VZCZCXRO0834
RR RUEHLMC
DE RUEHAN #0236/01 0681023
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091023Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4456
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANTANANARIVO 000236 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/EX, AF/E, AF/FO, AND DRL 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID AND PEACE CORPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KDEM KMCA KPAO EAID PHUM PINR AMGT ASOC MA
SUBJECT: AMERICAN WEEK IN MAHAJANGA IS A HIT 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  From February 27 - March 1, 40 Mission personnel and 
numerous partners hosted American Week in Mahajanga, a city on 
Madagascar's northwestern coast with a sizeable Muslim population. 
Well over 5,000 local citizens visited our exhibit booths, attended 
an Embassy-sponsored basketball tournament and cultural 
performances, and were present for the closing of a USG-sponsored 
cultural preservation exhibit.  As confirmed in press accounts, the 
impact of American Week "will continue and will remain engraved in 
the hearts of the people in Mahajanga." END SUMMARY. 
 
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What was American Week? 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. Mahajanga is a regional center of several hundred thousand 
citizens, a sizeable minority of them Muslim, on the northwestern 
coast of Madagascar.  As the drive from Antananarivo takes 10 to 14 
hours, the citizens of Mahajanga have limited or no understanding of 
the work of the U.S. Mission.  Building on two local events already 
organized by the Public Affairs Section:  the finals of the Second 
Annual Black History Month HIV/AIDS and Malaria Awareness Basketball 
Tournament, conducted for high school students in Mahajanga, and the 
closing of the 2006 Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation 
project, "Opening the Door on History:  Preserving Madagascar's 
Indo-Arabian Carved Doors," Post took advantage of this week as an 
excellent opportunity to further educate area citizens about what 
the U.S. Mission does in Madagascar. 
 
¶3. Monday, February 26:  While the Mission was setting up for 
American Week, Ambassador McGee and USAID Director Patrick spent the 
day meeting with important local contacts.  The Ambassador began the 
day by donating an x-ray screening machine to the airport upon his 
arrival.  Local leaders and law enforcement welcomed the donation of 
Mahajanga's first such machine as a significant improvement to the 
porous security at this international airport.  Following this 
ceremony, the Ambassador visited the local Millennium Challenge 
Corporation (MCC) office and met with civic and business leaders in 
Mahajanga (septel). 
 
¶4. Tuesday, February 27:  Ambassador McGee officially opened 
American Week at La Maison de la Culture with a private tour of the 
exhibits for VIPs, including the Mayor of Mahajanga, in the morning. 
 This hall hosted 16 booths with exhibits from many Mission 
elements:  the Defense Attache's Office, USAID, the Regional 
Security Office, the Commercial Section, the Consular Section, the 
Public Affairs Section, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and 
Peace Corps.  Numerous USAID and MCC partners also had impressive 
displays.  Commercial enterprises, including Exxon Mobil and a 
company that manufactures name-brand Polo clothing for export to the 
U.S. under the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), also set 
up booths to showcase U.S. commercial involvement in Madagascar. 
During the afternoon session open to the public, the week's cultural 
highlights kicked off with a performance by a local Muslim choir 
singing American gospel and Muslim songs -- a tribute to religious 
tolerance and diversity -- to a packed auditorium. 
 
¶5. Wednesday, February 28:  Exhibits continued to run on the 28th. 
Post was encouraged that the majority of attendees were local 
students who spent long periods of time at each booth taking notes 
and listening to Mission personnel describe their roles.  Post also 
used the adjoining auditorium for films and cultural demonstrations, 
including a live performance by American folk singer Lee-Alison 
Sibley with the DCM on back-up vocals.  Staff members of Population 
Services International (PSI), a USAID partner, animated the audience 
throughout all three days, making these educational opportunities 
very popular with the crowds. 
 
¶6. Wednesday was the highlight of the week, as over 2,000 citizens 
of Mahajanga packed into the local gymnasium to watch the girls' and 
boys' final games of the Basketball Tournament.  The day ended with 
a representational dinner co-hosted by Exxon Mobil.  (Exxon Mobil 
used the week to quietly educate the local population about their 
business as they prepare to explore for oil off the coast of 
Mahajanga.)  The dinner featured classic American show tunes sung by 
Lee-Alison Sibley that inspired several of the invitees to 
spontaneously respond with a set of Malagasy songs.  Guests included 
the Mayor of Mahajanga, the French and Comoran Consuls, and other 
dignitaries. 
 
¶7. Thursday, March 1:  About 3,500 people visited the exhibits on 
the final day of American Week.  The morning featured the closing 
ceremony of the carved Indo-Arab doors exhibit with local cultural 
entertainment and speeches by the Ambassador, Mayor, and other VIPs. 
 Our internet site, www.antananarivo.usembassy.gov, has posted 
images of our booths as well as a photo of the closing ceremony of 
the cultural exhibit.  The afternoon ended with a very popular "Quiz 
Show" testing the audience's knowledge of U.S. history, culture, 
diversity and involvement in Madagascar and rewarding them with 
t-shirts manufactured in-country by U.S. companies. 
 
ANTANANARI 00000236  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
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Impact 
- - - - 
 
¶8. Post is extremely pleased with the impact of American Week in 
Mahajanga.  Thousands of Malagasy far from the capital city, many of 
them students, now have a much better understanding of the role the 
U.S. Mission and our partners play in this country.  As Mission 
elements educated them about our consular services, opportunities to 
study in the U.S., and the Ambassador's Self-Help Fund, they also 
have a better understanding of how the Mission can help them as 
individuals.  The Mission was particularly pleased to develop its 
relationship with one of the most significant Muslim communities in 
Madagascar. 
 
¶9. Local media coverage of American Week and related events was 
extensive, with reporting by eight local radio stations, four local 
TV stations (including affiliates of national TV and radio 
stations), and two local correspondents of Antananarivo-based daily 
newspapers.  Citing the number of visitors and the information 
available on American activities, they called the week a "resounding 
success."  National newspaper "La Tribune" featured a full-page 
report including color photographs of the many events.  Highlighting 
the strong participation of the Islamic Bohra community, the article 
concluded that, "the American Week ends but its activities and 
impact will continue and will remain engraved in the hearts of the 
people in Mahajanga." 
 
¶10. Post also believes this event helped the Mission community 
itself come together by working across agencies and across offices 
to achieve a common goal.  We understand now more than ever the 
different role each section plays and how our efforts are 
interdependent.  We will take this spirit of cooperation forward in 
our future endeavors. 
 
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Future 
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¶11. Post thanks the Department for its support of this event.  Our 
connections to this coastal city were greatly enhanced by American 
Week.  We hope to repeat this success in another regional city next 
year. 
 
MCGEE