Exchange Programs and World Press Freedom Day

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Participants in the Media Literacy: Promoting Civil Society through New Media program at the Foreign Press Center in New York. Photo credit: Brittany Lynk

Every 3rd of May, the world celebrates World Press Freedom Day to evaluate the freedom of journalists worldwide and to defend attacks on media. In 1993, the UN General Assembly proclaimed this date to act as a reminder for governments to respect their commitment to press freedom and for media professionals to reflect upon ethical issues in their field. Thousands of journalists, writers, activists and leaders recognize World Press Freedom Day as a way to address the main challenges concerning the freedom of information. Meridian’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) visitors address this subject matter by engaging in the power of international exchange through different experiences and ideas. Continue  

From Behind The Desk To Changing Lives

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A GlobalConnect Intern shares her experience.

Studying abroad is an adventure, and like all adventures, it has critical moments. As I undertook the journey I felt excited but also unsure of what to expect. My adventure began a little more than four months ago when I arrived in Washington, DC, with two suitcases, a study plan, a desire to find an internship and a fixed objective of widening my personal, cultural and professional perspectives. While pursuing my Bachelor’s in International Relations in La Universidad De Los Andes in Bogota, Colombia, I grew increasingly motivated to deepen my knowledge through work experience, and to become a...

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Visitors from Japan will explore U.S. trends in energy and environmental regulations

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Shigeki Kagiwada, Assistant Director for International Affairs in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan meets with U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn prior to Prime Minister Abe's address to Congress.

Welcome 2016 participants

Kazutaka Nakagawa and Mitsuo Nagai will begin their year-long Global Government-to-Government Partnership (G3P) this month. Following an introductory tour of U.S. economic revitalization efforts in Greensboro, NC, Cincinnati, OH and Portland, OR, the two participants will immerse themselves in English-language training. These initial activities prepare them for individualized research projects, which are the capstone of the program.

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Program Theme Spotlight: Countering Violent Extremism

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Participants on a Women Countering Violent Extremism project met with Facebook to discuss the use of social media to effectively counter extremist messaging.

Secretary of State John Kerry stated recently that violent extremism may well be “the defining challenge of our generation.” Given this reality, many International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) projects are focusing on best practices to counter radicalization and violent extremism. Their goal is to create a global knowledge network that develops strategies for ongoing cooperation in these efforts.

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IVLP Alumni Spotlight: Two Women Countering Violent Extremism

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Ms. Natascha Jensen (second from right) from Denmark with fellow IVLP participants at the CVE conference she organized in Aarhus in November 2015.

 

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 two alumni who participated in a Multi-Regional project for women engaged in countering terrorism on practitioner and grassroots levels in their own countries. The participants spent two weeks in the United States examining the growing threat of terrorism and extremist organizations, the role of women within these organizations, the radicalization of women, and the tools and strategies that help counter this threat.

 

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