Checking In With The U.S. – Pakistan Global Leadership and STEM Program

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Pakistani students at the Potomac River (in their Army Public School uniforms!)

The U.S. – Pakistan Global Leadership and STEM Program is an exchange program that engages ten female Pakistani students in a variety of leadership building and STEM-focused educational activities. During their stay, students participated in an immersive nanotechnology curriculum at SUNY Polytechnic institute. When I arrived at the 4H Center a little over a week ago, I was greeted by a room full of exuberant smiles. Ten Pakistani girls, having just touched down from their respective hometowns the night before, were clustered at the long tables pulled together in the meeting room. They literally sparkled, clothed in traditional shalwar...

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Blagica Petreski: Entrepreneurial Passion Could Change The World

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Blagica Petreski & her YTILI mentor, CTBA Executive director Ralph Martire, at the “Illinois: Vision for the future” event.

This blog post was written by the YTILI fellow: Blagica Petreski, Macedonia CEO of Finance Think- Economic Research and Policy Institute, Skopje- Macedonia   To be selected as a Young Transatlantic Innovative Leaders Initiative (YTILI) fellow is an honor; to participate is a challenge. I had a dream to be a part of the US fellowship programs; I have a dream to improve my society. When I was nominated by the US Embassy in Macedonia as an YTILI fellow, dozens of butterflies appeared in my stomach. At the same time, I was a bit scared. Why me? Could I leave work for...

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Community Development in Iraq through Volunteerism

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The Volunteers of Duhok team discusses ways to engage students in community development through volunteerism.

By Ameer Sabri, Manager of Volunteers of Duhok University (VDU) Alumnus IYLEP 2015 Volunteers of Duhok University (VDU) is an initiative launched by a group of students from the University of Duhok – a fast-growing institution in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Established in March 2015, the idea of setting up a youth center was pitched by a student, Saeed Qasim, and his mates, Zeena, Pekhatin, Karzan, Matty, Khosh, Iman, Yoshia, Khalid, Shihab, Ahmed, and Iman Na’man to create and spread the culture of volunteerism among students. First of all, the VDU team developed a registration form for membership...

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Program Theme Spotlight: Climate Change Adaptation

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A representative from the National Capital Planning Commission explains the function of the levee on the Capital Mall to an IVLP Climate Change group.

Program Theme Spotlight is intended to promote ideas, brainstorming and best practices on frequent IVLP project topics.

Climate change is one of President Obama’s top foreign policy and national security priorities. While world leaders continue to seek consensus on emissions reduction, the impacts of a changing climate are already being seen in regions and communities around the globe. Increasingly, International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) projects will reflect this reality. While projects on key related topics such as green energy and sustainable energy management will continue in importance, one topic will make its way to the forefront: adapting to the impacts of climate change.

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One Week at Meridian: 1×52 weeks = a more secure and prosperous world

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Meridian International Center

More than ever before, now is a time when the world needs effective global leaders to collaborate with counterparts across the globe and avert transnational challenges together. Taking stock of the rich diversity of our work, here is a look at a typical recent week at Meridian. Global Leadership To start out the week, Meridian welcomed International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participants on an array of timely subjects including (read more here): Human and Civil Rights Advocacy and Awareness in this Middle East Afghanistan-Pakistan Bilateral Parliamentary Program Cooperation Women Leaders: Promoting Peace and Security in South and Central Asia...

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