January 21 - 23 Emergency Management and Community Safety, Group of 5 from the People’s Republic of China: emergency management systems, inter-agency communication, community safety programs.

January 22 - 26 Mr. Yoshiako KANNO, Senior Scientific Officer, Marine Division, Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Japan: oceanographic, marine meteorological and global environmental observation and data management.

January 25 - 27 Government Affairs Administration, Group of 10 from the People’s Republic of China: government logistics, management of government property, consumer goods purchasing, services for government employees.

January 25 - 27 Social Security, Group of 6 from the People’s Republic of China: Managing social security funds, enhancing the social security functions, enforcing the laws and regulations regarding the social security system, and government funded community services and unemployment programs.

January 20 - 24 Libraries, Group of 6 from Belarus: current and future trends in library management practice and technologies, training and continuing education programs for librarians, and community outreach programs and accessibility initiatives.

January 21 - 23 Trade Development, Group of 9 from the People’s Republic of China: trade development and the American business market, including development in the information technology field, high tech industry growth, and regional trade expansion.

January 27 - 31 Mr. Joseph TUNG, Chief Inspector, Special Duty Human Resources Research, Hong Kong Police Force, Hong Kong: to see U.S. best practices of human resources management in police force, to understand preventive measures against terrorism and disaster response preparations in the U.S., and community policing in the U.S.

January 28 - 30, Accounting Standards in the U.S, Group of 12 from the People’s Republic of China: system of examination and follow-up on continuing education of accountants, involvement of government in improvement of accountants’ work standards, educational requirements to achieve CPA status and comparative accounting standards.

February 2 - 7 Mr. GUILHERME POSSER DA COSTA, Private Sector Lawyer, Former Prime Minister, Former Ambassador to the European Union, Sao Tome and Principe: Economic activities, law practices and pro-bono work.

February 7 - 11 The Hague Convention and International Child Abduction, Group of 4 from Spain: Academic studies on international parental child abduction and violence against women, the use of private law firms and special court proceedings, perspective of the abducted child, and innovative educational awareness programs.

February 10 - 14 Mr. Christopher KITSON GOATER, Head, Media & Public affairs, Airport Operations Association, United Kingdom: aviation’s environmental impacts, airport safety standards, and airport security management in the U.S.

February 10 - 14 WTO Implementation, Group of 5 from Russia: state perspective on trade policy, business and trade development, WTO regulations, enforcement, and corporate trademark issues.

February 13 – 16 Mr. Fernando BRUGMAN, Program Officer, Intangible Heritage Section, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, UNESCO: Intangible culture, folk art, preservation of oral histories.

February 14 - 18 Mr. Tamas VEGVARI, Head of International Relations, Museum of Fine Arts, Hungary: Museum management, funding and fundraising, public outreach, community programs, public relations and marketing.

February 17 - 21 Young Muslim Leaders, Regional Group of 15 from Europe: Multicultural and bilingual education, political activism on college campus, volunteerism in high schools and on college campus, affirmative action.

February 21 – 24 The Transatlantic Agenda, Group of 7 from Germany: National Security, Local and State Politics, Trans-Pacific Trade, and U.S. – E.U relations.

February 21 - 25 Competition and Natural Monopoly Policy, Group of 6 from Russia: the U.S. approach to competition advocacy, anti-trust enforcement, the role of NGOs in influencing competition policies, the relationship between U.S. anti-trust agencies and the judiciary.

March 7 – 9 Mr. David Ian ALEXANDER, Senior Advisor to the Federal Treasurer, Australia: Homeland security and academic and governmental perspective on U.S. foreign policy.

March 11 - 14 Intellectual Property Rights Protection and Enforcement, Group of 5 from Kosovo: International and domestic IPR enforcement; IPR protection for software; Academic Perspectives on the effect of technological advances on IPR; diverse perspectives on the nature of intellectual property.

March 10 - 14 Managing Diversity in a Multi-Ethnic Society, Multiregional Group of 21: Higher education programs focusing on multiculturalism, affirmative action policies in student admission decisions, importance of bilingual education, multicultural education and English as a Second Language programs.

March 19 - 24 Teaching English as a Second Language, Group of 3 from Iraq: Group will be attending the 2007 Teaching English as a Second Language Annual Convention.

March 19 - 21 Environmental Protection, Group of 10 from the People’s Republic of China: governmental policies and regulations on environmental protection; new technology and equipment applied in the field.

March 20 - 24 Civics Education and Youth Leadership Development, European Regional Group of 9: Democracy, citizenship and government and their importance to American civil society; civic awareness and youth leadership; secondary and university-level curriculum and classroom activities that advance civic knowledge among youth.

March 20 - 25 Teaching English as a Second Language, Multiregional Group of 20: Group will be attending the 2007 Teaching English as a Second Language Annual Convention.

March 21 - 24 Mr. Yasutaka MACHIMURA, Professor, Nanzan University School of Law, Japan: Enforcing the rule of law in cyberspace; observe how information network systems are used in U.S. court systems; and to discuss legal information databases.

