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Mission of the Institute:

    The mission of the Institute for Critical Languages and Cultural Exchange Incorporated is to meet an urgent need, identified by the National Security Language Initiative (NSLI). This initiative is "designed to dramatically increase the number of Americans learning critical languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Hindi, Farsi, and others through new and expanded programs from kindergarten through university and into the workforce. An essential component of U.S. national security in the post 9/11 world is the ability to engage foreign governments and peoples, especially in critical regions, to encourage reform, promote understanding, convey respect for other cultures and provide an opportunity to learn more about America and its citizens. To do this, Americans must be able to communicate in other languages, a challenge for which most citizens are totally unprepared."

    The institute plans to offer K-16 credit in critical languages namely Arabic, Chinese, Urdu, Persian, Turkish, Swahili, and Pashtu. Cultural exchange programs will focus primarily on developing Service Learning units, which will involve cooperation between American high school students and peers around the world. These Service Units will have the goal to address global issues in many communities. In other words, they seek to unite youth around the world in activities that will serve our global community. Students from inner city schools and under-represented groups will be encouraged to apply. They will receive a stipend to cover room and board, as well as educational supplies and expenses. The institute plans to organize cultural exchange programs in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and Dubai. This is a pioneering and innovative corporation that is supported by grants and donations. Its primary goal is to open doors for American youth to acquire less commonly taught critical languages and the cultures they are associated with. Most importantly, achieving communication among the youth of the world and establishing understanding will help foster cultural competencies and global citizenship attributes.

Rationale for the I.C.L.C.E.:

     The Arabic language has assumed the status of an international critical language for many reasons. It is the language spoken in several regions which have shaped world history in one way or another. For many centuries, especially during the Middle Ages, the Arabic language was considered the language of science, culture, and philosophy throughout the Middle East as well as around the world. Most importantly, the Arabic alphabet is the basis of other critical languages such as Urdu, Turkish, Farsi, Malay, and other languages. The cultural exchange component of the institute will provide learners with cultural proficiency skills as well.

    One of our aims is to alleviate the shrouded misconceptions and plethora of problematic misunderstandings, such as the common notion of equating Arabic with Muslim cultures. Many people are unaware that the largest Muslim country is Indonesia, which is not an Arabic-speaking country. Several people are also unaware that some Arabic-speaking countries have a large number of Christians and Jews. The most important concept to remember is that Arabic does not mean Muslim. In fact Indonesia, the largest Islamic nation in the world, is not an Arabic speaking country. Arabs comprise a diverse and unique part of the world and follow different faiths and denominations.

    The links to these articles demonstrate the urgency of this pioneering institute. One of the articles relates the problematic issue of the lack of qualified professors and teachers on the college and high school levels. The second article explains how several students are traveling to Syria just to be able to learn the language, while the few programs that do provide the language in America are already over-filled and even more students are placed on waiting lists hoping for an opening to enroll in the course. Knowing Arabic will empower many with an appreciation for a wealth of beautiful literature, poetry, and philosophy that extends back to the oldest roots of human civilization.