2024 GROUPS

aRTS FOR cOMMUNITY deVELOPMENT (mAY)

This project examines the influential role the arts –from music to video games – play in sparking examination of social issues, engaging marginalized communities, and promoting cross-cultural understanding.  Participants will explore how professional performing and visual artists, film and television makers, arts educators, and those involved in the arts mentor disenfranchised youth and minority groups and address social challenges.  The program will allow participants to examine the influential role the arts play in advancing civil society and the creative economy.  The project will also examine how intellectual property rights (IPR) protect artists’ profitability and preserve cultural heritage.   


COUNTRIES: SAUDI ARABIA

Deepening Policy Advisors’ Understanding of U.S. Supply Chain Diversification Policy (mAY)

This project will explore U.S. supply chain diversification goals and policy coordination across the government. It will examine various national and sub-national economic issues that influence policy affecting the U.S. supply chain, particular in the chips, electric vehicle battery, pharmaceutical, and critical mineral industries. The project will support U.S.-ROK bilateral relations through the creation of linkages between decisionmakers in the U.S. and ROK political fields.


COUNTRIES: KOREA


entrepreneurship and small business development (May)

This project examines the role of small business in driving sustained economic growth and prosperity and the skills necessary to achieve and maintain entrepreneurial success.  Participants will explore business models that support small business growth and economic development to benefit local communities.  Discussions and site visits will highlight the social, economic, legal, and political factors that encourage the development of private enterprise, including innovation, managerial skills, government incentives, the removal of barriers to growth, access to credit and venture capital, business incubators, and public-private partnerships.  Participants will examine the significant growth of business opportunities created by the Internet, social media, and expansion of the global marketplace.  

COUNTRIES: EGYPT, IRAQ, KUWAIT, MOROCCO, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, TUNISIA

DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION ROUTES (APRIL)

This project will examine the work of seaports, dry ports, large railway junctions, multimodal transport hubs in the United States.  Participants will learn how to effectively manage intense freight traffic without creating congestion and delays.  The program will build on Post’s 2023 IVLP program on the same topic, to engage additional key stakeholders who were unable to participate in the previous program and will provide additional insight into effective management of railway traffic. 


COUNTRIES: KAZAKHSTAN

GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES(APRIL)

This project supports the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA): a network of countries, international and non-governmental organizations, and private sector companies working to minimize the emergence and spread of infectious diseases.  Participants will examine key practices to manage communicable diseases, including public information campaigns, combating disinformation and misinformation, medical response preparedness, ongoing training for medical and administrative personnel, and strategies for working with international partners during a pandemic.  

COUNTRIES: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EL SALVADOR, MEXICO, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, PERU

HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNTIES (APRIL)

This project explores the strategies of human and civil rights practitioners who advocate for the rights of marginalized communities and demonstrates how they present their concerns to government and social influencers. It addresses approaches to defending the rights of religious and ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQI community, refugees, internally displaced persons, and other vulnerable populations. Participants will explore creative approaches to celebrate diversity, promote inclusive public attitudes, address sensitive issues by working across institutional lines, and expand collaborative networks.


COUNTRIES: ALGERIA, BENIN, BURKINA FASO, CAMEROON, CONGO, COTE D’IVOIRE, GABON, GUINEA, MALI, MAURITANIA, NIGER, RWANDA, SOUTH AFRICA, SOUTH SUDAN

Environmental Engagement and the Economy for the Indo-Pacific(APRIL)

This project explores the efforts of government, civil society, and private-sector actors to promote economic growth while protecting the environment. Participants will meet with federal officials, NGO representatives, green entrepreneurs, and citizen groups working to safeguard the environment. They will observe how actors at the local, state, and federal levels engage in projects that focus locally and globally on topics involving adaptive lifestyles; innovative solutions to industrial and commercial challenges; emerging technologies; and policies related to energy, transportation and carbon emissions, food, agriculture, commerce, and land use. Participants will also explore initiatives to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector and U.S. government policy on transitioning to low-emissions technologies.

COUNTRIES: FIJI, INDIA, NEW ZEALAND, PHILIPPINES, SRI LANKA, UZBEKISTAN

BUILDING ngo NETWORKS (APRIL)

This project highlights the role of the non-profit sector in U.S. society and the ways that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) work together to promote an educated, engaged civil society as a cornerstone of democracy.  Through visits to non-profit organizations, professional associations, federal agencies, foundations, and public service organizations, participants will examine the influence of NGO networks in the United States in such fields as health, education, human rights, the environment, at-risk youth, and the arts.  Participants will explore innovative non-profit collaboration strategies, public-private partnerships, networking best practices, social media campaigns, fundraising, board management, and lobbying efforts.  


