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Presenting Hip-Hop Artists From Argentina, Lebanon, The Palestinian Territories,

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts present hip-hop artists from Argentina, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, the Philippines, and Vietnam in a free performance on the Millennium Stage, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, at 6:00 PM. As participants in ECA's Cultural Visitors Program with the Kennedy Center, these artists are concluding a cultural exchange program that included visits to New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.

The Cultural Visitors Program provides opportunities for young performing artists from diverse and traditionally underrepresented communities to participate in professional development training in the United States. The goal of this program is to energize the work of emerging international artists in their own countries by providing them with instructive and informative experiences in their discipline, exposing them to the creation and performance of world-class art, and giving them opportunities to develop relationships with U.S. arts professionals.

These programs also provide exposure to American society, culture and values. Secretary of State Clinton has identified cultural exchange programs as one of the "smart power" elements that are integral to the State Department's public diplomacy mission to increase mutual understanding between Americans and people of other nations.
Please visit http://www.exchanges.state.gov/cultural/index.html for information about ECA cultural exchange programs.

Media Contacts:

David C. Grier, 202-203-7007 or GrierDC@state.gov Catherine Stearns, 202-203-5107 or StearnsCL@state.gov

Source: U.S. Department of State