GCIV had the pleasure of hosting six Chinese regional public health officials August 8-11. These six visitors were participants of the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. The participants were all representatives of the Shenyang Center for Disease Control, a central player in public health planning and emergency preparedness in Northeast China. The delegation had the opportunity to meet with many professional counterparts in Atlanta during their stay. Read more about their program.

GCIV hosted seven visitors from Jordan who came to Atlanta to study e-learning in secondary education August 18-22, 2007. The group consisted of public school teachers who are implementing e-learning systems in Jordan. While participating in the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program, the group met with their U.S. counterparts to explore current trends in design and development of project-based e-learning that may be incorporated into future Jordanian pilot programs. Read more about their program.

On Friday, November 16th, 2007, GCIV will host the second annual 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 will offer participants several "cultural competency" workshops and sessions focused on various areas of the world. Please put this unique opportunity on your calendar and stay tuned for more information!

JapanFest Weekend, one of the largest Japanese festivals in the country, is an annual celebration of Japanese culture. This year's JapanFest highlights Japan's diverse cuisine. The festival will also feature taiko drum concerts & dance performances, martial arts demonstrations, cultural workshops, children's games, Japanese food & beer garden, bonsai trees, and contemporary folk music.

JapanFest is organized by The Japan-America Society of Georgia and The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and supported by the Consulate General of Japan. For information, visit www.japanfest.org.

This week Vicki Flier Hudson's is sharing a report she authored entitled The Untapped Goldmine: Marketing to Diverse Consumers. Vicki provides cross-cultural trainings for corporations, classrooms, and many other settings. Visit her web site at www.highroaders.com.

When we think of international business, we often think of CEO's sitting around a table negotiating a deal in China or a Japanese bowing to an American executive who instead is holding out his hand, expecting to shake hands. What gets less attention is the other side of the coin: the global consumer. For example, India holds 1.3 billion potential cell phone users within its borders, but will the cell phone companies reach all of the Indians able to afford cell phones? Probably not. Why? Consider what happened when cereal giant Kellogg tried to market its cold cereal products in India. Sales were disappointing because Indians like a hot, homemade breakfast, such as rice patties (called idlis), tea and other items cooked by family. No dry, cold cereal could compete with a hot meal lovingly prepared.

One of the core rules of marketing any product or service is to know your target consumers, your audience, of sorts, but studying demographics is not enough. We must consider what people value. We must understand their culture and their worldview. People buy products from marketers that understand them as consumers, care about their rich experiences and want to make a human connection. This gut-level connection motivates consumers. Read the full report

Be sure to check out the GCIV e-newsletter in coming months for more tips from Vicki Flier.

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.

Tuesday, September 4th - 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
GCIV Global Lunch Forum: Media in China
Join GCIV visitor Mr. Mao Hao, Deputy Editor of the China Daily News, for a lunchtime discussion. Former CNN Senior Vice President Judy Milestone will moderate the session. The Global Lunch Forum will be at the Regency Suites Hotel in midtown. Participants can bring lunch or purchase a boxed lunch ($10). Registration is 12:00-12:10, and the Global Lunch Forum begins promptly at 12:10 PM. Contact Emily Bushey at 404-832-5560 x 15 to RSVP.

Friday, September 14th - 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
GCIV Global Lunch Forum: Poverty Alleviation in Tibet
Join GCIV visitor Ms. Lhakpadolma Labazhuoma of the Tibet Artisan Initiative Small Enterprise Development for a lunchtime discussion. Participants can bring lunch or purchase a boxed lunch ($10). Registration is 12:00-12:10, and the Global Lunch Forum begins promptly at 12:10 PM. The event will be held at the Atlanta Regional Commission. Contact Ashley Mastin at 404-832-5560 x 13 to RSVP.

Saturday, September 15, 1:30 - 3:00 PM
International Dining Experience at Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant
Get to know other GCIV members and hosts and share your questions, experiences and insights about hosting international visitors in your home. We are also inviting the multi-regional delegation focusing on international crime. The menu is $15 and includes a family-style Ethiopian meal, non-alcoholic drinks, tax, and gratuity. Contact Ashley Mastin at 404-832-5560 x 13 for more information or to RSVP.

Tuesdays, September 25-November 20, 7:30-9:00 PM
Evening at Emory Great Decisions Group
Join this upcoming discussion group and increase your understanding of world affairs. This eight-week series is based on a briefing book published annually by the nonpartisan Foreign Policy Association. The topics of discussion for 2007 include: the Middle East, Climate Change, Mexico, Migration, South Africa, War Crimes, Central Asia, and Children. Register for the course at the Emory web site, or contact Ashley Mastin at 404-832-5560 x 13 with questions.