At the end of April, we welcomed three visitors from Bangladesh looking at the efforts of local political leaders as a part of the International Visitor Leadership Program.
The day after arriving, this group began their local project with a visit to Pensacola City Hall where Councilman Charles Bare welcomed them. After this, they met with Council Member Sherri Myers to discuss civil rights and leadership.
Next, the group met with Publisher Rick Outzen of The Independent News and Keyontay Humphries, regional organizer and community activist of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northwest Florida, to address issues pertaining to juvenile justice in Escambia County.
Later that night, the group participated in the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council’s “Mint Jubilee” Pre-Derby Membership Party and enjoyed a fun celebration of citizen diplomacy. One of the ladies in the group even won the best hat contest!
The next morning, the visitors enjoyed a community coffee discussion attended by locals where they chatted about Leadership Pensacola, volunteerism, and current events. After the coffee, the group met with Jonathan Thompson, Chuntell Patterson, and John Ellis to discuss the efforts of the Pensacola Young Professionals.
Citizen diplomacy is only possible when citizens interact with visiting groups. Our community excels at this, and we thank everyone who had a part in making this project exceptional.
