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GCIV hosted a delegation of fifteen government and civil society officials June 10-14. 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 grassroots democracy efforts. The delegation consisted of representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.
Following their arrival from Philadelphia, the group was given a city tour of Atlanta and had the day to explore the city. On their first day of appointments, they attended the weekly meeting of Concerned Black Clergy. The group
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The delegation meets with staff of Georgia 4-H in Athens.
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appreciated the opportunity to witness a grassroots organization discussing community concerns. After this meeting they had lunch with Representative Tyrone Brooks, who took the group on a walking tour of historic Auburn Avenue and discussed his civil rights work. They ended the day at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, and relished the chance to learn more about one of Atlanta’s most famous residents.
On their second day of professional meetings, the group participated in an intensive workshop coordinated by the International Center for Democratic Governance at the University of Georgia. ICDG staff discussed the mechanics of local and state government in the U.S. and how it institutionally has been set up to tap into grassroots efforts. After this valuable meeting the group visited the local Georgia 4-H office in Athens, where they learned about their activities with youth and extension services with farmers throughout the state. That evening the group was split among five GCIV hosts for home hospitality. The delegation enjoyed the chance to meet local citizens and learn more about Atlanta.
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