a balanced series of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations, and lectures. The coursework and classroom activities will be complemented by educational travel, local site visits, and volunteer opportunities. The institute will include an academic residency component of approximately four weeks and a domestic travel component of approximately one week. During the academic residency, participants will also have the opportunity to get out of the classroom to explore historical sites including a site visit to the State Capitol and North Carolina History Center and to the Civil Rights museum in nearby Greensboro. During their study tour they will take a three-day trip to Atlanta, Georgia, and Birmingham, Alabama, to visit the historical sites that are emblematic of the civil rights movement. Then, the program will conclude with a 3 day-s in Washington DC where they will meet the participants from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay who participated in concurrent institutes at Wheelock College and George Mason University.The Institute at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), entitled "The Fight for Civil Rights," will be conducted in English, and will focus on contemporary American life, as it is shaped by historical and/or current political, social, and economic issues and debates. Students will be provided with an overview of the foundations of democracy as they learn about the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, the federal system of government, elections, the court system, etc. Students will learn about the foundations of U.S. democracy, the institutions that implement the ideals of our founding documents, and the political and social movements that have contributed to our development. Students will explore the various complex historical and contemporary issues associated with identity throughout the Americas, including race, ethnicity, and color, with a special focus on the indigenous peoples in North Carolina (Cherokee and Lumbee) and African-Americans. Through an exploration of the theme of "Politics of Personal and Economic Security", with a focus on land rights, students will also have an opportunity to compare and contrast political activism throughout the Americas. The institute will also address bilateral relations between the U.S. and Brazil, although this will not be the main focus.Other core components of the institute include leadership development, community service, and fostering cross-cultural understanding. Each week will include a study and application of leadership theories as well as a community service activity. Participants will engage with Americans on campus and will also participate in a weekend homestay.Other Essential Program Information:Program Funding: The US State Department will cover all participant costs, including: program administration; international and domestic travel and ground transportation; book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances; and housing and subsistence.Housing and Meal Arrangements: Participants will reside in dormitory housing on campus. Students will live in suite apartments; they will each have their own room, and they will share a small common space and a bathroom with a few other participants of the same gender. Most meals will be provided at campus facilities, though some meals will be provided by the program, and participants will also receive per diem that they can use to go out to local restaurants.Care will