Program Theme Spotlight: Foreign Trade and investment

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Three visitors at a family-owned “pop-up” camper business in Sacramento, where they discuss the with the owners the company’s global marketing strategy.

With the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and other pending trade agreements in the headlines, and as states across the country compete with one another for foreign investment and global export markets, IVLP projects in these fields are on the rise.  The increase of projects on this theme is a reflection of U.S. foreign policy interests and a recognition that global commerce has an impact on a myriad of domestic policy issues. In preparing proposals for projects about trade and investment, Meridian and its implementing partners consider a number of policy priorities that are affected by the globalization of commerce.

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It’s all about the Spirit: Meridian Social Innovation Fellows in Detroit

Posted under: Center for Global Leadership By /

The Fellows with Jacques Panis and the Blanchards at Shinola in Detroit

By Meridian Social Innovation Fellow Javier Garcia Rodrigo   “Why Detroit?” my colleague Alberto Di Minin asked Jacques Panis, president of Shinola, the company that symbolizes one of the great success stories of business in the recent history of the formerly glorious city of Detroit. “In principle,” Alberto followed, “there should be more interesting locations across the US to establish a business, right?” Listening carefully, Mr. Panis answered without hesitation: “The People,” he told us. “Actually, it’s not what we are doing for the city; it is what the city is doing for us,” he added, under the watchful...

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US Embassy in Madrid Highlights Meridian Social Innovation Fellows

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Meridian Social Innovation Fellows

 In the US Embassy in Madrid‘s May 2015 e-newsletter on entrepreneurship, Adriana Brito Ruiz, Youth Embassy Council Member, interviewed Meridian Social Innovation Fellows Javier and Cristina on their social innovation projects. The following are excerpts from these interviews, translated into English by Meridian Program Associate Eirene O’Connor. If you would like to read the interviews in their entirety, please email Eirene at eoconnor@meridian.org On May 4, 2015, Meridian welcomed the inaugural cohort of the Meridian Social Innovation Fellowship to Washington, D.C. The eight Fellows – who hail from Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain – are global problem-solvers who bring...

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Spotlight Interview: Meridian Social Innovation Fellowship

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Meridian Social Innovation Fellows

On May 4, 2015, Meridian welcomed the inaugural cohort of the Meridian Social Innovation Fellowship to Washington, D.C. The eight Fellows – who hail from Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain – are global problem-solvers who bring together networks and resources to solve critical challenges facing their organizations, communities, and countries.  Meridian has brought together this distinguished group to drive ground-breaking advancements in the fields of youth and women empowerment, cultural integration, entrepreneurship, science, technology, and education. For updates on the Meridian Social Innovation Fellows’ experience in the United States, follow Program Associate Eirene O’Connor on twitter @EireneOC...

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