From Participant to Programmer: Meridian IVLP Alumnus on Exchanges with Meridian

Posted under: IVLP By /
co-author:

Manuel Comeron (bottom) pictured with the American delegation meeting with the Liège Police Force during the Community Connections program

In the fall of 2018, Mr. Manuel Comeron, an alumnus of the 2017 Meridian International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) entitled “Strong Cities: Building Community Resilience to Radicalization and Violent Extremism,” was a programming partner for the Community Connections program. This iteration of Community Connections is a two-part international exchange program between Nashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee and Liège and Verviers, Belgium during which rising American and Belgian leaders in violence prevention exchange best practices in countering violent extremism. In the first part of the program, Mr. Comeron organized a one-week program in Liège for 8 American NGO leaders, government officials,...

Continue  

IVLP Alumni Spotlight: Creating Jobs for Women in Rural Côte d’Ivoire

Posted under: IVLP By /

Antoinette Botti (in green shirt), founder and owner of ASSÔWÔ (meaning Stand Up), a cooperative that involves every woman in her village in Cote d'Ivoire

IVLP Alumni Spotlight features U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni as they reflecton the impact of the program and how it has affected their work and lives. Here we spotlight, Ms. Antoinette Botti from Cote d’Ivoire, whose work focuses specifically on empowering women in rural environments. Ms. Botti participated in a large group project on volunteerism, and she recounts below the impact that this program had on her, both personally and professionally.

Continue  

Strengthening the Partnerships Between the State of Illinois and Korea – The Impact of a Program

Posted under: Center for Global Leadership By /

The U.S. and Korea participants meeting with former Congressman and then President & CEO of the Korea Economic Institute, Donald Manzullo.

To mark the 20th Anniversary of implementing the U.S. Congress – Republic of Korea National Assembly Exchange, Meridian conducted a longitudinal study, surveying alumni from the 2007-2017 programs to assess how this exchange has impacted the 340 Americans and Koreans rising leaders who took part in the exchange. Their individual stories are a testament to the long term-impact of this exchange and of its crucial role in fostering better relations between the United State and Korea. Featured below is the personal story of Tommy Choi, an alum of the 2013 program, who shared with us as part of the...

Continue  

IVLP Alumni Spotlight: Empowering Women in Rural Areas

Posted under: IVLP By /

HOCIC's community service programs at a local children's home was inspired by Sunga's time on a Volunteerism IVLP project in 2014.

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 the Director of Hope for a Child in Christ, a non-profit organisation based in Zimbabwe who participated on the IVLP in 2014. Ms. Sunga Mzeche spent three weeks in the United States visiting non-profit organisations, federal agencies, and corporations to learn about volunteerism and NGO best practices.  

Continue