A multi-regional delegation studying cultural preservation visits Sapelo Island near Savannah, Georgia.

Click the image above for a glimpse of the visitors' experience on Sapelo Island.

 

GCIV Blog: Many Past Homes and International Programming Responsibilites

 

This blog post continues our retrospective, compiled in 1998 by former GCIV executive director Anne Hansen. Please be a part of our 50th anniversary celebration in 2012 by leaving comments about your GCIV memories, reasons for hosting visitors, and beliefs about the impact of our shared work.

 

GCIV has called a number of historic locations around the city of Atlanta home to its offices and in addition to the IVLP, has had many international programming responsibilities over the years including the International Women Associates, International Businesswomen's Network and the Language Bank.   

 

The International Women Associates, a group of 130 women both American and international, meet once a month from September through May for social coffees in members' homes for programs of cultural interest. This group has its origins as the Committee for Wives of International Students in 1967 under the Atlanta International Student Bureau. Later called Friends of Internationals, the name was changed to International Women Associates in 1985. One of the earliest volunteers with this group was Ada Almering who in 1998 still conducted a monthly reading group for international women at her home.    

 

 
Click here to read the full blog post about GCIV's former offices, the history of the International Women Associates, International Businesswomen's Network and the Language Bank. We hope you will also share your memories/comments on GCIV's blog.

Network with Leaders from Around the World

Take advantage of the opportunity to network with international leaders from around the world by joining GCIV as a Citizen Diplomat! GCIV's 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 and host hundreds of distinguished international visitors each year. Becoming a member is easy and offers perks like exclusive members-only receptions and hosting opportunities. Visit our membership page or contact Nicole Rateau at nicole@gciv.org or 404-832-5560 x 17 for more information.

GCIV is on Facebook - please "like" us!

GCIV is on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GeorgiaCouncilforInternationalVisitors! We think we're pretty rad and if you do too, then you can now "like" us. You can also view images, upcoming events, who's coming to town and leave your own comments, thoughts, photos, etc.

Facebook is a social networking site where users create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile. There is no fee to participate. Sign up and "like" us today!

GCIV in the News

 

In July, GCIV hosted a Colombian delegation of six artists and art advocates. Their visit to the Emory Ethics Center was featured in the Emory Report, the news and events resource for Emory staff and faculty. The article highlights the exchange of knowledge between both parties and the mutual understanding gained, a keystone of the International Visitor Leadership Program. Click here for the complete article written by Mashaun D. Simon.    

 

Call for Emerging Leaders in Environmental and Energy Policy

 

 

 

The Atlantic Council, in partnership with the Ecologic Institute, has created the Emerging Leaders in Environmental and Energy Policy Network (ELEEP), a best practices clearinghouse for under-40 professionals working with environmental and energy-related issues. The network is now seeking applicants. Young leaders in both the United States and the European Union who work in the environmental and energy fields are encouraged to apply. Interested applicants should contact David Kirk at the Atlantic Council, at dkirk@acus.org. Click here for more information and application instructions. 

 

IVLP in the News

 

The June issue of American Diplomacy features an article titled "The Heineken Factor? Using Exchanges to Extend the Reach of U.S. Soft Power," by Giles Scott-Smith, senior researcher at the Roosevelt Study Center in Middelburg, the Netherlands and friend of National Council for International Visitors (NCIV). The article features several IVLP case studies and concludes that "...cultural exchange, if managed with care and awareness, can only result in more openness, not less." Click here to read the entire article.    

 

GCIV Envoys Attend Friday Jazz and Learn About the Foreign Service

 

 

In addition to receiving invitations for exclusive international functions, GCIV Envoys organize social outings at various cultural locations around town. In July, they attended Friday Jazz at the High Musuem of Art featuring U.K. songstress Julie Dexter.

 

GCIV also provides international career-building and networking opportunites for Envoy members. On July 25, Envoys learned about the Foreign Service and initiatives of the U.S. Department of State from Foreign Service Officer Rima Vydmantas at the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S., Inc. Rima was participating in the State Department's Hometown Diplomats Program. Formerly a journalist at CNN, she just completed a one-year assignment as Assistant Information Officer in Islamabad, Pakistan.  

