GLOBE BAHRAIN.DIALOGUE AT A CRITICAL TIME

UNCLAS MANAMA 000694 SIPDIS NEA/PPD JDAVIES AND APENDLETON; NEA/ARP CKANESHIRO; ECA/PE/C/PY BPERSIKO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TSPL KGLB OEXC KPAO BA SUBJECT: GLOBE BAHRAIN.DIALOGUE AT A CRITICAL TIME ¶1. Bahrain GLOBE high school students continue to enthusiastically work together with Americans to save the Earth. To observe Earth Day 2004, PAS coordinated with the Ministry of Education and GLOBE Bahrain students to support activities to increase awareness of environmental issues in Bahrain. On April 21, APAO and PAS FSN joined 250 GLOBE Students from 26 schools, both public and private, to survey the garbage and pollutants in various seashore locations in Bahrain. ¶2. On April 22, GLOBE students participated in a "Contrail Count-a-Thon" experiment conducted by NASA and GLOBE. Students observed and measured clouds formed from water vapor in aircraft exhaust. Their measurements were reported to NASA scientists as part of a worldwide experiment. GLOBE students then participated in a web discussion group with American GLOBE scientists to exchange ideas about how GLOBE measurements can help protect the Earth and the impact of these measurements on the greater scientific community. GLOBE students from Lebanon, Jordan and Qatar also participated. DCM spoke to 300 students and teachers at a Ministry of Education organized GLOBE Environmental Awareness Conference on April 27. PAS distributed Earth Day 2004 posters to the 26 schools in Bahrain that participate in the GLOBE Program. ¶3. COMMENT: The GLOBE Program works. At a time when American credibility faces stark challenges, GLOBE students demonstrate the positive impact of educational exchange programming. The science projects and international experiments that GLOBE students participate offer a common ground for Bahrainis and Americans to stand on. Electronic discussion groups of Bahraini students and Americans are just one example of how a productive dialogue, albeit not political, continues in spite of current tensions. Students are excited about having their research recognized in the U.S. One female Globe student told the APAO, "Knowing that our data is important internationally, in places like NASA, makes us work harder as a GLOBE Bahrain team." END COMMENT. FORD