2023 IVLP Groups

PROMOTING SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH THE ARTS

This project examines the influential role the arts play in advancing civil society and promoting Social justice. Participants will explore how professional performing and visual artists, educators, and those involved in the arts mentor disenfranchised youth, minority groups, and address social challenges.

COUNTRIES: ALGERIA, AZERBAIJAN, BARBADOS, CAMBODIA, GREECE, HUNGARY, ISRAEL, KUWAIT, MONTENEGRO, NEPAL, NEW ZEALAND, NIGERIA, POLAND, SRI LANKA, TAJIKISTAN, UGANDA, UNITED KINGDOM, WEST BANK, ZIMBABWE

This project examines efforts to address human rights issues and challenges across the Americas.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACROSS THE AMERICAS

COUNTRies: ARGENTINA, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, MEXICO, NICARAGUA, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, PERU, VENEZUELA

Promoting international religious tourism promotes inclusive economic growth, regional security and stability, and tolerance for diversity. Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors worldwide, and Pakistan is home to numerous sites of interest to a broad range of religious tourists.

Promoting Tourism to Historic Religious Sites

Country: Pakistan

Participants in this project discussed the roles of government, private businesses, organizations, and universities in fostering the sciences and supporting technological advances, met with advocates and investors involved in recognizing, promoting, and developing science and technology, discovered how science and technology diffuse into sectors such as geology, environment, information technology, material science, chemical science, philosophy, and social and humanity sciences, explored the intersection of science and technology in policy and a democratic model of governance, and shared experiences with various U.S. organizations addressing technological and social challenges in nontraditional sectors and under-resourced regions.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE U.S.

Country:  mongolia

YOUNG LEADERS R.I.S.E.

This project examined leadership strategies and communication skills used to manage political and social challenges while balancing divergent social demands and interests. explored advocacy strategies that facilitate social empowerment and justice, discussed how public-private partnerships foster political and civic engagement, reviewed political, social, and economic policy formulation and the various players who influence the decision-making processes and illustrated how Americans value community service and volunteerism in U.S. communities.

Countries:  algeria, bahrain, egypt, jordan, kuwait, libya, morocco, palestine, saudi arabie, tunisia,

combatting human trafficking

The goal of this project was to empower Bangladesh prosecutors with insights that can increase prosecutions and convictions for trafficking offenses while respecting due process, and bolster capacity in the justice sector for investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of these crimes.

Country:  BANGLADESH

women & entrepreneurship

This project sought to gain a deeper understanding of the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), highlight the contributions of women to local economies, provide leadership skills development, and examine the importance of internet and social media for business growth.

country: chad

u.s. foreign policy

This project discussed foreign policy issues of concern to Europe and the United States, including counter terrorism and security, transatlantic relations, the changing roles of international organizations such as NATO and the United Nations, trans-boundary environmental policy issues, and global trade trends which frame positions in U.S. foreign policy; and exposed participants to the various stakeholders in U.S. foreign policy formulation and to a range of policy views in the public and private sectors.

Countries: albania, denmark, finland, germany, greece, italy, montenegro, norway, spain,

entrepreneurship & small business development

This project observed the effectiveness of the business sector in creating jobs and alleviating poverty worldwide, examine the legal and regulatory systems that allow entrepreneurs to flourish, and identify policies that may discourage such enterprises, discussed societal barriers facing entrepreneurs, especially women and other disadvantaged groups, and best practices in overcoming these restrictions, and explored various business models, support mechanisms, and innovations such as micro-lending, multi-level marketing, the use of the internet, and others.

CountrY: syria

advancing lgbtQIa rights

This project introduced participants to various U.S. government stakeholders and civil society organizations working on issues affecting the LGBTQI+ community, explored best practices for establishing and managing civil society organizations, developing advocacy campaigns, and effectively using volunteers, media, and social media to achieve strategic goals, exposed participants to inclusive approaches in education and academia, and informed participants about best practices in safeguarding and informing LGBTQI+ individuals within refugee groups. 

country: lebanon

boosting the creative economy through film

This project engaged with filmmakers on technical expertise, such as camera equipment, lighting, camera operations, and film techniques, explored the business side of the film industry, such as studio management, film promotion and distribution, and finances, saw how federal, state and local government works with the film industry to attract film productions, festivals, and businesses to a locale and provide regulatory oversight, connected Saudi participants with U.S. production companies and others with possible interest in building a relationship with the Saudi film industry.

