“We Stand With You” — President Obama Recognizes IVLP Participants at CGI

Posted under: IVLP By /

Visitors stand together in front of the New York City skyline.

Over 1,000 advocates, political leaders, and non-profit executives gathered in New York City on September 23rd for the 10th annual Clinton Global Initiative, where they witnessed President Obama illustrate America’s commitment to empowering and supporting civil society. In the President’s speech, he highlighted the extraordinary work of three International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participants, Sopheap Chak of Cambodia, John Gad of Egypt, and Miriam Canales Flores of Honduras, for pushing forward their missions during perilous times. They are champions for human rights, fighters for at-risk youth, and artists using their talents to strengthen civil society.

Continue  

18 Inspiring Messages From Young African Leaders

Posted under: Center for Global Leadership By /

Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Program participants spell out their vision for Africa.

Listen up. Young African leaders have a few things to say about youth leadership.   These 24 incredible changemakers from Togo, Senegal, Chad and Mauritania traveled to the United States to learn and discuss social entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and community building.   The leaders were here last month as part of our second cohort of Pan-African Youth Leadership Program, a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.   Each student developed a community service project or small enterprise to implement upon their return home. Projects ranged from jewelry-making ventures to new libraries to school clean-up initiatives. We’re excited...

Continue  

Water: A World Crisis Too Big To Ignore

Posted under: IVLP By /

International Visitor Leadership Program participants discuss water resource protection.

Water scarcity is a global issue and soon every region of the world will have to face the challenges it brings. Pollution is tainting the already dwindling freshwater supply we have left and arid and urbanizing areas are overusing water at high rates.   A dwindling supply Irrigation and agricultural uses are the biggest divergences for freshwater supplies followed by household and industrial usage. Ninety-six percent of the world’s freshwater resources are in difficult-to-access glaciers in the North and South Poles. This remaining 4% is found in groundwater, land glacier, and surface water resources. Of these other resources, the...

Continue  

Raising Educational Awareness & Literacy Rates in Bangladesh: SUSI Alumni Create Change

Posted under: Center for Global Leadership By /

Students gather for International Mother Language Day

This post is part of a recurring series about alumni of the Study of U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders for Public Policy and Government Leadership Program (SUSI) that is run by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and Meridian International Center. For other posts about progress SUSI alumni are making in their communities, click here. Thanks to governmental reforms, education in Bangladesh has continued to improve over the past ten years. However, this uplifting progress comes with some disheartening figures: according to a World Bank report, in 2004 almost 1.5 million students were not...

Continue  

SUSI Alumni Making Changes: Swechhya Sangroula

Posted under: Center for Global Leadership By /

-

In collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Meridian International Center administered the Study of U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders for Public Policy and Government Leadership (SUSI) in the summer of 2013. The program was a combination of leadership training, cultural exchange, and rigorous classes designed to give participants a better understanding of the United States, as well as transform them into more effective and successful leaders.

Continue