BuaNews (Tshwane)
Makoena Pabale
7 October 2008
Johannesburg — Eight Joburg student councillors have jetted off to Fulton County, Atlanta, in the United States as part of a student exchange programme between the two cities.
They will be away for two weeks, during which time they will explore a range of issues with their American hosts, the young commissioners of Fulton County, according to joburg.org.
Issues that they will cover include the 2010 World Cup and HIV and AIDS. They will also look at different leadership styles, focusing on Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma and Barack Obama.
But the visit is not only about serious educational matters. The Joburg group will be interviewed on the WRFG 89.3 radio station, and will visit the World of Coke.
Other sites on the itinerary are the CNN broadcast centre, the Civil Rights Museum, and the home of Dr Martin Luther King, the activist and leader in the American Civil Rights Movement.
According to Kureish Isaacs, the manger in the Office of the Speaker, Fulton County takes its students on exchange programmes annually.
"This year they invited us and they will cover all the costs," explained Isaacs.
The American hosts were funding the airfares, accommodation, food and other expenses for the Joburg learners during their stay in the States.
The visit is part of an exchange agreement between the City and Fulton County; it follows the visit of a delegation of youngsters from the American city to Joburg in August, also under the exchange agreement.
While in Johannesburg, they visited local schools, local government settings, courts and tourist attractions.
John Eaves, the chairman of the board of commissioners of Fulton County government, approached the City in October 2007 and proposed the exchange programme.
"He first had a meeting with the provincial department of education, which then referred him to us because it knows about our students' council and how it operates," said Isaacs.
To be considered for participation, the students had to make written submissions and underwent interviews.
Only six were chosen from this selection process, with the junior mayor and junior Speaker qualifying automatically by virtue of their positions.
When talking about her experience as junior mayor, Palesa Motene, a learner at Victory House Private School, said: "Being nominated for the position of junior mayor and ultimately winning the election proved a milestone in my life. I felt both honoured and humbled by the entire experience."
Motene, who aspires to be the first female president of the country, added: "My experience on the council will stand me in good stead, especially since my interests lie in pursuing a career in political law."
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