Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) operating international volunteer programs. In 2010, CCS celebrates its 15th anniversary, and the worldwide efforts of 25,000 volunteers. Volunteers work side-by-side with local people to support community-led initiatives in caregiving, teaching, healthcare and community development. CCS operates in 12 countries worldwide and offers volunteers short-term placements.
Visit their website to find out where and how you can volunteer.
President Obama signed the Travel Promotion bill into law today, enabling the U.S. to join the likes of Greece, Australia and Mexico, all who have national organizations to promote international travel. The bill will establish a nonprofit group to promote the U.S. as a travel destination to international visitors. Roger Dow, president & CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, supports the bill by saying, “By signing the Travel Promotion Act, President Obama has acted to support the power of travel to serve as an economic stimulant, job generator and diplomatic tool.”
The tasks the new corporation will carry out include promoting the U.S. as a travel destination, explaining and clearing up any misconceptions regarding travel and security procedures/policies, enhancing research and development activities to promote international travel to the U.S., and to identify and overcome barriers of entry for foreign visitors.
According to a recent CNN article on the bill, Oxford Economics estimates the new corporation could add 1.6 million new international visitors each year who will spend $4 billion during their stay in the U.S. To help fund the organization, visitors entering the U.S. will be required to pay a $10 fee when applying to enter the U.S. This has been the main source of controversy of the program as some groups say this will turn potential visitors away from visiting the U.S. and will therefore take their money elsewhere. When compared to other entrance fees travelers are required to pay, the $10 fee (good for two years) seems like a tiny obstacle to visitors already spending thousands of dollars to fly into the U.S. This fee is only required for individuals not paying for a visa and will cease to exist after 2014, so to enter the U.S. for four years (on top of other fees), it will only cost a visitor $20.
Hopefully the advocates of this program are right and we can generate an additional 1.6 million foreign visitors to the U.S. The best way to improve our image abroad and show the world our true identity outside of Washington is by letting them see the greatest asset the U.S. has…its citizens.
Our sincere thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the recent earthquake in Chile. While the world’s attention was on Haiti and its devastation, Chile certainly deserves our attention as well. The damage may not reach the scale seen in Haiti, but resources and assistance are still needed to help those affected by the powerful earthquake. In response to the earthquake, the US Center has once again set up a page devoted to Chile and ways to donate, get involved and resources to educate yourself on the situation that is unfolding in the South American country. To access this page, please visit: http://www.uscenterforcitizendiplomacy.org/misc/chile/
Thanks!
Derek
Des Moines University will be hosting a Global Health lecture by Dr. Ben Gaumer, D.O. on Friday, March 5th at noon. Dr. Gaumer will be speaking about U.S. Naval hospital ships and their role in humanitarian disaster relief. The talk will last around an hour and will be held in Lecture Hall 2 in the Academic Center (AC). Lunch will be provided to the first 30 attendees.
For more information visit the University’s website or call 515-271-1400
Des Moines University’s address is 3200 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312
The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy (USCCD), in partnership with the U.S. State Department and in support of more than 1000 U.S. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) conducting citizen diplomacy activities, will convene a historic U.S. Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy on November 16-19, 2010 in Washington, DC. The goal of the Summit and ten year Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy is to double the number of American volunteers of all ages involved in international activities at home or abroad, from an estimated 60 million today to 120 million by 2020.
The U.S. Summit & Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy supports current efforts of President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Judith McHale to make global citizen diplomacy a national priority. Secretary of State Clinton will serve as Honorary Summit Chair alongside an Honorary Citizen Diplomat Chair. The President is being called upon to speak at the event, the first since President Eisenhower addressed a similar gathering on September 11, 1956 to call Americans to greater involvement in international relations. Fifty-four years later in an increasingly globalized world, the call is as relevant and urgent as ever.
“If we are going to take advantage of the assumption that all people want peace, then the problem is for people to get together and to leap governments – if necessary evade governments – to work out not one method but thousands of methods by which people can gradually learn a little bit more of each other.” -President Eisenhower, September 11, 1956
The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy was established as a national resource to promote, honor and strengthen the vast network of U.S. organizations dedicated to providing opportunities for Americans to engage as global citizen diplomats. Citizen Diplomacy is defined as the concept that the individual has the right, even the responsibility, to help shape U.S. foreign relations “one handshake at a time.” Citizen diplomacy involves volunteers, and occurs through cultural, professional and educational exchanges, study abroad, international voluntary service, connecting classrooms around the world through new technologies, and more. Reaching out across borders via person to person programs and activities, U.S. citizen diplomats create a reservoir of goodwill and relations among the United States and other nations that is sustained even during times of foreign policy disagreements, and are a critical private sector component of our national foreign policy.
