Doha • Doha The US government is eager to collaborate with the Qatar Foundation in hosting a conference for its Youth Exchange and Study Program (Yes) alumni.

Visiting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Goli Ameri (pictured), said yesterday on the sidelines of an International Visitor Program that the focus is to keep the alumni more engaged.

Yes is an innovative high school exchange programme funded by the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This public diplomacy initiative is intended to build bridges of international understanding, especially between Americans and people in countries with significant Muslim populations.

"The Yes programme basically takes young high school students, majority of whom are from Muslim countries coming to the US and live with their host family. They get transformed by that experience and they transform the family in the community that they leave in," said Ameri. Young people, aged 16-18 from these mostly Muslim countries live as a member in an American family and attend high school for an academic year or semester.

They share their host families' everyday lives, engage in school activities and volunteer in their communities. They learn about American society and value while helping to educate others about the customs and culture of their homelands.

"One of the areas that I am focusing on is to keep our alumni more engaged. We want to make sure we don't lose track of our wonderful alumni. They are an asset to us and to the US. They are our friends and we want to maintain this friendship," said Ameri.

"We are excited in talking with Qatar Foundation of them hosting a conference for our Arab youth who come from over 15 countries. If they are able to bring all these young people to Qatar it would give the young people an opportunity to stay connected."

Ameri also said she would also explore ways these exchanges between youth can extend through Internet and also figure out how to involve the private sector in these exchange programmes.

Besides, the Aljazeera Children Channel has expressed an interest in covering Yes programme through the eye of a young student from the time he plans to enlist to the programme to its conclusion and back to his home country.

During her visit, Ameri visited several universities in Doha, such as Qatar University and Virginia Commonwealth University.