Greetings!

Exchanging Best Practices in Law Enforcement: A Project for the Caribbean Islands 

Above: The delegation meets with representatives from the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force

The island nations hope to boost inter-Caribbean regional security and police cooperation in an effort to reduce overall crime rates. With a recent increase in federal funding, the Caribbean nations may be looking at a better sharing information network soon.

Last month, nine senior level law enforcement officials from the Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago came to Los Angeles to discuss community policing practices with local professionals in the field. They were particularly interested in learning about ex-offender and gang member rehabilitation programs;professional development for law enforcement officers and; anti-drug trafficking techniques.   

In addition to meeting with HIDTA, the delegation also met with the following organizations:

Homeboy Industries

Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates

UCLA School of Public Affairs

International Classroom

From Thailand to Malibu

Malibu elementary school students learn about Thailand's climate and biodiversity from Thai IVCLA visitors.

Thai participants in a U.S. Dept. of State sponsored International Visitor Leadership Program came to Los Angeles to learn more about U.S. parks, biodiversity and ecotourism. During their stay, the delegation visited Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School in Malibu. The school is surrounded by coastline, tidepools, and wetlands.  Their students learn about their environment by exploring it, by conducting laboratory experiments in the classroom as well as the Science Lab, and by reading and writing about their experiences. Its mission is to enlighten student minds, inspire their hearts, and strengthen their resolve to change the world. PDMSS students have touched the lives of hundreds of people around the globe through student-driven community service projects. 

IVCLA's International Classroom Program brings international visitors from around the world into local elementary, middle and high school classrooms to exchange ideas with American youth. If you are an educator in the Los Angeles area and would like an international delegation to visit your classroom - we want to hear from you!

Resource Highlight

Film Independent  

For the past several years, IVCLA has brought international documentary and independent filmmakers from around the world to the Los Angeles Film Festival produced by Film Independent. This year, eight filmmakers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates met with Michael Lopez, Director of Diversity Development, just prior to the commencement of the LA Film Festival. The delegation valued the opportunity to exchange ideas with their American colleagues and to learn about best practices in film festival organizing. IVCLA is truly grateful to Michael and his colleagues at Film Independent for their generosity in hosting this and many past delegations.  

Film Independent is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping independent filmmakers get their films made, building the audience for independent film, and increasing diversity in the film industry.