GCIV currently seeks volunteers located throughout our state who are interested in serving as statewide coordinators. Statewide coordinators will act as the local contact persons for distinguished international guests visiting their area. Responsibilities include identifying and meeting with potential professional resources and dinner hosts in your area, as well as meeting/hosting international visitors and State Department escorts when schedules permit. If you or someone you know would like to serve in this exciting and rewarding capacity, please contact Shellie Stuart. We especially need coordinators in Columbus, Macon, Augusta, Savannah, Albany, Rome and Athens. Please forward this message to any colleagues in those areas who might be interested. Below, you can read about the experiences of Amy Aldrich Bedford, pictured here, who has served as a volunteer coordinator in Pendleton, Oregon.

For over twenty years, Amy Aldrich Bedford has hosted International Visitors in Pendleton, Oregon—and in the process created a unique wall in her kitchen that is “a joy to behold.” The walls in Amy Aldrich Bedford's home may not “talk” of past International Visitors (IVs), but the walls in her kitchen tell us the story of her decades of involvement in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). Read more about Mrs. Bedford's involvement as a volunteer coordinator.

In May GCIV served as host to Dr. Norbert Both, Speechwriter for the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Both was invited to the United States under the auspices of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. While in Atlanta he met with key professional counterparts and experienced American culture. He is shown here with GCIV member Gene Henry in front of the Martin Luther King, Jr. birth home. Read more about Mr. Both's program.

Tuesday, July 4, 2006, 1:00 PM
WSB-TV Fourth of July Parade
GCIV Members are invited to cheer on the GCIV delegation marching in the annual Fourth of July parade. Our Russian visitors will march under the banner of the City of Atlanta’s Advisory Committee on International Relations.

Thursday, July 6, 2006, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Brown Bag Lunch: "Women in Media - A Russian Perspective"
Please join us as we host eight distinguished women journalists and media professionals from Russia. The lunch will be at the GCIV office downtown. Box lunches are available for $8 and must be ordered in advance; otherwise, please remember to bring your own. This event is free and open to the public. Please contact Ashley Mastin for more information or to RSVP.

Tuesday, August 1, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
International Business Women's Network Luncheon
August's speaker is Eleanor Hooks of The Smart Change Group, Inc. She will speak on the topic of “Giving Back to Your Community: Service on a Nonprofit Board.” Ms. Hooks will discuss how service on a nonprofit board might help a professional woman further her career and a worthy cause. We will meet at Maggiano's in Buckhead. The price is $25 for GCIV members and $30 for non-members. Please contact Ashley Mastin for more information or to RSVP.

A delegation of Russian government and business officials that GCIV hosted in June spoke with reporters at Global Atlanta. They discussed precautions when setting up a business in Russia and spoke of their program in the US, which was coordinated by GCIV. Click here for Global Atlanta's complete article.

On Saturday, October 21st, 2006, GCIV will host the first ever Atlanta Summit on Citizen Diplomacy. The goal of the summit is to raise public awareness of the international interests of Atlanta and Georgia, and to provide a forum for participants to exchange perspectives on issues that affect Georgia’s global engagement. Our summit is part of a national movement which is working to globally engage American citizens. It will offer participants several "cultural competency" workshops and sessions focused on reaching out to specific populations and areas of the world. Moreover, a session will be dedicated to group discussions on citizen diplomacy. Please put this exciting event on your calendar and stay tuned for more information!

Did you receive an invitation to the Consular Ball in the mail? If not, you may not be a current member of GCIV. Our membership is critical to the success of our organization, as it serves as an important indicator of community support for the U.S. Department of State and other agencies that rely on us to arrange programs for hundreds of international visitors each year. Becoming a member is easy - just visit our membership page to download an application.