 

Not yet an Envoy member? Sign up today and get connected! Envoy membership is open to all Citizen Diplomats age 40 and under. For more information about Envoy visit www.gciv.org/programs/envoy or contact Nicole Rateau at nicole@gciv.org or 404-832-5560 x 17.

 

Community Events

 

Wednesday, August 3, 6:30 - 8:30 PM 

Federal and State Immigration Law Briefing 

The World Affairs Council of Atlanta (WACA) presents a briefing by Jerry Gonzalez of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO) and Representative Scott Holcomb of Atlanta District 82. Amna Shirazi of Shirazi Law Group, Inc. will moderate. The event is at Atlanta International School, 2890 North Fulton Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30305. $10 for World Affairs Council Members and $15 for non-members. Click on Young Leaders Programs here to register.

 

Sunday, August 7, 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Festival of India 2011
Presented by the India American Cultural Association (IACA), celebrate India's independence and 40 years of IACA. The festival features cultural programs, artist markets and hot and spicy foods at the Gwinnett Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, Georgia 30097. For more information, visit www.iacaatl.org.  

 

Monday, August 8, 8:00 - 9:00 AM

Breakfast with Robert G. Mikell

Dine with Robert G. Mikell, Deputy Commissioner of Georgia Department of Driver Services at the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S., Inc. (GACC South). GACC South is located at 1170 Howell Mill Road, Suite 300, Atlanta, Georgia 30318. Cost is $25 for non-GACC South members and free for members. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. For more information, visit www.gaccsouth.com.    

 

Tuesday, August 9, 7:30 - 9:30 AM 

Gwinnett Global Business Connection - Hong Kong
Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development is proud to host the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council (HKTDC) for a breakfast where leading experts will give an update on the China market and local business leaders will share their success stories. The event is at 1818 Club at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, Georgia 30097. Click here to register or for more information.

Wednesday, August 10, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta: Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run) 
The German Cultural Center Atlanta is proud to present a sequence of four features on the art of animation every Wednesday evening between August 10 and September 24, as well as Saturday, September 24, 2011. RUN LOLA RUN was one of the most successful German films to be produced in 1998. A young man involved in small-time crime has 20 minutes to find 100,000 Marks, or he will be killed by his gangster boss. His girlfriend Lola rushes around madly trying to collect the money and save her beloved. This love story is told by the young Berlin director Tom Tykwer three times throughout the film, showing how even small events can have great effect on the story's outcome. Screening is at Colony Square, Plaza Level, 1197 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30361-2401. For more information visit www.goethe.de.

Thursday, August 11, 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Immigration Alert Business Seminar
Immigration compliance is becoming increasingly more important for businesses and foreign nationals in the United States. Recent developments in business immigration law, including visa and green card processing, e-verify requirements and new state law requirements in Georgia and Alabama will be discussed. Event is at Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, 171 17th Street NW # 2100, Atlanta, Georgia 30363. Cost is $35 for non-GACC South members and free for members. For more information, visit www.gaccsouth.com.

Saturday, August 27, 2:00 - 7:00 PM
German Bierfest 
Celebrate the greatness of German beer in a family-friendly environment at the 8th annual German Bierfest. Complete with authentic German food, activities for the kids, music and fun, the German Bierfest is not only the only authentic German Bierfest in Atlanta, but the only family-friendly beer festival as well. At Woodruff Park, 95 Peachtree Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. Cost is $30 in advance, $35 at the door and attendees can drink all the beer they can safely consume. For more information, visit www.germanbierfest.com.

Ongoing - September 4, Noon - 5:00 PM

Oglethorpe University Museum of Art: "Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest: Modern and Contemporary Indian Art" 

From the collection of Shelley and Donald Rubin, this is the first public display of more than 50 works from 30 of India's most famous artists, including Francis Newton Souza, Sakti Burman, Seema Kohli and Maqbool Fida Husain. With imagery from all walks of life, from the poorest citizens to dynamic deities, the works in this exhibition focus on India's people. Exhibition is at Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, 4484 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30319. For more information, visit www.museum.oglethorpe.edu.