This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 003891 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/PPD MKulla, ECA/PE/C/PY CLantz, EUR/ACE 
JCeriale 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL FR
SUBJECT: France Nomination for FY-06 Benjamin Franklin 
Transatlantic Fellows Initiative Summer Institute for Youth 
 
REF: SECSTATE cable EUR/PPD dated 03/17/2006 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Post greatly appreciates the opportunity to 
nominate a student for the FY06 Benjamin Franklin 
Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute. We believe this type 
of project complements and enhances post's efforts to reach 
out to younger audiences, particularly those from more 
diverse backgrounds who would not otherwise have the 
opportunity to travel to the United States or to experience 
life in the United States.  Our nominee is Arban Bislimi, a 
19-year old Albanian refugee from Kosovo  who has been living 
in France since the age of three. Mr. Bislimi has already 
demonstrated impressive leadership qualities as well as great 
ambition, and he comes highly recommended by the French 
Minister for the Promotion of Equal Opportunity. We believe 
that he will be an important addition to the mix of young 
people participating in this year's program. While he is not 
yet a citizen of France, Mr. Bislimi is very much involved in 
French society and has demonstrated a strong interest in 
serving the community. Mr. Arban Bislimi has full country 
team approval, as well as class namecheck clearance. End of 
Summary. 
 
¶2. Nomination Format Information: 
 
¶A. Bislimi 
¶B. Arban 
¶C. None 
¶D. 05/29/86 
¶E. Pristina 
¶F. Kosovo 
¶G. France 
¶H. Kosovo 
¶I. Family address is Arban Bislimi, c/o Bislimi Labinot, 7 
avenue Menival, 69005 LYON, or student address Cite 
Internationale Universitaire de Paris, Residence Andre 
Honorat (chamber 307), 21 boulevard Jourdan, 75014 
PARIS. 
¶J. Home (parents) tel. No. is [33](4) 72-04-23-09, Student 
residence tel. No. is [33](1) 44-16-66-88; cellular tel. 
No. is [33](6) 33-98-44-15. 
¶K. Arban.bislimi@sciences-po.org 
¶L. Male 
¶M. No medical considerations; does not eat pork. 
¶N. Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Sciences-Po). 
¶O. First year of university studies, no major field 
selected yet. 
¶P. A. Bislimi has successfully completed his first 
university year at Sciences Po. He has also been very 
active within the Albanese association ILIRIA. (ILIRIA 
is a reference to "Illyrie," which is the former name 
for the Albanian region and people.). In Lyon, France, 
in April of 2005, Mr. Bislimi organized a conference on 
the people of Albania and Albanian culture for the 
purpose of bringing European societies closer together. 
The conference was attended by a large audience of local 
youth, as well as by the mayor of Vaulx-en-Velin. 
¶Q. After each year of high school, Mr. Bislimi worked as a 
maintenance employee and industrial cleaning assistant 
during his summer vacations. He also worked for six 
months during the school year while preparing for his 
baccalaureate (high school) degree. 
¶R. He was a member of the Youth Leadership Committee of the 
Albanese association ILIRIA, situated in the vicinity of 
Lyon. As a member of ILIRIA, Mr. Bislimi organized 
events and cultural activities, coordinated their 
mailings, and contributed in diverse ways to the 
functioning of the organization. (For example, he has 
translated Brecht's "Antigone" into Albanese, as well as 
translated a series of Albanese academic lectures into 
French for an audience in Lyon.) 
¶S. As he is an avid fan of table tennis and firmly believes 
in the importance of group sports to promoting good 
citizenship among youth, Mr. Bislimi founded a local 
table tennis club in Vaux-en Velin in 2005, in 
conjunction with the city's Assistant Mayor for 
recreational activities. He has also created a local 
club to promote traditional Albanese dance, for which 
the city government has provided assistance. 
¶T. No previous travel or study experience in the United 
States. 
¶U. In English proficiency, Sciences-Po has scored Bislimi a 
"3" (average) on a scale from 1-5 (where "5" is fluent.) 
His English-speaking capabilities were confirmed by 
public affairs via telephone interview. He understands 
English better than he speaks it, but we believe that he 
will have no problem participating in the seminar. 
¶V. He is considering public affairs, finance, or 
sustainable development as his main area of study. 
¶W. 
Of Kosovar origin, Arban Bislimi arrived in France with 
his parents in 1989. He successfully completed his first 
year at Sciences Po this past semester. He has three 
brothers; one is studying law at the University of Lyon 
II, another is in high school, and another is in middle 
school. Arban is clearly a young man of strong 
character, intelligence and determination. He comes from 
a refugee family of very modest means (as a young man, 
his family lived in "Vaux-en-Velin," one of the most 
disadvantaged suburbs of the Lyon area.) Despite such 
setbacks, he has worked tenaciously to place himself in 
a position where he can achieve his goals and excel in 
doing so. In high school, he worked as a maintenance 
assistant, all the while preparing for his final 
baccalaureate exam, and sleeping an average of only five 
hours per night. Although he has not yet settled upon a 
final area of concentration for his university studies, 
he intends ultimately to obtain a doctorate degree in 
his chosen field. He is seriously contemplating studying 
Public Affairs, which in France leads to the the 
prestigious ENA (National School of Administration). 
Regardless of which career path he chooses, Mr. Bislimi 
has expressed a strong desire to address the problem of 
corruption and to work for greater social justice and 
social mobility in France. Arban also firmly believes in 
the importance of extra-curricular activities to 
educating well-rounded individuals who are willing and 
capable of contributing to civic society. He has 
participated in sports in his community and is actively 
involved in an association that brings together Albanian 
citizens in the Lyon area. Arban came to our attention 
through the French Minister for the Promotion of Equal 
Opportunities, Azouz Begag, who recently met with 
Ambassador and Emboffs. The Minister, who offered his 
perspective on the current state of affairs for France's 
minorities (septel), was enthusiastic about the 
possibility of working closely with the Embassy to 
promote better understanding between our two countries. 
When ACAO mentioned the various programs available for 
young leaders and minorities, Minister Begag expressed 
his interest in introducing us to some of the young 
people he has encountered through his work. Arban 
Bislimi is the young man he proposed as a candidate, and 
post agrees with the selection. We believe Arban is 
personally qualified, and post sees this nomination as 
an excellent opportunity to build new contacts and to 
develop new ideas in terms of outreach to minorities. 
Minister Begag, who has both studied and taught 
extensively in the U.S., is a firm believer in these 
types of exchanges and in their positive impact. We 
agree and recommend highly this candidate for the summer 
institute program. 
¶X. Post Action Officer is Randiane Peccoud, 33-1-43-12-45- 
74 
¶Y. Ditto. 
 
STAPLETON