Reno, Nevada was home to this year's National Council for International Visitors (NCIV) Western Regional Meeting where representatives from Councils for International Visitors (CIVs), National Program Agencies (NPAs), and the Office of International Visitors, Bureau of Educational Affairs, U.S. Department of State gathered to network and share best practice ideas.

 

Hosted locally by the Northern Nevada International Center (NNIC), the conference was an opportunity for participants to match faces to email addresses and telephone voices, reconnect with kindred spirits, and strengthen programming, development, and management skills.

At a private opening reception, held at the National Automobile Museum, participants were invited to view antique cars, walk through era-specific street scenes, and enjoy traditional song and dance performances. Dawn Gibbons, Nevada's First Lady, extended a warm welcome to Western Regional Meeting participants. Laura Dupuy, Executive Director, Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, and NCIV Board Treasurer presented the "coveted" NCIV Gold Star to Ms. Gibbons. Continue reading...
 

Nina Busuladzic, Program Director

Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy

The upcoming Olympic Games are sure to produce colorful pageantry, impressive athletic feats, and the opportunity to learn more about the People's Republic of China. But the Games also provide an opportunity for people around the world to reflect on the ideals underlying this gathering of athletes. 

 

The Official Olympic Charter states that a fundamental goal of the Games is "to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society." Crafted in the late 1800s by the International Olympic Committee, this charter is an early expression of the importance of citizen diplomacy. Citizen diplomacy is the concept that the individual citizen has the right - even the responsibility - to help shape foreign relations "one handshake at a time." Despite the passage of more than 110 years and the emergence of a globalized world there is still a compelling need for the genuine learning that occurs as Olympic athletes and spectators exchange ideas face to face. Continue reading... 

 
Laura Dupuy, Executive Director

Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy

 

Each year, UCCD presents an outstanding world affairs lecture series designed to inform our citizens about key foreign policy issues and to create a globally savvy community. Our speakers come from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds and are nationally recognized authors, academics and foreign affairs experts. All lectures are free and open to the public, and held at the Vieve Gore Concert Hall, Westminster College, 1840 South 1300 South.

 Dr. Lant Pritchett, Immigration Expert

 

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