Check out other international
activities in the region!
IVC is part of the NCIV Citizen Diplomacy network of 95 Councilsnominated for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.
At IVC we welcome strangers... and send home friends.
IVC is a designated United Way
recipient. Our number is 00685.
Vice President Biden Making Friends
IVC guests from Japan and Mongolia experienced an exciting MLK day of service at Girard College
and met another great volunteer, Vice President Biden. The guests are visiting Philadelphia through the
U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.
The Japanese guests (journalists and government officials) are in the U.S. and Philadelphia looking at
U.S. energy policy & nuclear power. The Mongolian visitor is the Secretary General of the National Water Committee
in Mongolia's Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism and is looking at water resource management.
IVC is seeking...
...Friendly people to engage with interesting people from abroad.Applicants must be... read more
IVC is seeking overnight homestay hosts (1 night) for February. Read more...
IVC visitor from 2005 shares 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. Yemini journalist is first Arab woman winner and visited Philadelphia in July 2005 on the State Department's prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program. See who she met while here. IVC is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant for the Fulbright Visiting Scholars Enrichment Program. Read more... Youth Exchange Scholarship for U.S. High School Students
Four U.S. Department of State programs offer scholarships for American high school students to study abroad. Read more...What is IVC? We are the region's international relations organization - our work is known as "citizen diplomacy."
- Our work engages the public in playing a personal role in foreign affairs.
- Through our friendly "citizen diplomats" we create a warm and welcoming environment for our guests from abroad. Do you care about how the United States is viewed around the world? If so, then it's time you were involved with IVC! Since 1954 we have been the official host for the U.S. Department of State's highest exchange, the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). We are part of a unique citizen diplomacy network of 92 Councils throughout the U.S. that receives established and emerging leaders from 150+ countries visiting the U.S. as guests of our government. Participants on the IVLP travel to up to five U.S. cities where they meet their professional counterparts and experience American life. They have informal dinners with families in homes and attend local cultural events in each city. Their carefully-designed programs allow visitors to see the country first-hand so they can form their own opinions of the U.S., its policies and people. Past visitors include F.W. de Klerk, Hamid Karzai, Willie Brandt, Nicolas Sarkozy and 290+ others who later became heads of Government. Unlike other government-sponsored exchanges, this program is by invitation only.
This network of 92 Councils and 100,000+ citizen diplomats was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
Are you an IVC Member?
IVC is international relations as it should be: one person, one handshake at a time.
Making friends leads to peace - it really is that simple. IVC gives you a tangible way to make friends & provide an accurate image of the U.S. abroad. You can be a participant, not an observer, by joining IVC today! You can also support our work by making a donation today.
What is Citizen Diplomacy? In a vibrant democracy, it is the right - if not the obligation - of each citizen to help shape U.S. foreign relations - "one handshake at a time." Read an article on U.S. public diplomacy.
First Thursday Receptions! Now in their 12th year, these informal and very, very, very friendly monthly receptions are THE place to be on the first Thursday of the month. The next one coming up is Thursday, February 2, 2012. There's no First Thursday in July or January (In July we'll be busy getting ready for the July 19th "BBQ.")
The International Visitor Leadership Program -It's why we exist. Check out who's coming to town on the IVLP! Look at our hosting opportunities (hosting is an exclusive benefit for IVC members) to share an American experience with our guests. If you're already a member and would like to be a citizen diplomat by hosting, contact Matt Drexler at 215.683.0995 or fill in the form online. Who are the former visitors who became heads of Government? Click below or at right to see the 321 current and former heads of Government. Interested in perception changes from this great program? Click here to read some interesting comments by State Department interpreters about several past visitors and visitor groups.
New IVC Feature - Protocol Tips from the Master: IVC's Chief of Protocol, Robert Frye, has begun a new special feature for us with stories from his 25+ years in protocol - as Chief of Protocol in Iraq and at AT&T and Lucent. Sister Cities Opportunities! Sister Cities in France and Russia have invited Philadelphians to participate in special programs. Read about it here...
Read some fascinating reminiscences from our founders & friends.
Did you know that IVC is a recipient of the:
- 2011 Independence Charter School's Global Citizen Award
- 2009 Preservation Alliance's Community Action Award (for our work on the Chinatown Friendship Gate)
-2005 Consular Corps Global Leadership Award
- 2004 Human Rights Award from Philadelphia Human Relations Commission
- and that the network of 92 IVC's across the U.S. was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 for its work with the International Visitor Leadership Program.
Citizen diplomacy engages citizens in international relations. Meeting counterparts and experiencing everyday American life provides an authentic & more accurate view of the "real" U.S.
