2007 Delegations

NIGERIA - November 28th, 2007, a four-participant delegation stopped in Philadelphia for one day as apart of their capacity building for for Nigerian law schools project. All guests came to the U.S. under the auspices of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

VIETNAM – November 23rd 2007 to November 28th, 2007, government officials from various Vietnamese provinces visited the U.S. to study the issues of religious and ethnic diversity. While in Philadelphia, they explored historical roots of separation of church and state as well as human rights in practice of religion.

SOUTH and CENTRAL ASIA – November 21st 2007 to November 28th, 2007, an eight member group from seven countries arrived in Philadelphia to study community approaches to social issues. All delegates were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

RUSSIA – November 20th 2007 to November 24th, 2007, nine participants came to Philadelphia under Philanthropy and Business of Cultural Preservation program and examined the topics in historic preservation. These visitors were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

ZIMBABWE – November 11th, 2007 to November 13th, 2007, a co-founder and Vice Chancellor of Women’s University in Africa visited institutions of higher learning, particularly women’s colleges/universities in the U.S. and explored strategies about administrative issues as well as programs available for working women. She was invited to the U.S. under the auspices of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

POLAND - November 5th, 2007 to November 7th, 2007, two Polish mayors traveled to Philadelphia to learn more about American democracy, state and local government. These officials focused on the issues of municipal government management. They were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA – November 4th 2007 to November 7th, 2007, five members of parliament from Bosnia and Herzegovina came to Philadelphia to focus on the role of the legislative branch and workings of federalism in a multi-ethnic society. The participants were involved in the debate over the reforms required for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, including the constitutional reform.

JAPAN - November 2nd to November 7th, 2007, a group of political and foreign affairs editors and reporters with leading Japanese media outlets came to Philadelphia to explore Northeast Asia security issues. They wanted to strengthen their understanding of American security and defense policy formulation with respect to Northeast Asia and China as well as views on US-Japan relations and the bilateral Security Arrangement, among many.

MULTI-REGIONAL - October 30th to November 2nd, 2007, a multi-state group spent time in Philadelphia exploring the issues of merit selection of judges, judicial reform, and white collar crime. They were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

NEAR EAST and NORTH AFRICA - October 26th to October 31st, 2007, a five member delegation visited Philadelphia to review the foundations of the American history. All participant come to the United States under the auspices of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

MULTI-REGIONAL - October 22nd - October 25th, 2007, a diverse group of twenty-five participants including youth leaders, journalists, teachers, curators, and community activists involved in arts promotion traveled to Philadelphia to examine arts education and artistic expression by community arts organizations. They were particularly interested in exploring the cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity in the U.S. population and how citizens from such diverse backgrounds have learned to coexist (in part) through innovative arts programming.

ARGENTINA – October 18th, 2007, an eleven member group traveled to the U.S. to become familiar with the U.S. judicial system, its mechanisms of access to justice and dispute resolution, training, management, court administration, and how common law systems are utilized in the administration of justice. All participants were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

NEPAL - October 10th to October 13th, 2007, five Nepalese lawyers, professors, and administrators came to the U.S. to focus on the American judicial system, the U.S. constitution, and the rule of law in a democratic society. All visitors were visiting Philadelphia as guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

MALI - October 6th to October 10th, 2007, the Head of the Division for External Affairs at the University of Bamako in Mali traveled to Philadelphia as a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. The purpose of his visit was to learn about the role of the higher education in American society, grants and exchanges at the university level. Among many issues of interests, he explored themes such as the university-level international cooperation, studies and exchange programs, as well as the current state of African Studies at American universities.

FRANCE - September 26th to September 29th, 2007, two delegates spent time in Philadelphia learning about the Health Care System and Hospital Management. The issues of particular interest to the French visitors were healthcare benefits from trade unions and local government minority involvement in healthcare. Both guests visited Princeton where they focused on historic preservation issues.

MULTI-REGIONAL - September 24th to September 28th, 2007, a twenty-five member group of television broadcast journalists from twenty-two countries traveled to Philadelphia to examine how television both influences and reflects American society. Furthermore, they have been exploring the current and potential contributions of television broadcasting to the formation of an informed citizenry within a diverse, democratic society. All visitors came to Philadelphia as guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

REGIONAL AFRICA - September 20th to September 25th, 2007, a delegation of sixteen visitors from thirteen countries visited Philadelphia to observe the interplay between religion and politics in the U.S. and explore how religious conviction relates to charitable and community activism in fields such as education, health care, and social service initiatives. In addition, they reviewed the core values of individual freedom of conviction, expression, and worship in American society as well as separation of church and state issues.

