MMM and U.S. Consulate General officially sign new Agreement
PRESS RELEASE: MMM and U.S. Consulate General officially sign new agreement for the American Corner Mangaung at the Adelaide Tambo Public Library
The Executive Mayor of Mangaung Metro, Cllr. Olly Mlamleli, and US Consular General Michael McCarthy cordially invite your media house to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to renew a partnership between the U.S. Mission to South Africa and the Metro to maintain an American Space at the Adelaide Tambo Public Library in Bloemfontein, where the American Corner is situated.
The signing ceremony will take place as follows:
- Date: Thursday, 16 August 2018
- Time: 10H30
- Venue: Adelaide Tambo Public Library, Bloemfontein
BACKGROUND
The American Corner was relaunched in November 2017, after the library underwent a year of renovation. As a part of the overall renovation project, the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg refurbished the Corner and provided new computers and audio/visual equipment to enhance its educational and cultural programs. The U.S. Consulate General fully funds the Mangaung American Corner and provides free Wi-Fi for its patrons.
Executive Mayor Mlamleli has expressed gratitude for the investment made by the U.S. Consulate General into the facility. “We are grateful for the existence of the American Corner in our library; it is one of the facilities that assists our community with access to information, particularly the youth. We also appreciate that there are other programmes associated with the American Corner – such as the Yali Alumni Network and the recent Vryfees children’s holiday programme. The signing ceremony creates another platform for us to explore our relations with the US Consulate General, but also to look at other areas where we can collaborate,” she said. The American Corner in Mangaung is one of nine American Spaces across the country supported by the U.S. Mission to South Africa. American Spaces exemplify the U.S. commitment to a core tenet of democracy: the citizen’s right to freely access information.
The U.S. Department of State’s American Spaces program supports over 650 Spaces in 169 countries worldwide, providing welcoming environments where visitors can connect with each other and learn about the United States.
In South Africa, American Spaces host a diverse array of American and South African speakers on subjects of mutual interest to our two countries, including entrepreneurship, STEM education, women’s empowerment, human rights, and global health. These American Spaces offer an important platform for creative and educational person-to-person diplomacy.
Issued by MMM Communications – 051 405 8976