The 2010 U.S. Summit broadens the momentum generated from the work of hundreds of citizen diplomacy organizations and the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy.
Since 2004, over 80 community-based meetings have recommended national action to increase citizen activity in international relations.
In 2009, over 200 leaders in international affairs throughout the country met in forums funded by the Gilman Foundation and Johnson Foundation. All strongly endorse the national initiative. Reports conducted by the Brookings Institution and CSIS, among others also urge a revival of citizen diplomacy as a critical private sector component of U.S. public diplomacy.
Thousands of Americans representing all 50 states and citizens throughout the world have signed a letter to the President urging his endorsement of the summit and initiative. Signatures include leaders, faculty, and students from prestigious universities and colleges around the nation, top executive leadership, staff, and members of corporations and organizations around the world, and individuals representing over 60 countries.
House Resolution 569, supporting the work of citizen diplomacy organizations and encouraging the President’s endorsement of the U.S. Summit & Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy, has been signed by 31 members of the United States Congress including members of both political parties and the Foreign Relations Committee.
In preparation for the summit, more than one hundred NGO leaders are working in twelve private sector task force groups and to solicit proposals from citizen diplomacy organizations to be presented at the summit. These organizations will respond to a challenge for new, innovative best practices that will increase the number of Americans engaged with the world. They represent international organizations working in the sectors of Business, Community-based Organizations, Development Assistance, Faith-based Organizations, Global Health, Higher Education, International Cultural Engagement, International Voluntary Service, K-12 Education, Sports, Travel & Tourism, and Youth Service.
Reports on five critical issues impacting citizen engagement in international affairs will be prepared and presented.
In response to President Obama’s 2009 call to action to the American people “to take our share of responsibility for global responses to global challenges,” six global challenges will be addressed by summit proposals and participants:
Preserving the Environment, Reducing Poverty and Disease, Increasing Respect for Human Rights, Creating a Globally Competent Society, Encouraging Cultural Engagement, Achieving Food Security, and Securing U.S. & Global Financial Security.
“Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.” -President Barack Obama, November 2009
• Focus national and international attention on the impact of citizen involvement in international activities and demonstrate why citizen diplomacy is a vital public diplomacy tool in America’s outreach to the world;
• Establish the United States as a collaborative world leader in the promotion of international understanding through the interaction of Americans with people throughout the world;
• Showcase 120 new innovative and collaborative programs by U.S. citizen diplomacy organizations that enhance current best practices, leverage new technologies to expand involvement, increase opportunities for international volunteer service in the United States and abroad and engage international partners;
• Energize and inform the private sector and connect potential funders with innovative citizen diplomacy programs and initiatives;
• Establish a set of measurable outcomes in twelve sectors of citizen diplomacy activity by which to track progress and growth; and
• Provide a launch point for the ten year marketing campaign and Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy.
By 2020, the U.S. Summit & Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy will double the number of global citizen diplomats in the U.S. to 120 million and create an American citizenry dedicated to solving global issues through collaboration with their counterparts around the world…one handshake and two smiles at a time.
The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy (USCCD) is excited to announce today the launch of a comprehensive expansion of resources and search capabilities available on our Web site.
The online database of non-profit U.S. citizen diplomacy organizations has grown over 300% from just one year ago to now include more than 1000 resources.
A new user friendly search function has been added to help users research and navigate the expanded options and more quickly locate the right fit and opportunity to be globally involved.
Please take a moment to explore the new search page!
The U.S. Center would like to alert our readers of the status of our efforts to promote of organizations, provide relevant updates of news feeds/articles and events in Haiti, and to encourage donations to help support the aid, relief, and reconstruction of Haiti.
We will continue to update the web page with relevant information and breaking news, however, due to the U.S. Summit that is ahead and limited staff capacity, we will ease off the blogging and coverage of Haiti. If your organization or yourself personally has donation information, news related to your work in Haiti or other information, feel free to continue to send us information at outreach@uscenterforcitizendiplomacy.org.
The Center will continue to promote long-term development and reconstruction long after the coverage has turned elsewhere as it is essential our efforts are forward and long-term oriented in order to help Haiti emerge from this devastating natural disaster. We want to thank you for utilizing the resources we have provided and if you have any comments/suggestions, we encourage you to contact us regarding any feedback you have.
