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Friendship Force International is a nonprofit corporation chartered in the USA in 1977. It is governed by a Board of Directors which sets policy and guarantees that legal requirements and fiscal responsibilities are met. The founders envisioned that friendships among people of different nations and cultures would not only be personally enriching for participants, but would contribute to world peace on a broad scale.
The Friendship Force of Edmonton and Area is a chartered chapter of Friendship Force International. It is managed by an elected Board of Directors which is responsible for upholding the policies and managing the affairs of the club in accordance with by-laws approved by Friendship Force International.
The Friendship Force of Edmonton and Area provides the structure and leadership to conduct exchanges between clubs as requested through Friendship Force International. It also provides year-round opportunities to develop friendship among its members through participation in cultural and social events at the local level.
The Friendship Force achieves its goals by arranging for ordinary citizen Ambassadors to share the lives of Host Families in another country for one week.
Host families receive no payment for opening their homes to friendship Ambassadors. Ambassadors pay their own travel expenses plus an administration fee and a host club fee to cover the operating cost of Friendship Force International and the activities arranged by the host club.
The Friendship Force of Edmonton and Area appoints Exchange Committees which are led by volunteer Exchange Directors and are organized to conduct Inbound (Host) or Outbound (Ambassador) Exchanges.
The Host Club is responsible for recruiting members and citizens from the community who will open their homes to the visiting Ambassadors. The Inbound Exchange Committee will arrange local tours and group activities that reflect community life and local culture, with time for the Hosts to share their everyday lives with their guests.
The Club is responsible for recruiting and preparing Ambassadors for the Friendship Force homestay experience. Ambassadors may be members of any club in Canada. Edmonton members may also apply to join any Outbound Exchange being conducted by another Canadian Club. After the homestay, members may choose independent travel in the region, participation in a group tour organized by the Exchange Committee or a direct return home.
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