Celebrating 50 Years of American Councils for International Education

On December 6, we gathered to honor five decades of fostering global understanding and cooperation through education, public diplomacy, and professional development. With programs in 148 countries, offices in over 30, and a network of over 100,000 alumni, American Councils has become a global leader in international education, helping to address today’s challenges through the power of connection and learning.

In North Macedonia, our journey began in 2003, starting with the Junior Faculty Development Program. Since then, we’ve grown significantly, launching the YES program in 2009, and adding impactful programs like Lehigh, YES Abroad, Title VIII, OPIT, Balkan Language Initiative, and YTILI.

This success wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership and mentorship of Katerina Pejovska, Velika Angelkova, Zdenka Nikolovska, and our current director Vesna Naumovska, who paved the way for countless participants and alumni to thrive. A special thank you goes to the U.S. Embassy North Macedonia, the Ministry of Education and Science, our host schools and families, our dedicated associates, and our incredible alumni who continue to inspire us every day.

Here’s to 50 years of making an impact—and many more to come!