Haitians received their exchange visa in a ceremony at the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
BlazeSports to Host 18 Haitians for 10 Days in a Cultural Exchange Experience
On Friday, May 24th, the staff of BlazeSports America will be welcoming 18 Haitian’s to America as they arrive to participate in the annual BlazeCamp in Warm Springs, Georgia as part of the Department of State – Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs – Sport Diplomacy program. The group of Haitians includes 12 youth with varying disabilities as well six leaders that have gone through previous leadership trainings with BlazeSports funded by USAID and UN Office of Sport for Development and Peace. The traveling youth consist of 8 boys and 4 girls, with ages ranging from 11 to 18 years old.
Before traveling to camp on May 27th, the Haitian group will be treated to series of weekend activities and cultural experiences around the Atlanta area. In addition to staying in a high rise hotel in Downtown Atlanta; the group will be traveling to Kennesaw State University, Phillips Arena, the Georgia Aquarium as well as Stone Mountain Park to participate in a variety of activities. Theses activities should provide an immense amount of cultural insight, opportunities for learning and fun all of those participating.
On May 27th, the group will then travel south of Atlanta to the beautiful Camp Dream at Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute in Warm Springs, GA. During the camp the group will be joined by 60 other youth with disabilities from the United States for six days of exciting activities, sports, and relationship building interactions. The activities that the group will be participating include archery, basketball, football, fishing, swimming, rock climbing, bowling, zip lining as well as many other activities during their time at camp. The campers will be immersed in an amazing atmosphere, where everyone is equal and disabilities mean nothing. The camp will be an amazing experience for all of those involved, both campers and staff.
The group will depart camp on June 1st and will spend their last night in America at Powder Springs First United Methodist Church. Their trip to the church will involve interacting, playing, eating pizza and simply hanging out with even more American teens, allowing both groups to share small pieces of their cultures throughout the night. The group will then be traveling to the airport very early on the morning of June 2nd to return home to Haiti, taking with them an experience that they will never forget.
An excited young Haitian receives his visa.
