Communications of the ACM
After Visa Delays, Afghan Girls' Robotics Team Arrives in D.c. For Global Competition
President Trump intervened at the last minute to allow a team of teenage girls to travel from Afghanistan to participate in the First Global Robotics Challenge in Washington, D.C.
Credit: Hoshang Hashim/AFP/Getty Images
Following international headlines responding to the U.S. State Department's decision to deny visas to a team of teenage Afghani girls who were trying to enter the FIRST Global Robotics Challenge, President Donald Trump intervened and granted the girls entrance into the U.S.
The three-day competition includes teams from 157 countries, as well as some multinational teams representing continents.
The team from Gambia also had visa issues before their applications also were approved.
In addition, sanctions prevented Global FIRST from sending a robotics kit to Iran, where a team of teenagers wanted to build a robot and enter the competition. The organization introduced the Iranian team to a group of teenage robotics enthusiasts in Virginia, who collaborated via Skype to get the Iranian design into the competition.
Although FIRST has hosted many competitions in the U.S., this is the first year it is hosting an international competition.
From The Washington Post
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