Program Overview
Mission Statement
National President's Initiative
Photos
Resources
News
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Leadership Forum on Citizen Diplomacy
Strengthening U.S. International Relationships
October 1-3, 2008
Wingspread Conference Center
Racine, Wisconsin
Sponsored by: The Johnson Foundation and The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy
Program Overview
There is vast and overwhelming evidence that America's greatest global asset is its people. Although many opportunities for mutually beneficial interactions between Americans and citizens of other countries are available, too few Americans are currently engaged. To help mobilize our greatest asset, the USCCD and the Johnson Foundation are co-sponsoring a Leadership Forum that is set to convene at Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, WI Oct. 1-3.
The forum will bring together 40 experts in international relations and citizen diplomacy, who have been invited to develop a strategic plan to dramatically increase the number of Americans who are engaged globally - via international education, business, volunteer service, and community-based exchanges and initiatives. The strategic plan will be presented to the new administration and congress and will serve as a four-year Call to Action - intended to increase the resources for and exposure of citizen diplomacy opportunities, energizing more Americans to become citizen diplomats of the highest quality around the world, for their communities and for their country.
Mission Statement
Mission:
To develop a four year strategic plan that will dramatically increase the number of Americans who are engaged globally—at all ages and in all aspects of life.
The Strategic Plan Will:
- Recognize and build upon all the numerous, excellent efforts that exist to engage Americans globally, whether through education, business, volunteer service, community based initiatives, professional exchanges, arts and humanities programs, sports, humanitarian and development assistance or international travel.
- Identify innovative, new opportunities to engage all Americans globally.
- Call for support of this plan at the highest levels of American government, including a Presidential Initiative on Citizen Diplomacy.
- Call for a National Campaign on Global Engagement for all Americans.
CALL TO ACTION!
There is vast and overwhelming evidence that America’s greatest global asset is its people. Unfortunately, resources for mobilizing and capitalizing on that asset are meager and shrinking. Opportunities for mutually beneficial interactions between Americans and the peoples of other nations have been reduced. Additionally, Americans’ knowledge about the world is woefully inadequate at all ages, especially at the K-12 level.
America needs a new and compelling CALL TO ACTION that will energize and motivate its citizenry to become globally engaged—to become Citizen Diplomats. This CALL is akin to a Marshall Plan for the 21st Century that will sow the seeds of a new mentality in the populace embedded in the American psyche.
National President's Initiative on Citizen Diplomacy
The U.S. Center has announced a Presidential Initiative on Citizen Diplomacy to be presented to the new administration. To know more about this, please read our news.
Photos
To view photos of the 40 leaders, please click here.
Resource
The U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy has created a reading list for the participants. Click here to read it!
News
Press Release: National Presidents' Initiative Proposed to Address Global Diplomacy
 Click here to listen to Ann Schodde's Interview with VOA reporter Susan Koster: Citizen Diplomats Seek President's Initiative
“Talk @ 12, 11/6/08” from Iowa Public Radio: Katherine Perkins speaks with Ann Schodde and Former Ambassaor Mark Johnson about the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy and the National President's Initiative. Listen to the interview!
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