From left to right: Keynote speaker and FIUTS alumnus Raj Manhas with wife Rana Manhas and longtime FIUTS host and donor Jim Figel
Attendees, from left to right: Olivia Perwitasari (Indonesia, student), Adi Salehuddin (Malaysia, alum), Aimi Ahmad Shukri (Malaysia, student), Rahul Katdare (India, alum and board member), Nanna Hansen (Denmark) and Susan Chan (Hong Kong, alum)
The Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS) celebrate 60 years of building peace and cross-cultural understanding through a variety of events held on the University of Washington campus and around Seattle in November.
When FIUTS was founded in 1948, there were 274 students from 37 nations enrolled at the University of Washington. In the aftermath of World War II, FIUTS’ founders believed that the only way to secure peace was through citizen diplomacy — that our world is richer and more peaceful when people have opportunities to share experiences and build friendships that extend beyond borders, politics and stereotypes.
Today, there are more than 4,000 students and scholars from more than 100 different countries enrolled at the University of Washington. Through programs, FIUTS creates opportunities for engagement and fosters an environment where ideas, issues, fears and questions can be discussed. ♦