Muzaffarabad, April 20, 2018 — The U.S. Embassy Islamabad and the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UAJK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) renewing their partnership overseeing the Lincoln Corner in Muzaffarabad (LCM) for another year(April 2018 – April 2019). Michelle Los Banos, Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy Islamabad, and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Kaleem Abbasi, Vice Chancellor UAJK, signed the MOU. First established in 2007, LCM is a partnership project between the U.S. Embassy Islamabad and UAJK. Alongside the MOU signing, the Lincoln Corner celebrated its 11th anniversary. Representatives from the U.S. Embassy, the Vice Chancellor, university deans, department heads, faculty, students, and members of the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN) in Muzaffarabad participated in the celebration.
The U.S. Embassy Islamabad runs a network of 18 Lincoln Corners across Pakistan. A Lincoln Corner is a resource center and event space hosted in partnership with Pakistani institutions – in public libraries, universities, and cultural centers. In her remarks, Counselor for Public Affairs Michelle Los Banos said Lincoln Corners, such as the LCM, “allow us to maintain an open dialogue with Pakistani audiences through programs that build prosperity, foster mutual understanding and strengthen people-to-people ties.”
The LCM was remodeled in October 2016 to create a contemporary and comfortable space with added resources for the benefit of visitors. The corner provides free access to books, magazines, videos, a tech bar, and eLibraryUSA. Visitors can access a large collection of databases, scholarly journals, e-books, newspaper articles, and multimedia content through eLibraryUSA. In collaboration with the U.S. Embassy, the corner organizes monthly programs for UAJK students and the local community in Muzaffarabad, focusing on English language learning, EducationUSA resources, science and technology, entrepreneurship, makerspaces, and information about the United States. The Corner has also hosted programs to raise awareness about gender-based violence and discrimination, to build networks and promote knowledge-sharing among budding entrepreneurs, and encourage innovation and creativity through makerspaces and Spark!Lab activities.
To learn more about Lincoln Corners, visit http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/lincoln_corners.html.
For Immediate Release
Contact: U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section (051-201-5427, 051-201-4723)
24/ 2018
