The Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council kicked off its inaugural Small World Café with a conversation between members and Shazia Bashir of Pakistan. The initiative highlights exchange alumni and their work and gives Floridians an avenue to engage the world. Bashir came to Pensacola in May 2015. At that time, her work focused on encouraging...
More than a decade ago, I began an internship with the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council that was one of the most inspirational and enjoyable experiences of my career thus far. I spent two summers (‘09 & ‘10) as an intern there while pursuing my bachelor’s degree in international affairs and political science from Florida State...
In early 2020, we welcomed a group of nine International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participants from Botswana, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, St Lucia, Tajikistan, and Zimbabwe. The group focused on volunteerism in American communities. Pensacola City Council Member Ann Hill welcomed them to the region and Joyce Black of Visit Pensacola shared information...
During the week of Thanksgiving, nine visitors from India came to Pensacola via the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on a project titled U.S. Society and Culture. Objectives for this U.S. Department of State project included examining cooperative efforts in promoting tolerance, interfaith dialogue, and the work of grassroots organizations. Their project started locally with...
In the spring of 2019, local government officials from across Jordan visited Pensacola as a part of an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) titled Local Governance. National objectives included learning the traditions of the U.S. democratic system, understanding U.S. local governments in relation to the state and federal governments, examining techniques for effective engagement with...
I was an intern for the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council close to four years ago today. Wow, how time flies! I started as an intern working for school credit while completing my bachelor's in international studies. I was lucky enough to be offered a paid intern position and stayed with the council for a...
Being a part of the 2019 Great Decisions program was enlightening and enjoyable. I had the opportunity to meet with other members of the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council and to discuss topics in foreign policy. Whether if I listened or participated, I left every discussion with a broader perspective and knowledge of global issues...
The last Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council project of 2019 was for 14 professionals from South Asia who traveled here for meetings and for a final evaluation of their national project. They traveled to Pensacola on the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), an international exchange of the U.S. Department of State, to look at Fostering...
In August 2019, five visitors from Azerbaijan came to Pensacola through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on a project titled Economic Revitalization through Public-Private Partnerships. Their objectives for the project included: introducing governmental and public support for economic growth, presenting models of public-private partnerships’ oversight and legislative framework, seeing how public-private partnerships can stimulate...
Programs focusing on entrepreneurship help underscore the impact of international exchange around the world. The multiregional project Women in Entrepreneurship was no exception and highlighted entrepreneurial efforts in the U.S., particularly those initiated or managed by women. This project for the International Visitor Leadership Program also examined strategies for job creation. On the group’s first...
