GCIV recently hosted three visitors from Kazakhstan who came to Atlanta to discuss adoption legislation. The group consisted of officials from the Kazakh government. As participants in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, the group met with local government officials and NGO leaders active in the areas of adoption and child advocacy. They also had the chance to meet American families who had adopted Kazakh children. Their professional program in Atlanta lasted May 5 - 9, 2007.

The delegation consisted of Mr. Bolat Kenzhekeshevich Baikadamov, a member of the Human Rights Commission; Ms. Svetlana Zhakiyanovna Jalmagambetova, a Kazakhstani Senator; and Ms. Dinar Zhusupalievna Nuketayeva, a Deputy of the Mazhilis, the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament.

Following their arrival in Atlanta from Washington, DC, the group made a Sunday trip to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. That evening, the delegation had the pleasure of being the guests at a reception with several families with adopted children from Kazakhstan, hosted by Ms. Anna Watkins. Ms. Watkins has two children that were born in Kazakhstan.

On Monday, the group began their professional meetings by attending an adoption hearing with Ms. Irene Steffas. Ms. Steffas’s law firm handles a full range of immigration services in addition to representing adoptive parents, step-parents, biological parents, adopted children and adoption agencies. Their next appointment was a lunch meeting with Mr. Jim Harding, Executive Director of World Partners Adoption. Mr. Harding discussed his experiences assisting many families through the entire adoption process from Kazakhstan. Mr. Harding and his wife Cindy also have two adopted children from Kazakhstan.

On Tuesday morning, the visitors met with Ms. DeAlvah Simms, from the Office of the Child Advocate. Ms. Simms discussed the Office's role in providing independent oversight of persons, organizations, and agencies responsible for providing services to or caring for children who are victims of child abuse or neglect, or whose domestic situation requires intervention by the state. Later that day, the group met with Mr. Danny Steven, from the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, Office of Adoptions. Mr. Steven explained the many programs and services offered by DFACS to assist those families who have made the lifelong commitment to adopting a child.

Before leaving for San Diego, the delegation's last activity in Atlanta was a home hospitality visit at the home of Ms. Irene Steffas. Ms. Steffas and her husband have two children, one of whom is adopted. The visitors greatly enjoyed this chance to have a second home visit, and to meet with so many loving American parents of adopted children.

GCIV was honored to have these distinguished visitors come to Georgia and meet with our many valuable professional resources. Their experiences here gave them a first-hand view of the adoption process the United States. We hope their professional program in Atlanta will help them in their work back home, and look forward to hearing of their continued progress.