LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Twenty-five foreign nationals who staff the U.S. Embassies abroad will be in Los Angeles from February 3-6 to examine the U.S. political process during the California presidential primaries. On election day the participants will observe the election process first-hand by visiting polling locations and campaigning events throughout Greater Los Angeles. When they return home they will share the insights they have gained with the people in their countries. Their Los Angeles program is arranged by the International Visitors Council of Los Angeles (IVCLA) as part of a 10-day professional training program sponsored by the Foreign Service Institute of the U.S. Department of State.
In addition IVCLA has arranged for the group to meet with government officials and community organizations to discuss some of the most difficult issues facing the U.S., such as race and ethnicity, inter-faith dialogue, environmental concerns, immigration, law enforcement and the U.S. federal system of government. Their meetings in Los Angeles will give them a better understanding of the key issues and their impact on U.S. foreign policy.
Since the most important part of their jobs at the U.S. Embassies is to help people in their countries understand Americans, our way of life, our system of government and our foreign policy; it is essential they gather personal knowledge to understand the diversity and complexity of this country as thoroughly as possible.
The participants have worked for the United States Government an average of 15 years in their respective countries of Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Nigeria, Japan, Indonesia, Turkey, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Belarus, Tunisia, Israel, Morocco, India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Columbia, Brazil, Cuba, Uruguay, Canada, Korea, Vietnam, Denmark, Bolivia and Haiti.
IVCLA is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization, which arranges professional programs, cultural visits and home hospitality for emerging international leaders. The emphasis of the programs implemented by IVCLA is to increase mutual understanding through communication at the personal and professional levels and thereby contribute to improving relations between the United States and other countries.
Participants in the program are established or potential foreign leaders in government, politics, media, business, education, science, arts and other key fields. IVCLA arranges for the emerging international leaders to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience the U.S. first hand.
[tags]International Visitors Council of Los Angeles, IVCLA nonprofit organization, cultural visits for emerging international leaders[/tags]
