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United States Department of State
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs www.state.gov |
The International Visitor Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and its Office of International Visitors, operating under authority of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (Fulbright-Hays Act). The emphasis of the program is to increase mutual understanding through communication at the personal and'professional levels. Participants are established or potential foreign leaders in government, politics, media, education, science, labor relations, and other key fields. They are selected by American embassies overseas to visit the United States to meet and confer with their professional counterparts, and to experience this country firsthand.
Over the years, hundreds of former participants under the International Visitor Program have risen to important positions in their countries. Among the alumni are one hundred and ninety two current and former Heads of Government or Chiefs-of-State. In fiscal year 2001, over 4,649 visitors from abroad participated in the program: 1,167 of these came to the United States at their own or their government's expense. The rest were funded by the U.S. government.
Arrangements for programs are made by the Office of International Visitors, often in cooperation of several private, non-profit organizations that receive support from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program, however, depends upon the commitment and skills of 97 community-based organizations across the country whose members provide a variety of services, including professional programs and home hospitality, for these distinguished guests. These local organizations are affiliated with the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV), which encourages and promotes efforts to develop, coordinate, and improve programs for visitors from abroad. Through their involvement in the International Visitor Program, thousands of Americans across the nation contribute to improved relations between the United States and other countries.
October 2001
The Art of Programming International Visitors