U.S. Consul General in Thessaloniki visits IB

Mr. Hoyt Brian Yee, U.S. Consul General in Thessaloniki, visited the English  class at the International Baccalaureate Program of Anatolia College on March 27.  Consul General Yee spent time discussing a broad range of subjects and addressing questions posed by students.  The Consul’s visit was particularly appropriate as the class was examining “global issues” topics at the particular session and the discussion centered on such topics as globalization and international relations.  Consul General Yee initially presented students with an overview of U.S. foreign policy, paying particular attention to U.S.-Greek relations.  Subsequently, he addressed the social, political, cultural, and economic issues resulting from globalization, and expressed the opinion that the global culture which is confronting citizens of the world today poses new challenges and calls for new approaches.  In the question and answer session which followed, Consul Yee addressed questions on “the tension between global culture and national cultures” and “the importance of ethnic identities within multiethnic and multicultural societies”.  Such questions pertain to “social” and “cultural topics” which are discussed in the English class at the IB program and which constitute part of the English curriculum.