COUNTRIES: CHAD, EGYPT, IRAQ, KUWAIT, LEBANON, LIBYA, MOROCCO, PALESTINE TERRITORIES, SAUDI ARABIA, TUNISIA, YEMEN

Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists: New and Traditional Broadcast Media (APRIL)

This project examines the history, structure, and function of broadcasting in the United States and the challenges and opportunities posed by social media.  It will address the influence of radio, television, cable, and new technologies in a pluralistic, decentralized, and democratic society.  The project also explores how organizations, institutions, and individuals are working to fact check to ensure accuracy in news reporting.  Participants will explore the role of the media, including social media, to support democratic institutions and promote community development.  The project will also highlight the American philosophical and legal commitments to freedom of expression.  As a part of IVLP’s “Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists” series, this project includes a graduate or professional-level academic workshop focused on broadcast media.  

COUNTRIES: ARGENTINA, AZERBAIJAN, BANGLADESH, BARBADOS, BULGARIA, CHILE, CROATIA, ETHIOPIA, GAMBIA, INDIA, IRAQ, JORDAN, KUWAIT, MALAWI, NEPAL, PHILIPPINES, ROMANIA, RWANDA, SAUDI ARABIA, SRI LANKA, TANZANIA, TUNISIA, UKRAINE, VIETNAM

Electoral Participation and Engagement (MARCH)

This project will explore successful methods to strengthen community level organizing to increase voter participation in elections and foster trust in pro-democracy actors. Participants will meet with local government leaders, NGO representatives, community organizers, innovators in government, and political campaign experts, in addition to other public and private organizations actively engaged with local government.   Participants will explore best practices in grassroots activism and leadership, as well as educational and social strategies to promote positive civic engagement.     
 

COUNTRIES: VENEZUELA

tesol tEACHERS:American Perspectives on Civics and Society (MARCH)

The purpose of this exchange is to provide international professionals with experiences of diverse American perspectives on civics and societal values in order to increase the cross-cultural understanding of English language learners overseas. Site visits and cultural activities for this exchange should include educational institutions including K-12 school settings, technical/community colleges, and universities as well as governmental, non-profit, and community organizations, especially ones that work with underserved populations.


COUNTRIES: AZERBAIJAN, ARGENTINA, BENIN, BRAZIL, BURKINA FASO, BULGARIA, CUBA, GEORGIA, EGYPT, ETHIOPIA, SERBIA, VENEZUELA

WOMEN AS DRIVERS OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE (MARCH)

This project explores the role women leaders in politics, business, public service, and civil society play as agents of change and advancement in their communities.  Participants will examine how women have led change on social, political, gender, family, youth, and health-related issues.  They will meet with women’s organizations and influential women in public service, politics, NGOs, businesses, foundations, schools, and community organizations to discuss their contributions to issues affecting women, families, children, and society at large.  They will explore a variety of programs designed to encourage and prepare women to take on leadership roles.  The project includes examples of successful public-private sector cooperation and corporate initiatives to foster women’s advancement.  

COUNTRIES: ARGENTINA, COLOMBIA, CUBA, HONDURAS, NICARAGUA, URUGUAY, VENEZUELA

Social Entrepreneurs in the United States (mARCH)

This project examines the rise of social entrepreneurship in the United States and how innovation in this sphere can drive social, economic, and environmental change. Social entrepreneurs identify social challenges and apply market-based solutions to organize, create, and manage ventures that engage the community to improve conditions. This project will examine the concept of social entrepreneurship, the emerging academic study of social entrepreneurship, and government initiatives that support civic engagement and innovation. Through examination of successful models of social entrepreneurship, the participants will explore the impact of new and social media on traditional methods of fundraising, grassroots mobilization, and strategic collaboration.

COUNTRIES: CZECH REPUBLIC, EGYPT, IRAQ, LEBANON, NETHERLANDS, ROMANIA, SWITZERLAND, TAIWAN

Human and Civil Rights Advocacy for Marginalized Communities for the Indo-Pacific (fEBRUARY)

This project explores the strategies of human and civil rights practitioners who advocate for the rights of marginalized communities and demonstrates how they present their concerns to government and social influencers.  It addresses approaches to defending the rights of religious and ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQI+ community, refugees, internally displaced persons, and other vulnerable populations.  Participants will explore creative approaches to celebrate diversity, promote inclusive public attitudes, address sensitive issues by working across institutional lines, and expand collaborative networks.

COUNTRIES: BANGLADESH, HONG KONG, INDIA, KRGYZ REPUBLIC, KOREA, MALAYSIA, NEW ZEALAND

Preserving Cultural Heritage and Combating Trafficking of Conflict antiquities (january)

This project explores U.S. efforts to protect cultural heritage.  It will examine the programs and policies that protect cultural heritage and property rights and the laws that prevent the sale of conflict antiquities in the United States and worldwide.  Participants will explore research and conservation techniques, funding mechanisms, advocacy methods, educational outreach efforts, and law enforcement strategies designed to protect vulnerable cultural sites, resources, and artifacts.  Visits to museums, historical landmarks, monuments, memorials, national parks, schools, historical and cultural societies, and archival collections will include discussions with academic, site security, and public/private sector experts who will address cultural heritage preservation and protection challenges.  

COUNTRIES: EGYPT, JORDAN, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, TUNISIA