Fulbright Chronicles, Volume 1, Number 3 (2022)
Authors
Kevin F. F. Quigley and Bruce B. Svare
Washington, D.C., like many capital cities, is replete with monuments and memorials. These evoke history and provide inspiration for us to work towards a more peaceful and just world.
One of the newest memorials in D.C. is perhaps the most memorable: the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Its impressive Tennessee marble rests on the edge of the Tidal Basin with a view across the water to the Jefferson Memorial.
In these tumultuous and divisive times, we can all use more hope and inspiration. Around the MLK Memorial cut into the gray walls are timeless words from the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and champion for justice and peace that should resonate with the Fulbright community:
If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective.
Fulbright alumni learn that we are part of something far larger than ourselves, whatever our race, tribe, class or country might be.
Fulbrighters, by nature of their experiences, develop a world perspective to see the world differently; they thereby become much more ecumenical or global. Fulbright alumni learn that we are part of something far larger than ourselves, whatever our race, tribe, class or country might be.
This third issue of Fulbright Chronicles reflects that global perspective transcending the authors’ circumstances on a variety of topics in many ways. These articles include Glen Fukushima’s provocative commentary on why he made a major gift to Fulbright Japan, Karen Peirce’s article on developing mutual understanding across cultures and Cameron O’Reilly’s drawing a direct connection between his Fulbright and a change in Australia’s New South Wales’s energy policy. In addition, David King and Steve Blumenshine’s articles discuss the mutual benefits of Fulbright Scholar programs, while Shiela Lee, Kathryn Picardo and Andy Briers’ articles explore the impact on their careers and school environment.
We hope that these articles remind us that programs promoting cross-cultural relationships and understanding help create a global perspective and enduring relationships that are pathways for peace because they make participants more global and inspire us to hope.
In this issue, we are pleased to have our first book review section. We are very grateful to Erika J. Waters, our book review editor, who organized this and to the more than 100 community members who volunteered to be book reviewers.
Thank you for reading Fulbright Chronicles. We look forward to your ongoing participation by contributing a commentary, article, a book review and/or a letter to the editors: www.fulbright-chronicles.com
Other hopeful and inspiring quotes carved into the MLK memorial walls can be found at: https://www.nps.gov/mlkm/learn/quotations.htm