Five key policies drive the work of the Department of State. Three of these are promoting the advancement of democracy, encouraging economic growth and prosperity, and promoting international understanding of American values and policies. Can one meeting have such a significant impact? Indeed, it can. The combination of these meetings helps our organization assist the...
Most Community Spotlights highlight the work of adults in Pensacola, Florida. This spotlight, however, focuses on an honorary citizen with a special connection to the City of Five Flags. Abraão José da Silva first came to Northwest Florida from his hometown in Brazil on a World Learning Youth Ambassadors exchange in high school. While here,...
As a local, participating in a meeting with international visitors through Gulf Coast Diplomacy can appear minor. Yet, examining why the U.S. Department of State promotes international exchange through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and other exchanges reveals how impactful these meetings can be. Even when 100% of our exchanges are virtual, as happened...
This Summer, eight other families and I had the pleasure of meeting up via Zoom with young Iraqi leaders from IYLEP. It was two weeks full of nothing but fun! Despite the physical distance and connection issues that came with virtual communication, we host families still did our best to ensure our Iraqi participants engaged...
What's not to like about Thanksgiving with international visitors? Even when the conversation about family traditions takes place through a computer screen, it is a great way to introduce our community's culture. This year, we tweaked our traditional offering since we could not pass the cranberry sauce in person and created cultural hospitality for a...
One of the topics we explore with exchange participants is how to protect the rights of women and children. We currently tackle the issue through online workshops and discussions, similar to our in-person exchange conversations. In July 2019, we hosted such an in-person group from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. They focused on the subject, viewing...
Gulf Coast Diplomacy recently reconnected with International Visitor Leadership Program alumna Nicole Joseph Chin of Trinidad and Tobago who visited Northwest Florida in May 2011 on a project titled Women and Entrepreneurship. After her appearance at the September 2021 Small World Café, we sat down together to talk further about her work. Gulf Coast Diplomacy:...
Camp Global began in 2020 as a method of maintaining connections in the age of Covid, and it was, without a doubt, a huge success. Still, Camp Global 2021 somehow turned out even better. With campers from seven countries and a reimagined curriculum, the camp became something completely new and different, creating a unique learning...
As everything began to shut down a year ago, a wave started to rise on social media with the hashtag #ExchangesMatter. It seemed as it became apparent that in-person exchanges were at least temporarily a thing of the past. Many became afraid that people would forget the importance of exchanges. Yet, 18 months later, we...
How much fun, learning, and reflection time is possible in two weeks? Teen participants with the U.S. Department of State’s Youth Ambassadors exchange found out when they traveled to Northwest Florida. For two weeks in January & February 2020, students from Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua plunged into discussions, site visits, cultural activities, and...
