IVLP: New Experiences, New Friends & New Perspectives

Posted under: IVLP By /

Navjeev with his IVLP cohort at the U.S. Department of State

This post was submitted by Navjeev Singh, IVLP alum from Singapore. When I first found out that I was invited to an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), I was chuffed. After all, a quick Google search tells you it is the U.S. State Department’s premier professional exchange program. It is invite-only. It has been around for over 80 years. Over 500 current or former Chiefs of State or Heads of Government had attended an IVLP. My expectations for this program were set very high as a result.   I was invited to represent Singapore at the IVLP on Advancing an Open, Reliable, and Secure Digital...

Continue  

Israeli IVLP Alum reflects on Pride and LGBTQ+ Solidarity

Posted under: IVLP By /

Liana and her IVLP group meeting with PFLAG in Washington, DC

In March 2019, Israeli national Ms. Liana Ester Meirom Asif traveled to the U.S. for an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on “Human and Civil Rights for Marginalized Communities.” At the time, Ms. Meirom Asif was the International Funds and Resource Development Coordinator for IGY, Israel LGBTQ+ Youth. She has since taken on the role of Vice President, Resource Development and External Relations for IGY. Below, she reflects on her IVLP experience and what Pride means to her. What have you been doing since your IVLP experience? I have started new projects both at IGY, Israel’s LGBTQ+ youth organization,...

Continue  

Transgender Rights Activist Reflects on IVLP Experience and Pride Month

Posted under: IVLP By /

Ms. Naomi Fantanos at the 11th Trans March in New York City

In June 2015, Naomi Fantanos participated in an IVLP project on Preventing and Responding to Bias-Motivated Violence Against the LGBTI Community. Naomi is the Founder and Executive Director of transgender rights group GANDA Filipinas, which works to battle transphobia in the Philippines. She offered the following reflections on her exchange experience and the impact of Pride Month.   What does Pride mean to you? Pride has come to mean so many different things to me through the years, from when I was actively organizing it and, alternatively, the times I was just one of its many marchers. One thing...

Continue  

To be a Face of Exchange alongside Anwar Sadat

Posted under: IVLP By /

Vered Cohen Barzilay and Anwar Sadat were both named by the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State as “Faces of Exchange” in a series of profiles commemorating the 80th anniversary of the IVLP.

This post was written by Vered Cohen Barzilay. Ms. Vered Cohen-Barzilay is an Israeli social entrepreneur, a women’s rights activist, and an advocate for aviation, space, and science education.  Her latest project is “Out of the Box”’ which seeks to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through space education and entrepreneurship. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has been introducing 80 Faces of Exchange this year. These profiles of IVLP alumni have showcased participants from around the world and across...

Continue  

IVLP Alumni Spotlight: Volunteering from Oklahoma to Kazakhstan

Posted under: IVLP By /

Amina and fellow IVLP alumni with TGA Board Member John Harper at their Toast the Travelers Reception

The following was written by Bob Lieser, Vice President of Program at Tulsa Global Alliance. In October 2018, Tulsa Global Alliance (TGA), a Community-Based Member of Global Ties U.S., collaborated with Meridian International Center to host a U.S. State Department International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) from Kazakhstan titled “Volunteerism: Charity and Civic Action.” Their schedule included tours of the Little Light House, a faith-based non-profit providing free educational and therapeutic services to children with special needs, and Jenks High School, where they learned about special needs education at a public school district. The visitors also volunteered at Iron Gate,...

Continue