 schools in refugee communities that have been identified as especially disadvantaged in the educational sector. The construction of these schools has had a direct impact on these communities by providing access to basic primary education for 718 refugee children.

Our efforts in this project are ongoing. To learn more about this important project, read about its history, and learn how your company can get involved, please click here.