U.S. Speaker Program in India Focuses on Variety of Opportune Topics

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David Waskow Director of the International Climate Action Signature Initiative at the World Resources Institute meeting with officials in India as part of his U.S. Speaker Program on the impact of climate change.

Meridian International Center, in conjunction with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi (NDPAS), has created the U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program in India. The program, which started in November of 2013, has already sent eight representatives from the United States to different locations around India to speak on various policy-related topics. To ensure topics were discussed as competently and fully as possible, speakers chosen are U.S. citizens with the best expertise and qualifications in their respective fields. The program was organized by Meridian Program Officer Bogdan Banu and Program Associate Tai Ford, and will include two additional speakers in the next month. Continue  

The Importance of IP in India As Bollywood Doubles Hollywood’s Movie Production

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Michael Schlesinger meeting with Indian officials during his visit there as part of the U.S. Speaker program

When most individuals think of the Indian film industry, Bollywood immediately comes to mind — Bollywood, the behemoth business that produces over 1,000 films a year, or twice the number Hollywood produces. These theatrical and spectacular productions have given Bollywood its reputation as a giant in the international world of film and media, especially due to the sheer volume of films produced by the Indian industry. However, in comparison to the U.S., whose film industry brings in $51 billion a year, Bollywood’s revenue is only about $4.5 billion. Why the extreme discrepancy? While many reasons can explain the lack of revenue garnered by Bollywood, one of the main reasons is the amount of—and lack of regulation against—piracy in India.

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On Being A Global Changemaker

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Hajira Khan - Atlas Corps Fellow at Meridian (2nd from right)

Meridian Atlas Corps Fellow Hajira Khan speaks at the Second Annual Professional Exchange Spotlight Series at the State Department

On Friday, January 24th, the Loy Henderson Conference Room at the State Department  hummed with the buzz of myriad accents. The room, host to countless diplomats and dignitaries over the years, was filled with a new generation of leaders — the current and incoming class of Atlas Corps Fellows and their colleagues and counterparts here in the U.S. This Second Annual Professional Exchange Spotlight Series was an opportunity for Fellows to meet supporting staff from the State Department and connect with local host institutions. Among those selected to address the group, was Meridian Fellow Hajira Khan.

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