International Visitor Leadership Program
The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. Launched in 1940, IVLP seeks to expand mutual understanding between Americans and individuals from other nations through carefully designed short-term visits to the U.S. for current and emerging foreign leaders.
Each year, thousands of visitors from all over the world travel to communities throughout the United States to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience American culture firsthand.
*this map highlights our participant country engagement for all VCWA exchange programs conducted in 2021
A World of Ideas in Vermont
The VCWA connects hundreds of visitors with NGOs, local businesses, government officials, and other community members throughout Vermont each year.
Meetings, site visits, workshops, and round table discussions, provide opportunities to expand professional networks and share information. Recent program topics include renewable energy, government accountability, social entrepreneurship, and youth leadership.
This data represents our 2021 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) program topics.
Who are the Participants?
The visitors are typically current or potential leaders in government, business, media, education, and other fields, who are selected by U.S. officials overseas. More than 290 current and former Heads of State, 2,000 cabinet-level ministers, and many other distinguished world leaders in government and the private sector have participated in the IVLP including:
President Anwar Sadat of Egypt
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India
Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom
President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan
President Alvaro Uribe Velez of Colombia
President Nicolas Sarkozy of France
Prime Minister Helen Clark of New Zealand
2021 IVLP Participant Countries
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Afghanistan
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Albania
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Argentina
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Austria
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Bangladesh
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Barbados
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Belgium
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Benin
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Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Brazil
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Bulgaria
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Burkina Faso
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Cambodia
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Cameroon
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Chile
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China
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Colombia
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Cote d'Ivoire
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Czech Republic
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Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Denmark
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Dominican Republic
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Ecuador
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Egypt
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Eritrea
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Estonia
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Ethiopia
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France
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Ghana
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Greece
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Grenada
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Guinea
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Haiti
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Honduras
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Hungary
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India
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Indonesia
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Jamaica
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Japan
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Kazakhstan
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Kosovo
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Kyrgyzstan
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Lebanon
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Lesotho
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Liberia
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North Macedonia
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Malaysia
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Mali
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Mauritania
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Mauritius
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Mexico
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Moldova
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Morocco
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Nepal
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New Zealand
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Niger
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Nigeria
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Pakistan
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Palestinian Territories
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Paraguay
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Peru
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Philippines
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Poland
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Republic of the Congo
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Rwanda
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Saudi Arabia
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Senegal
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Serbia
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Seychelles
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Sierra Leone
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South Africa
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Sri Lanka
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Sudan
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Tajikistan
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Tanzania
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Thailand
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Togo
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Turkmenistan
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Uganda
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Ukraine
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Uzbekistan
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Venezuela
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Vietnam
Participant testimonials
“I will remember Burlington because it gives me the ideal ‘set up’ of how a community should work to address its problems. The heritage, culture, and character of this place made a positive impression on me.”
— Visitor from Philippines
“Twenty years ago, the gap between the US and Russia was unbridgeable. This program showed me that we share the same values. I believe our relationship will continue to improve.”
— Visitor from Russia
“The beautiful people. The local products. The support for community. The beauty and serenity. The magical snow falling. That is how I remember Vermont.”
