In early September we welcomed five International Visitor Leadership Program professionals from Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, and Timor-Leste to northwest Florida. The group’s national agenda sought to highlight challenges in combating piracy and to emphasize maritime security operations and inter-agency coordination. On the first day, the group met Patrick Nichols of Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola...
In early August, the U.S. Department of State sent a group of eight law enforcement officers from across South America to Pensacola as part of an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) project highlighting community policing efforts. The group originated from Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela. Pensacola was their final stop on a...
From July 20th to August 1st, the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council welcomed Jovenes en Accion, a group of Mexican youth participating in a U.S. Department of State youth leadership program in conjunction with the Mexican Ministry of Education. The youth came from the Mexican states of Colima, Chihuahua, and Mexico State. As part of...
In early June, we welcomed a group of eight visitors from Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Syria, and Tunisia as a part of the International Visitor Leadership Program. The group’s project was titled “Leadership Development through Scouting and Sports.” The day after their arrival, Michael and Tara Jones, Allan and Andrea Ford, and Keith and...
In mid June, we welcomed a group of six visitors from Croatia, Finland, France, Gambia, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom to northwest Florida. The participants traveled here as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program to look at coastal and marine management. The first day of the professional program started with a visit to...
In early May, we welcomed six visitors from Venezuela as a part of the International Visitor Leadership Program looking at transparency and accountability in government. The visitors started their professional program with an overview of the Escambia County “Soccer Complex” Scandal. A visit with Publisher Rick Outzen of the Independent News dovetailed nicely...
In mid May, six visitors from Japan visited the region as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program. This group looked at the relationship between military bases and local communities through a series of appointments which included discussing military reporting with Tom Ninestine, Rob Johnson, and Marketta Davis at the Pensacola News Journal, a community...
For the entire month of May, the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council hosted two Pakistani leaders through the U.S. Department of State’s Legislative Fellows Program. Both women stayed with a host family to learn about American culture and family life and were mentored by Diane Mack, president of the Board of Directors of the Institute...
In mid May, we welcomed a group of three visitors from Indonesia as a part of the International Visitor Leadership Program looking at wildlife conservation. Their professional meeting began with a visit to Pensacola City Hall where Councilman Charles Bare welcomed them. Next, the visitors traveled to the I-10 inspection station and met with Lieutenant...
In early May, we welcomed eleven visitors from India looking at disaster management as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program. The visitors started with a visit to Pensacola City Hall where Councilman Charles Bare and Earth Ethics Executive Director Mary Gutierrez welcomed them. Next, they discussed the role of traditional and new media in...