MULTI-REGIONAL - September 2nd to September 3rd, 2007, a sixteen member delegation representing members of trade unions from all over the world came to Philadelphia to march in this year's Labor Day Parade.

EUROPEAN UNION - September 1st to September 3rd, 2007, the Head of the Middle East/ Asia section in the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union traveled to the United States to explore the key issues on the transatlantic security agenda and gain a broader understanding of security issues as seen from the U.S. viewpoint. The delegate visited Philadelphia as a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

ROMANIA - August 30th to September 1st, 2007, a delegation of Romanian teachers and teacher-trainers on Civic Education visited Philadelphia to learn more about grassroots activism and civic engagement. Other themes they were interested in were "Historical Remembrance and Civic Tourism." These guests were invited to the U.S. under the auspices of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

CHINA - August 23rd to August 25th, 2007, a Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the China Youth Daily visited Philadelphia to learn about the daily operations of news media and explore the relationship between government and media relations. Moreover, he was interested in examining the role of the news media and a free press in a democratic society. An important part of his interests were online publications and learning about day-to-day life in the U.S.. This visitor was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

UNITED KINGDOM - August 22nd to August 25th, 2007, a filmmaker from Belfast in Northern Ireland traveled to Philadelphia to acquire a better understanding of the American film industry. She was particularly interested in exploring the effects of American film on domestic and international audiences, the role and impact of film in U.S. society, public and private funding for the arts as well as programs to assist youth in creating and marketing independent film projects.

WEST BANK - August 21st to August 23rd, 2007, a five member delegation hailing from Jordan & the West Bank traveled to Philadelphia to examine interfaith dialogue. These visitors were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

MONTENEGRO- July 30th to August 17th, 2007, a single person delegation came to the United States to examine and discuss a multitude of religious and ethnic studies in the U.S. This visitor was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

CHINA - August 10th, 2007, a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program came to Philadelphia to study the U.S. legal system at various levels as well as local legal offices and courts. Furthermore, the focus of his visit was to explore organizations that promote ethical standards and accountability for practicing attorneys and judges.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS- July 26th to July 29th 2007, an experienced designer & engineer traveled to Philadelphia in order to gain information and communication technologies used in the U.S. to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, to examine the various levels of U.S. educational system with regards to IT advances and to study the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and observe its influence and ramifications on the U.S. society. This visitor was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

BELGIUM- July 3rd to July 6th, 2007, an academic from Belgium with areas of expertise in interfaith relations, migration policy and immigration issues and political participation of immigrant populations was here in Philadelphia this July. The focus of his visit was Engaging the Next Generation in Dialogue while looking at youth programs designed to promote cross-cultural relationships. This visitor was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

NETHERLANDS-August 8th to August 11th, 2007, a single person delegation came to Philadelphia to learn about the U.S. law enforcement system at the federal, state, and local levels as well as correctional programming and the reintegration of offenders following release, among other similar subjects. This visitor was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

PHILIPPINES- July 18th to July 21st, 2007, a three member delegation from the Philippines came to the United States to gain a broad exposure of American government, U.S. education system, U.S. institutions and our religious landscape while also learning mechanisms for interfaith dialogue and inter-race relations. These delegates were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

IRAN- June 19th to June 23rd, 2007, a delegation focusing on "Cultural Heritage Preservation" was in Philadelphia to participate in a cultural preservation symposium organized by the University of Pennsylvania. This delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

AFGHANISTAN- June 13th to June 16th, 2007, a four person delegation from Afghanistan was in Philadelphia to examine U.S. best practices in sustaining and protecting the environment while allowing for economic growth and development, observing U.S. government oversight and enforcement of environmental regulations and studying environmental advocacy and regulations in the United States. This delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

MULTI-REGIONAL- June 6th to June 10th, 2007, a delegation was in Philadelphia to gain a better understanding of the democratic form of government in the U.S., and the significance of citizen participation in the democratic process. The delegation also explored the diversity of views held by Americans and how this diversity contributes to a dynamic and resilient political system. The delegation hailed from Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. They were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

CHINA - May 21st to May 22nd, 2007, a four member delegation from Tianjin, Philadelphia's Sister City, came to Philadelphia to examine the 25-year old "Friendship Gate" in Chinatown. These government officials and engineers determined the help needed to complete the restoration of this beautiful gate. They were in Philadelphia as part of the Sister Cities Program.

