International Visitor Leadership Program
Global New Orleans administers the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) for those participants who travel to Louisiana through the IVLP exchange. IVLP is a professional exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The mission of IVLP is to offer current and emerging international leaders the opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of American political, economic, social and cultural life through carefully designed exchanges that reflect participants’ professional interests and the public diplomacy objectives of the United States government.
The exchange brings up to 5,000 professional emerging leaders from around the world to the United States each year for programs of up to three weeks each.
What do International Visitors do in the U.S.?
Participants typically visit four U.S. communities over three weeks, and projects vary by theme and requests from U.S. Embassies around the world. As they travel, participants meet with representatives of U.S. public and private sector organizations related to the project theme, explore American society, history, and culture, led by international visitor liaisons or foreign language interpreters, and engage in Home Hospitality with American families.
There is no application for the IVLP. Participants are nominated by the staff at U.S. Embassies around the world and project topics are tied to key U.S foreign policy priorities.
Projects cover a broad array of themes, some of which include:
Climate Change and Crisis Management
English Language Instruction
Entrepreneurism
Environmental Protection
Filmmaking and Production
Food Security and Safety
Human Rights
Infrastructure & Engineering
International Health
Journalism
National Security and Counter-Terrorism
U.S. Foreign Policy
Volunteerism
Women’s Leadership
Youth Leadership
and Many More!
