THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS THE HOST COUNTRY FOR THE 49TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF AIESEC, AN INTERNATIONAL, STUDENT-RUN ORGANIZATION WHICH OPERATES THE WORLD’S LARGEST STUDENT WORK EXCHANGE PROGRAM, AND PETER STEWART, PRESIDENT OF THE AIESEC GEORGIA TECH CHAPTER, HOPES THE CONGRESS WILL BE HELD IN ATLANTA.

MR. STEWART MADE THE FINAL PRESENTATION ON BEHALF OF THE U.S. AT AIESEC HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS IN LATE NOVEMBER.  HE TOLD GLOBALFAX UPON HIS RETURN LAST WEEK THAT IF AN APPROPRIATE ATLANTA FACILITY IS LOCATED FOR THE OCCASION, THE CONGRESS WILL BE HELD HERE IN AUGUST, DRAWING SOME 600 STUDENT LEADERS FROM 87 COUNTRIES FOR NINE DAYS.

ATLANTA WOULD BENEFIT FROM HOSTING THE CONGRESS, HE SAID, BECAUSE OF THE AWARENESS THE STUDENT LEADERS WOULD TAKE HOME WITH THEM AND POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL COMPANIES SEEKING INTERNATIONAL INTERNS.

THE U.S. BEAT OUT SAUDI ARABIA AND SOUTH AFRICA IN THE HOTLY CONTESTED SELECTION PROCESS.  “WE HAD TO SUBMIT A 50-PAGE BID WHICH SHOWED THE CORPORATE SUPPORT FOR THE CONGRESS AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES WE COULD PUT BEHIND IT,” HE SAID.  MR. STEWART HAS WORKED ON THE BID SINCE THE END OF SEPTEMBER, AND HE HAS THE FINAL SAY OVER WHICH CITY IN THE U.S. IS TO BE SELECTED AS THE SITE.

AIESEC IS A FRENCH ACRONYM FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS INTERESTED IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS.  THE ASSOCIATION HAS 50 CHAPTERS IN THE U.S. WITH CHAPTERS AT GEORGIA TECH AND EMORY UNIVERSITY.

MR. STEWART IS BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF FINDING AN APPROPRIATE FACILITY AND IF HE CANNOT FIND ONE, HE SAID THAT HE MIGHT LOOK ELSEWHERE SUCH AS WASHINGTON, D.C.; PORTLAND, ORE.; HOUSTON OR CHICAGO, EVEN THOUGH HE PREFERS ATLANTA.

AIESEC HAS BEGUN TO     NEGOTIATE WITH GEORGIA TECH, HE SAID, BUT IS LOOKING FOR REDUCED RATES BECAUSE SOME STUDENTS WILL BE COMING FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND WILL NEED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE FACILITY NEEDS TO BE CLOSE TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND INCLUDE ACCESS TO A LARGE CONVENTION HALL AS WELL AS NUMEROUS MEETING ROOMS.

THE CONGRESS WAS HELD IN WARSAW AND MIKOLAJKI, POLAND, LAST YEAR WHERE THE OWNER OF THE HOTEL GOLEBIEWSKI BUILT A NEW MEETING HALL TO ACCOMMODATE THE VISITORS, INCLUDING POLAND’S PRESIDENT.   “POLAND WAS REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE A CONFERENCE LIKE THIS BRINGING STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD,” HE SAID.

AIESEC’S EXCHANGE PROGRAM HAS BEEN PROVIDING MULTI-LINGUAL STUDENT INTERNS TO FIRMS AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 1948.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, MR. STEWART MAY BE REACHED BY CALLING (404) 864-6363, OR E-MAIL: GTD878A@PRISM.GATECH.EDU