Honoring the 2017 International Women of Courage

A few months ago I came back from lunch and noticed a new file sitting on my desk. Recognizing it as a new International Visitor Leadership Project (IVLP) assignment, I looked for the title and saw four letters: “IWOC”. Having no idea what that meant, I thought “Huh, strange.” Little did I know that I had been given the opportunity to work on one of the most inspiring public diplomacy programs that the State Department sponsors: The Secretary’s International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award. This annual two-week IVLP honors a visionary group of women for their respective work in advancing women’s rights all over the world. Continue  

IVLP Alumni Spotlight: Protection of Intellectual Property Rights

IVLP Alumni Spotlight features U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni as they reflect on the impact of the program and how it has affected their work and lives. Here we feature one alumna who participated in a South and Central Asia Regional Project examining Protection of Intellectual Property Rights. Continue  

“Political Transition in the U.S.” by Dušan Lj Milenković, a Serbian Participant in the “Democratic Transitions in the U.S. Political System” IVLP

“It is one of the biggest political changes in US history,” said one of the speakers during the IVLP program, regarding the switch to the Trump administration. I participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) with 17 other professionals and experts from around the world. We had the chance to witness a historical moment in U.S. politics and to learn more about the customs and traditions entrenched in the American political system. Continue