Following the House, the Senate passed their bill that extends tax benefits to donations made to Haiti this year. Donors have until the end of February to make a donation for it to deducted from their 2009 taxes. It now moves to the President’s desk for his approval.
So if you haven’t done so, head to the U.S. Center’s webpage that provides a comprehensive list of organizations accepting donations and what your donation will help support.
NAFSA NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Andy Amsler, NAFSA: Association of International Educators
202.495.2559
Sherry Schwarz, Abroad View Foundation
802.442.4827
Winner Named in Student Diplomat Video Contest
Study Abroad Experience Inspires a Recent Graduate to Help Local Youth Think Globally
WASHINGTON, January 20, 2010 – NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the Abroad View Foundation are pleased to announce Nicole Barrasse, a recent graduate of Keystone College in Pennsylvania, as the winner of the 2009 Student Diplomat Video Contest. During the fall semester, NAFSA and Abroad View watched as students from across the country showed us how their educational experiences abroad shaped them as global citizens, served as bridges to cross-cultural understanding, promoted peace, or positively impacted the local communities in which they studied. After reviewing dozens of entries and narrowing those down to five finalists, we asked the public to vote. More than 1,300 votes were cast and combined with the votes from an expert panel of judges to select the 2009 Student Diplomat.
Nicole’s video tells an inspiring story of cultural understanding and global connections as she gives us a glimpse into her study abroad experience in the small agricultural village of Ladakh, India. Nicole stayed with a host family in the village and spent her days farming and learning the local language and culture. The cultural understanding that Nicole developed through this experience not only allowed her to learn about the Ladakhi people, but also to communicate to them how much she appreciated their culture and way of life.
Nicole came away from this experience not only knowing much more about sustainable farming and the Ladakhi culture, but also understanding what it means to be a citizen of the world. “Ladakh has not only taught me life lessons, but also what it truly means to be connected to the world around you,” she says in her video.
Nicole is now home in Pennsylvania and plans to start a local effort to inspire youth in her community to think more globally.
The Student Diplomat Video Contest was open to undergraduate students who studied abroad during the fall semester or had recently returned from a study abroad experience. Entrants were asked to focus their short videos on how their study abroad experience helped to advance global understanding. In addition to being named the 2009 Student Diplomat, Nicole will be awarded a cash prize of $300.
To read more about the 2009 Student Diplomat, or to watch her video, visit www.nafsa.org/studentdiplomat.
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With nearly 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world’s largest professional association dedicated to international education. The Abroad View Foundation seeks to foster global understanding and cultural awareness among study abroad students and international students.
The U.S. Center has created a web page to bring together all relevant and useful information regarding the crisis in Haiti for individuals looking to get involved. Organizations that are accepting donations by mail, online, phone and even text message, as well as those looking for volunteers to help staff medical missions and rescue efforts. Also included is a live Twitter feed along with recommended individuals and news feeds to follow in order to stay up to date with the conversation taking place among individuals around the world. State Department and Embassy information has been included for those with connections to Haiti. (Note: The Center has verified each organization accepting donations. For additional organizational verification, the Center recommends Charity Navigator.)
The world is abuzz and thousands of individuals are asking, “How can I help?” The U.S. Center is striving to answer this question and more by providing an easy way to become educated on the situation, find an organization to support, and engage with the world to help aid the people of Haiti in their great time of need. By sticking to the Center’s mission of promoting organizations already doing great work, this is one more way the Center can become involved and help individuals connect with organizations to become engaged themselves. If you have skills you want to offer in Haiti, let us know and we will work to find an organization that is looking for volunteers.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Haiti individuals, families, friends, and relatives suffering from this devastating earthquake and to those dedicated to relieving their pain by offering basic services we so often take for granted. It is in these times when our true colors show and we can find commonalities in humanity that are often hidden underneath our differences. Let us learn from the actions of the many brave individuals that come from different backgrounds, nations, ethnicities, races, and ideologies that are extending a hand in friendship and cooperation, and who have pushed their differences aside in order to help a nation emerge out of the chaos that surrounds it. Let us continue this forward, long after the media has moved on to other issues and events and work to sustain these efforts to find common ground on which to stand together. Together, we can make a difference, one person at a time, one conversation at a time, one helping hand at a time, and one handshake at a time.
All the best to everyone out there!
Sincerely,
The U.S. Center staff
