Embassy of the United States

Programs & Events

Embassy welcomes Returning YES Students

"Yes Program Particpants" and Charge d'Affaires, Michael Ratney

On Wednesday, June 25^th, Qatar’s 2008 Youth Exchange and Study (YES) participants visited the U.S. Embassy in Doha upon their recent return from a year of study abroad in the United States. The YES program participants – Omar Murtaja, Ahmad Abu Yousef, and Abdulrahman Al Ansari-- were welcomed by the embassy’s Public Affairs Officer, Joey Hood, and then invited to a sit-down meeting with the embassy’s Charge d’Affaires, Michael Ratney, who presented the students with certificates of appreciation from the U.S. Embassy in Doha.

The students shared reflections on their time spent in the United States, noting their change in perception of "America" and "Americans." They recounted the eagerness of their American classmates and host-families – the majority of whom had never met a Muslim, let alone someone from the Middle East. U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires, Michael Ratney, lauded the students’ decision to participate in the YES program, stating, “You have done a tremendous service to yourselves, those you interacted with in America, and the state of Qatar in your willingness to take this opportunity to encourage dialogue and understanding between our different cultures.”

Public Affairs Officer Joey Hood with YES student