Introduction

"You give your guests a chance to see America at our best, to see our warmth and our base of diversity, and our conviction that searching discussion and sincere exchanges of view can yield tangible results... As citizen diplomats, you bring world issues home to the American people in the most direct way possible." 

—Secretary of State Colin Powell, 2002 National Council for International Visitors National Meeting

American Ambassadors describe the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) as "the most important foreign policy tool the US has at its disposal." Thousands of visitors from all over the world have come to the United States to exchange ideas and meet with professional counterparts thanks to the IVLP.

An initiative of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the program brings approximately 5,000 foreign nationals to the United States every year to experience the USA firsthand. The IVLP mission is to promote democracy and worldwide peace by bringing international delegations to our region and providing one-on-one contacts to improve cross-cultural understanding.

These distinguished individuals from overseas travel to Indiana for face-to-face meetings with their professional colleagues. The exchange enables the international leaders to obtain firsthand knowledge about the United States, its people, policies, and culture. Lasting business, cultural, and educational contacts with prominent professionals overseas often develop.

As the Indiana affiliate for the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV), the International Center of Indianapolis

  • designs and facilitates custom-tailored programs that meet visitors' professional goals and objectives,
  • provides cultural activities,
  • arranges home hospitality,
  • makes all logistical arrangements during their stay in Indiana.

The individuals who have come to Indiana have broadened our understanding of the world and have created valuable opportunities for information-sharing among academics, specialists, and leaders in government and business.