This is in line with the Heidelberg Club International (HCI) mission to foster international networking of senior executives across a number of disciplines, and to extend a spirit of cooperation and friendship through projects, initiatives and public events around the world,Previous exchanges of youth groups between the San Francisco Bay area and Heidelberg, conducted at the initiative of individual HCI members, have shown the unique potential to foster awareness of and friendship between different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds in the different countries. As high-school students go through a defining phase of their lives during which important decisions about interests and future education are made, exposure to different cultures can have a life-changing, beneficial effect for many program participants.

Sports represent a universal “language” that adolescents in all countries can easily relate to, and so the initial exchange programs have been focused on connecting young people in specific disciplines, such as basketball. However, the potential of future exchange programs is by no means limited to just one sports discipline, and ideas to expand the youth exchange program have been generated already.

HCC will raise funds from individual donors that will be used to finance travel expenses. The selection of youths, who will participate in the program, will be made in collaboration with Cameron House, San Francisco Neighborhood Centers Together, and various High Schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The organization’s purpose is to foster the international youth exchange between San Francisco, USA; Heidelberg, Germany; and other HCI chapter regions. The organization will implement its mission by facilitating the youth exchange programs and by raising funds to finance them.