IVLP Fosters Collaboration as part of 100,000 Strong in the Americas Initiative

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IVLP Participants meet with representatives from Michigan State University, UCLA, Centre College in Danville, KY, and Kalamazoo College in Michigan

The 100,000 Strong in the Americas initiative was originally conceived during President Obama’s administration with the stated goal “to underscore the critical relationship between broader educational opportunity and greater regional prosperity.” The initiative’s central objective is to increase study abroad opportunities between the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Over the years, Meridian has worked on multiple projects aimed at building stronger cooperation through this initiative. Most recently, an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) project focused on Expanding Sustainable Education Partnerships engaged eight higher education leaders from four Latin American countries exploring future linkages with U.S. educational institutions....

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Improving Partnerships and Collaboration in Cybersecurity

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Cybersecurity experts from Africa celebrate the completion of their IVLP project

In May of this year, for the first time ever the GasBuddy mobile app earned the achievement of most downloaded on the U.S. App Store. Overall, total downloads increased almost 20 fold compared to an average day earlier in the year. This was not simply a huge influx of people who wanted to see if they could save an extra three cents a gallon. Rather, a cyber attack on the Colonial Pipeline, the largest fuel pipeline in the U.S., caused a surge of panic buying amidst fears of an impending gas shortage. In early September, Howard University in Washington,...

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Investigating Human Rights Abuses through Advanced Technologies

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IVLP Participants meet with Mr. Jeremy Rue of the UC Berkeley Advanced Media Institute

The following post was drafted and submitted by Fernand Gouveia, Program Officer for Meridian’s Center for Global Leadership. Meridian’s Center for Global Leadership recently administered a project for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) titled “Investigating and Prosecuting Human Rights Violations.” Participants included a group of 10 lawyers, prosecutors, government advisors, and advocates representing various countries with compelling human rights records, like Barbados, Colombia, Mexico, and Rwanda. Participants gained valuable insight on the use of evidence-based methods and innovative technologies that investigators increasingly rely on to hold rights violators accountable and protect vulnerable populations. These new tools and strategies,...

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Legacy of and Future for Black Professionals in Diplomacy

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IVLP Black Leaders & Voices Participants meet with a representative from NAACP.

Candies Kotchapaw is the Founder & Executive Director of Developing Young Leaders of Tomorrow, Today (DYLOTT), a black youth-focused leadership incubator organization changing the socio-economic outlook for this marginalized community. In 2021, she participated in an IVLP project on Black Leaders & Voices. She offered the following reflections on her exchange experience. How did your virtual IVLP experience impact you? Were there any particular resources that inspired you, changed your perspective, or sparked new ideas in how to approach your work? The virtual IVLP experience was incredibly valuable in further aligning and clarifying the trajectory of my professional career....

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Pakistani Young Influencer reflects on her IVLP and Pride

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Aradhiya (2nd from right) and other Pakistani Young Influencers at the U.S. State Department with Program Officer Carlos Aranaga

In the Fall of 2019, Ms. Aradhiya Khan participated in an IVLP project with a group from Pakistan focused on Young Influencers. At the time, she worked with the Akhuwat Foundation promoting the social and economic inclusion of the transgender community. In addition, Ms. Khan has actively pursued legislation on a transgender protection bill in the Sindh Provincial Assembly. Below, she reflects on her IVLP experience and Pride.  What is an accomplishment you would like to highlight from your IVLP experience?   As part of the 2019 Young Influencers IVLP project, I attended various interesting meetings, discussions, and field visits during the three-week program. After...

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