Program areas at Pacific & Asian Affairs Council
Freeman travel and after-school programs: (1) Freeman Foundation travel program provides funds for Hawaii high school students to travel to Asia to promote international education in Hawaii and (2) after-school class and club initiative. 15 students traveled on the Freeman Summer Study Tour to South Korea in June 2023. In the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters, 48 students participated in the after-school global studies classes at 2 public high schools in Hawaii. The grant's club strengthening initiatives impacted 276 students and 19 teachers.
Annual Meeting - annual global affairs dinner for furtherance of PAAC's mission and funds for operations
Other high school programs: PAAC coordinated and implemented virtual, in-person, or hybrid after-school global studies classes, Global Leadership Program, two interschool conferences, mini conferences, virtual global engagements, a dual credit course, and an academic competition. All activities provided students with a safe environment to learn about critical global issues and prepare them for an increasingly interconnected world. For the current fiscal year, 135 students participated in after-school global studies classes at 8 schools, 20 participated in the Global Leadership Program, 143 participated in the interschool conferences, 41 participated in mini conferences, 75 participated in virtual global engagements, 10 participated in the dual credit course, and 101 participated in WorldQuest.
International Visitor Leadership Program: provides assistance for hosting foreign delegations to the U.S. to meet with their professional counterparts to build mutual understanding between the U.S. and countries throughout the world. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program number CFDA19.402). PAAC hosted 59 emerging and mid-level professionals from the Asia-Pacific Region. Funding is also provided for travel to Global Ties U.S. national and regional meetings. This year staff traveled to the national meeting.
PAAC Forum: when fiscally sensible, PAAC conducts community forums for donors and the general public to interact with and listen to the views of experts in all fields of international culture, diplomacy, and business; allows PAAC to collaborate with other organizations dedicated to the promotion of international education and awareness in Hawaii. No forums were held this year.