CountrY: saudi arabia

egypt renewable energy development

This project explored universities and the U.S. federal, state and local initiatives to develop the renewable energy sector, learned how public-private partnerships can support government policies to develop the renewable energy sector, explored , and how energy innovation can strengthen local and regional economies.

CountrY: egypt

Conservation & Biodiversity Protection

This project examined environmental challenges, especially those affecting water quality and forest protection in the U.S, and explored best practices on biodiversity and wildlife management, as well as land and water reserves conservation. 

CountrY: MEXICO

Promoting Social Change Through Music

This project examined how American musicians raise social awareness, inspire hope, and influence civil society, particularly among disenfranchised youth, assessed effective modes of music marketing using traditional and online media and explored how music genres reflect diversity in U.S. communities.

Countries: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Finland, Haiti, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Taiwan, Tunisia, Venezuela, West Bank

Community, Library, & Youth Engagement

This project explored the importance o community-based partnerships and strategies for promoting volunteer activities, examined the role of community programs that address the digital divide and bridge social and cultural gaps among diverse populations, and illustrated the diverse public services libraries offer. 

Countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia

Climate Resiliency & Health Security

Countries: Mozambique, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Botswana, Madagascar, Senegal, South Africa

Environmental Engagement & the Economy

This project discussed U.S. efforts to promote improved understanding, assessment, prediction, and response to natural and human-induced disasters, examined the factors, including government policies, that businesses take into consideration as they strive to ensure profitability and growth while being environmentally responsible, observed relationships and alliances among all levels of government with citizen groups and private organizations to address the effects of global environmental challenges and ensure environmental protection and explored effective informational campaigns to reach educators, scientists, decision-makers, and the public about the importance of protecting the environment.

Countries: Australia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam

entrepreneurship & small business development

CountrY: India

Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

This project examined the role of government, the private sector, business and women’s networks, and non-governmental organizations in promoting the development of women-owned businesses; explored the role of women-owned businesses in driving economic development, democratization and stabilization around the world and highlighted the social, economic and political factors that influence and encourage the development of private enterprise in the United States.

Countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela

Sustainable Cities

This project explored best practices in environmentally sound and creative urban planning, the design, and the maintenance of infrastructure systems in urban areas; examined the effect of natural and human made disasters on cities, and considered methods of collaboration among national and international specialists as a means of furthering the resilience of cities.

Countries: Bahrain, Bolivia, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, Palestine

advancing minority rights

This project analyzed the legislative framework that ensures equal rights for minority communities, explored equal access to educational, economic, and healthcare opportunities for members of minority communities, presented different political and social perspectives on ethnic, cultural, gender, racial, and religious minority community rights, and examined U.S. and international initiatives to promote and protect the human rights of minority communities, and review how organizations monitor, influence, and advocate for human and civil rights policy at the local, state, national, and international levels. 

Countries: Belgium, Croatia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine

Women as drivers of social and economic change

This project examined the role of government, the private sector, business and women’s networks, and non-governmental organizations in promoting the development of women-owned businesses, explored the role of women-owned businesses in driving economic development, democratization and stabilization around the world; and highlighted the social, economic and political factors that influence and encourage the development of private enterprise in the United States.

Countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela

The Climate Crisis: Working Together for Future Generations

This project discussed U.S. efforts to assist the nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to

human-induced and natural global climate change processes, observed the relationships between and alliances among all levels of government with citizen groups and private organizations to address the effects of global environmental challenges through climate change adaptation models and explore effective informational campaigns to reach educators, scientists, decision-makers, and the public about the causes and consequences of climate impacts on weather, natural resources, air/water quality, and the economy.

Countries: Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, India, Kyrgyz Republic, Maldives, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China