The staff at GCIV would like to wish you a peaceful and prosperous new year. Thank you for your support in past years. We look forward to your participation in GCIV programs in 2009!

In December 2008 GCIV coordinated a professional exchange program through the U.S. State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program for a Brazilian youth advocate. Mr. Luis Silva traveled to Atlanta in addition to Washington, DC, Tulsa, Montgomery, and San Diego. His professional program was crafted to allow an exchange of ideas with his counterparts in youth outreach and advocacy. Mr. Silva works for the Institute for Sustainable Development and Renewable Energies, and coordinates programs for disadvantaged youth to better their lives through job training, education, and community activism. While in Atlanta, our guest met with representatives of Voices for Georgia's Children, the Atlanta Children's Shelter, Youth Entrepreneurs of Atlanta, Hands On Network, and the Brookhaven Boys and Girls Club. He also participated in a GCIV Global Lunch Forum at the Youth Art Connection Gallery (pictured above) and enjoyed a trip to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site.

At GCIV the new year always ushers in the new Great Decisions season. We are working with a number of community organizations and neighborhoods to create and sustain discussion groups. You can find the list of discussion groups on the GCIV web site. Additionally, you have the opportunity to attend the GCIV Foreign Policy Lecture Series in Dunwoody starting January 22nd. We hope that you will participate in the lecture series or a discussion group - it is a fantastic way to keep yourself informed of world affairs.

If you are interested in starting your own Great Decisions group, or joining an existing one, please contact Ashley Mastin at 404-832-5560 x 13. We are also looking for community support for the program - please let us know if you can offer meeting space, if you're willing to help moderate discussions, or if you know of any possible financial support for the program. The series this year offers an exciting array of topics, including:

• US and Rising Powers
• Afghanistan and Pakistan
• Energy and the Global Economy
• The Arctic Age
• Egypt in the 21st Century
• Universal Human Rights?
• Global Food Supply
• Cuba after Castro

GCIV is pleased to announce the addition of six new members to our board of trustees. The new trustees represent a diverse array of experiences, but all are passionate in their commitment to furthering GCIV's mission. Our new members are pictured above, and include Enrique Flores of Georgia Heart Specialists, Maria Odom of the Odom Immigration Law Group, Jenni Heerink of Philips Design, Jai Rogers of the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation, Kristian Wolf of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern US, and Yelena Epova of Habif, Arogeti & Wynne.

In addition to welcoming new members, the board selected officers for 2009: Chair Laurie Nichols, Vice-Chair Lindsay Davidson, Secretary Sue Heerin, and Treasurer Miller Williams. They also thanked outgoing trustees Phil Bolton, Mike Dangerfield, Eleanor Hooks, and Mike Troy for their years of service to GCIV.

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 hundreds of international visitors each year. Becoming a member is easy - just visit our membership page to download an application. You can now pay for your membership online using paypal!

Thursday, January 8th, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
IWA January Meeting
The International Womens Associates will hear a presentation from Mr. Jim Dunham on the American West. Please contact Ashley Mastin at 404-832-5560 x 13 to receive an invitation.

Tuesday, January 20th, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
GCIV Global Lunch Forum: Human Rights Advocacy in Morocco
Join both a civil society leader and journalist from Morocco for a lunchtime discussion about their work to promote human rights in Morocco. This Global Lunch Forum will be at the Regency Suites Hotel (975 West Peachtree Street) in midtown Atlanta. You can bring your own lunch at no cost, or order a boxed lunch in advance for $10. Registration is 12:00-12:10, and the Global Lunch Forum begins promptly at 12:10 PM. Space is limited, so you must make a reservation to attend. Contact Ashley Mastin at 404-832-5560 x 13 to RSVP.

Starting in January 2009
Great Decisions Lecture Series and Discussion Groups
It's that time of year again - GCIV's Great Decisions foreign policy discussion groups will start in January 2009. Increase your understanding of world affairs through this eight-week series based on a briefing book published annually by the nonpartisan Foreign Policy Association. Click here for a list of discussion groups and the annual topics - we will update it as more groups are confirmed. You can also find the lineup for two lecture series based on the Great Decisions topics in Dunwoody and in Carrollton. Contact Ashley Mastin at 404-832-5560 x 13 to find out more information, join an existing group, or to start your own discussion group.