The International Visitor Leadership Program

The I.V.L.P. is one of several professional exchange programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  U.S. Embassies from around the world help select people prominent in their fields and who are likely to become future leaders in their country.  They are invited to visit the United States for several weeks to meet with their professional counterparts in fields such as government, business, health care, education, journalism, science, and art.

ICW is part of a nationwide network of centers for international visitors (CIVs) that participate in this program by hosting these visitors in their local communities. These CIVs are members of the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV) in Washington, D.C. which works closely with them and with the Department of State to support the network of CIVs and advocate to Congress in favor of Citizen Diplomacy.

The itineraries for these visitors typically include several days in Washington, D.C. followed by visits to several other American cities and towns.  Depending on the professional interests of the visitors, Worcester may be selected to be included in the itinerary.

ICW staff and volunteers design and implement local programs for these visitors and scores of local professionals agree to meet them on a voluntary basis. Local programs include full work days of professional appointments and sometimes also include cultural events, home hospitality, and social occasions for ICW meet these visitors. 

Previous programs

Year 2007

October 13 - 17, 2007

ICW hosted eight judges, government officials, and adoption agency heads from Russia. Their program was coordinated by the Academy for Educational Development and funded by the U.S. Department of State. The main objectives of this program were to see the "fate" of Russian orphans adopted by Americans, to show the U.S. federal and state governments' roles in adoption licensing and child welfare issues; and various organizations who work on behalf of adopted children.  They met with several adoptive parents of Russian children, representatives from the UMASS Medical School Center of Adoption Research, the MAPS adoption agency in Boston, and the DYS (Department of Youth Services) detention center in Worcester.

October 9, 2007

ICW hosted four library directors from Romania.  This program was coordinated by Meridian International Center and funded by the U.S. State Department. The objective of this program was to examine the role of libraries for civic education in diverse communities and to learn more about library and information science programs. This group had meetings at the Fobes Memorial Library in Oakham, the Rutland Free Public Library, and the Worcester Public Library.

September 29 - October 3, 2007

ICW hosted three NGO (non-governmental (non-profit) organization) professionals from China. This program was coordinated by Meridian International Center and funded by the U.S. State Department. Their main objectives were to learn strategies for organizational growth and development, to visit non-profits in the areas of HIV/AIDS and disability awareness and care, and to see cooperation among governmental and community-based organizations in the U.S.  They met with non-profit consultant Patsy Lewis, the United Way of Central Massachusetts, Seven Hills Foundation, and AIDS Project Worcester.

October 2006 to September 2007

16 delegates from Iran
Sponsored by US Department of State
Topic of the program:  “Public Health and Medicine”
Letters of appreciation received [Download JPG below]

• U. S. Department of State letter
• Institute of International Education letter

October 2005 to September 2006

19 delegates from Bahrain, Columbia, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gaza, Jamaica, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Sponsored by US Department of State
Topic of the program:  “Citizen Participation in Democracy” 

7 delegates from Kosovo
Sponsored by US Department of State
Topic of the program:  “Governing at the Local Level”

7 delegates from Russia
Sponsored by US Department of State
Topic of the program:  “City Management”

1 delegate from Italy
Sponsored by US Department of State
Topic of the program:  “Local Government”

1 delegate from Peoples Republic of China
Sponsored by US Department of State
Topic of the program:  “U.S. Political System/Local Government”

October 2004 to September 2005

8 delegates from Azerbaijan, Cambodia, France-EU, Ghana, Namibia, Oman, Sierra Leone, Vietnam.
Sponsored by US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Women and Economic Development”

3 delegates from Serbia-Montenegro.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “University Administration System in the U.S.”

2 delegates from Malaysia.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Management of courts”

5 delegates from Israel.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Civil Society and Emerging Leadership”

6 delegates from: Bhutan, Iraq, Norway, South Africa, Yemen.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Investigative Journalism ”

1 delegate from Germany.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “State and local Government”

October 2003 to September 2004

17 delegates from Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Eritrea, Ghana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Oman, Serbia/Montenegro, Tunisia, Turkey& Ukraine.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).”

2 Delegates from Moldova.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Modern law enforcement and Juvenile Justice”.

5 delegates from Turkmenistan.
Sponsored by the US Department of State
Topic of the program: “NGO Management and Community Development.”

2 delegates , professors from Senegal.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “University Curriculum and Professional Degree Models.”

6 delegates from Armenia.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Citizen Participation.”

4 delegates from Uzbekistan.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Neighborhood Leadership.”

10 delegates from Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay and Venezuela.
Sponsored by the US Department of State
Topic of the program: “Civil Society and Democratic Institutions.”

21 government officials from Albania, Argentina, Bhutan, Cambodia, Colombia, Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Ireland, Lebanon, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Macedonia & South Africa. Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “State and Local Government in the USA”.

3 delegates from Spain.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Civil Society confronts Terrorism”

1 Dean of a Business School from China.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Business Education”

1 delegate from Thailand.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Local Government.”

October 2002 to September 2003

1 government legal consultant from Indonesia.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Local Government and the Legal Process.”

5 local government officials from Pakistan.
Sponsored by the US Department of State's
Topic of the program: “Local and State Government.”

6 delegates from Israel, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Peru, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Volunteerism and NGO Management”.

1 delegate from People’s Republic of China.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “Management of Educational Resources in a Rural Context, Local Government Systems and the Political Process.”

2 delegates from Mongolia.
Sponsored by the US Department of State.
Topic of the program: “The U.S. Political System.”

3 delegates from Turkmenistan.
Sponsored by the US Department of State
Topic of the program: “Professional and Adult Education.”