ARGENTINA- May 13th to May 16th, 2007, a visitor from Argentina was in Philadelphia to study journalism in the United States. This program focused on various aspects of journalism in a democratic society by observing and learning about ethics, the role of the media, communication technologies, legislation for the development of journalism and other aspects of this field at the federal, state and local levels. This visitor was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

PAKISTAN- May 2nd to May 4th, 2007, a four member delegation from Pakistan was in Philadelphia to learn about the policies, practices, oversight and enforcement concerning accountability in government and business. The program included discussions about the influence of money in the political process, governmental reform, tax reform, and the investigation and prosecution of white collar crime in the business sector. An examination of sunshine laws, the Freedom of Information Act, and consumer advocacy activity demonstrated the counterbalance that exists in this country to empower the ordinary citizen to keep an eye on his or her government. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

FRANCE- April 27th to May 2nd, 2007, the Director of International Extradition Section in the Paris Prosecutor General's Office, came to the United States to discuss counter-terrorism strategies and judicial cooperation between the US and other countries in the context of the struggle against terrorism, and to meet the counterparts at federal agencies such as the State Department, the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security. This visitor was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC- April 8th to April 11th, 2007, a six member delegation from the Dominican Republic was in Philadelphia to gain first hand knowledge of the structure of U.S. university alumni and fundraising systems. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

NAMIBIA- April 4th to April 7th, 2007, a two member delegation from Namibia was in Philadelphia to learn about models of private university management, including curriculum development, institutional capacity building, fundraising, research support programs, exchange programs, and development of consultancy services. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

MULTI-REGIONAL- April 1st to April 5th, 2007, a delegation was in Philadelphia to examine the organization and methodology of Teaching English as a Second Language programs in the United States. The delegation hailed from Algeria, Bahrain, Chile, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Iran, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Libya, Mexico, Namibia, the Netherlands, Peru, Russia, Senegal, Sudan, Uruguay, and the West Bank. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.
They were guests of honor at the April 4th First Wednesday reception.

CHINA- March 30th to April 1st, 2007, a visitor from China was in Philadelphia to study the role and function of law enforcement, and to learn how law enforcement agencies handle international crime. The visitor was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

MALAYSIA- March 22nd to March 24th, 2007, a two member delegation from Malaysia were in Philadelphia to learn about the federal and state judicial systems, the dispute resolution process, and the development of U.S. law under the influence of American culture and history. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

THAILAND- March 21st to March 24th, 2007, a delegation of ten members from Thailand were in Philadelphia to study concepts of democracy, transparency in government, checks and balances, and the role of an independent judiciary under the constitution. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

BRAZIL- March 7th to March 10th, 2007, a visitor from Brazil was in Philadelphia to learn about community programs for the prevention of violence and other programs designed to fight crime. She was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

MULTI-REGIONAL- March 7, 2007, a delegation was in Philadelphia to study how the U.S Customs and Border Protection function in the Philadelphia International Airport. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

MULTI-REGIONAL- February 25th to March 2nd, 2007, a delegation was in Philadelphia to study small business development and the role of small businesses in the economy. The members of the delegation hailed from Australia, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Hong Kong, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, China, Peru, Philippines, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, and Turkey. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

CANADA- February 13th to 16th 2007, a visitor from Canada was in Philadelphia to examine US border security and law enforcement methods within the context of citizen privacy and civil liberty. The visitor was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

MULTI-REGIONAL- February 7th to 11th 2007, a delegation was in Philadelphia to explore religious life in the U.S and to examine the role of faith-based social service organizations in U.S. society. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

NEAR EAST REGIONAL- February 6 to February 8th 2007, a delegation of 18 members from the near east region was in Philadelphia to study law school programs, computerization of the court system, and the U.S. legal system at the local level. Members of the delegation hail from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Gaza, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, West Bank, and Yemen. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

PORTUGAL- January 23-25 2007, a visitor from Portugal was in Harrisburg to examine various aspects of U.S. foreign policy, U.S. military training and operations, and related topics. He was a guest of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

SPAIN & ANDORRA- January 14th to 16th 2007, a delegation of 7 members was in Philadelphia to learn about grassroots democracy for young political leaders. The delegation was comprised of members of parliament and other political workers. They were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.

POLAND- January 2007, a two member delegation from Poland was in Philadelphia to examine television networks in the United States. The delegation toured newsrooms of leading networks to discuss news production and finances of news production. The delegation were guests of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.