SWAN Hill teenager Chaise Eade’s dream to meet US President Barack Obama could
soon be realised as part of an Indigenous development program.
The Year 11
prefect, who boards at Adelaide’s Prince Alfred College, came up with the idea
12 months ago and has quickly gained support from his peers and
teachers.
After 12 months of fundraising, with support from schools and
government grants, the trip was formalised as the Nation2Nation Cultural
Exchange Program, which departed for Washington on November 30.
As part of
the three-week trip, the four students aim to meet and exchange stories with
Native Americans in pursuit of cultural understanding and positive international
relations.
The itinerary also includes a meeting with Australian Ambassador
to the US, Kim Beazley, meetings with congressmen and women, tours of Capitol
Hill and the United Nations.
Tomorrow morning, Washington time, the students
will take a tour of the White House, where it is likely — notwithstanding a
national emergency — they will meet Commander in Chief Barack Obama.
For more of this story, see Wednesday’s Guardian (December 4).
