Recently, the Minister Plenipotentiary to the US, Zulema Dabian-Erasmus, received a visit from a group of seventeen University of Aruba students. Four professors from the University of Aruba accompanied the students on their afternoon at the Kingdom Embassy in Washington DC. Through this visit, the students surely gained a good overview of the work of Aruba’s representative in the US.
In addition to this, the Minister Plenipotentiary invited some embassy colleagues to elaborate on other relevant topics for the students of Organization, Governance, and Management. One colleague from the Embassy, Julieta Reyes from Curaçao, explained how she leads a commission to ensure that diversity and inclusion are considered by every employee at the embassy. Another colleague elaborated on the political topics dominating the work at the embassy as well as on cultural diplomacy, which is a way for a country to influence global public opinion in favor of its nation.
Together with Maureen Bunyan, a well-known reporter in Washington DC of Aruban descent, the Minister Plenipotentiary also organized a session of the Netherlands-American Foundation to provide information on various scholarships for Dutch nationals to study and intern in the US. Tiffanie Oduber, an Aruban professional in Washington DC, is a recipient of one of these scholarships and shared her professional experience in Washington DC that afternoon.
The visit of the University of Aruba students to the Kingdom Embassy was part of a more extensive program in Washington DC. The students, who are in their second and third year of the Organization, Governance, and Management program at the University of Aruba, had a very busy schedule in Washington DC.
Despite the intense heat, the students moved through every corner of Washington DC to visit institutions like the World Bank, the Organization of American States (where an Aruban professional also works), the Inter-American Development Bank, the American Enterprise Institute, the Center for American Progress, Capitol Hill, the US Supreme Court, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies to understand democratic institutions, the diplomatic world, and international organizations.
Through various visits and presentations, the students learned firsthand about governance and its impact on students even in Aruba. Additionally, each presentation highlighted internship and job opportunities in Washington DC. Besides the visits to various institutions, the program also included educational and cultural components to provide a comprehensive view of the beautiful city of Washington DC.
The visit of the OGM students was realized through extensive preparation by Nurianne Arias-Helder and Thais Franken from the University of Aruba. Since February 2024, they met weekly with the Minister Plenipotentiary and Maureen Bunyan to ensure a successful visit for the students. Zulema Dabian-Erasmus wishes the students much success in their studies and looks forward to the next visit.