March 21 - 24 Curriculum Development: Incorporating American Studies into English Language Instruction, Group of 6 from Russia: Group will be attending the 2007 Teaching English as a Second Language Annual Convention.

March 25 - 30 Conflict Resolution, Multiregional Group of 13: Preventive diplomacy, conflict resolution, and political, military, and economic perspectives of on conflict resolution and peace studies.

March 31 - April 4 Northeast Asian Security, Group of 2 from Japan: Korea, Japan and China, the relationship among them and with the U.S.

April 3 - 7 Politics and Parties in the U.S., Group of 2 from Indonesia: Civic education, political volunteerism, the role of the media in politics and elections, electronic media, the role of women in politics, and youth engagement and leadership in politics.

April 4 - 8 Mr. Wojciech GIL, Assistant to President, Civil Aviation Office, Poland: Aviation safety and security regulations; airport operations and policies; aircraft manufacturing; aircraft standards and regulations.

April 7 - 11 Mr. Sven Oliver GENTER, Assistant to the Director General, Directorate General for Internal Market and Services, European Commission, Belgium: Public-private partnerships and technology sector development, investment in technology business development, government support of technology business development.

April 8 - 13 U.S. Financial System, Multiregional Group of 27: Attracting financial service industries, fair lending and community Reinvestment, and the reinsurance industry.

April 12 - 17 Edward R. Murrow Journalism, Group of 15 from Europe: Civic and Political life in the United States.

April 13 - 18 Health and the Workplace, Group of 6 from Russia: best practices of U.S. companies in creating safe and healthy work environment for employees; effective corporate health management techniques; efforts to educate employees about health and safety issues and the advantages of a health lifestyle.

April 18 - 21 NGO Management, Group of 2 from the People’s Republic of China: Environmental activism, social awareness, the role of NGOs in environmental protection.

April 18 - 24 Young Business and Economic Leaders, Regional Group of 9 from North Africa: overview of social, political, and economic bases of the U.S. economic system; free market approach to business promotion and economic development; young people’s involvement in business, law, politics, unions, education, healthy care, agriculture, and volunteer efforts; successful leadership.

April 22 - 25 Mr. Tadeshi FUJIMOTO, Energy and Environmental Journalist, Japan: Renewable energy, particularly bio-fuels, and global climate change, particularly research and prevention; environmentally friendly business startups.

April 23 - 26 Ms. Rabia GARIB, CEO of Rasala Publications, Pakistan: The role of information and communications technologies: convergence and integration, media and education: technologies and future trends, image building.

April 26 - 27 Social Security, Group of 5 from the People’s Republic of China: Managing social security funds, enhancing the social security functions, enforcing the laws and regulations regarding the social security system, and government funded community services and unemployment programs.

April 30 - May 2 Ms. Supinya KLANGNARONG, Secretary-General of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform, Thailand: Human rights, justice, media reform and oversight, public broadcasting, alternative media, community television, journalism as a tool to promote peace and conflict resolution.

May 1 - 3 Visa Waiver Program in the U.S., Group of 7 from South Korea: Gain understanding of U.S. requirements for Visa Waiver Program membership, focus on U.S. border and transportation security, U.S.- Republic of Korea law enforcement cooperation.

May 2 - 7 Partners for Education, Group of 4 from Indonesia: Will examine business, government, and military involvement in K-12 education. They are also interested home school partnerships for learning. The group will be filming in each location.

May 6 - 11 Protection of Intellectual Property Rights, Multiregional Group of 23: Enforcement of intellectual property rights, corporate software perspective, prosecution of IPR violations, and small business perspective.

May 15 - 19 Foreign Policy Decision Making, Group of 11 from the Near East and North Africa: U.S. foreign policy decision-making process; influence of media, think thanks, lobbying organizations, and political groups on foreign policy formulation; U.S. foreign policy in the Near East and North Africa with a focus on U.S.-Arab relations.

May 16 - 18 Investigative Reporting, Group of 2 from the People’s Republic of China: Journalism, investigative reporting in the U.S.

May 19 - 23 Mr. Jean-Simon GAGNE, Columnist/Journalist Le Soleil, Canada: Natural resource management; journalism development; international development aid.

May 23 - 26 Trade and Economic Development, Group of 18 from Europe: Regional economic development, free trade agreements, technology, ecommerce, North America/ Asian trade relations.

May 25 - 30 Dr. Goran BATRICEVIC, Member of Parliament and Vascular Surgeon, Montenegro: U.S. political system, U.S. healthcare system, political, health, and defense policy initiatives.

May 29 - May 31 Finance Investment, Group of 14 from the People’s Republic of China: Finance investment in the U.S.; Investment structures; Government controls budgets and finance/auditing procedures.

May 30 - June 1 Democracy and Human Rights in a Pluralistic Society, Group of 2 from the Indonesia: Multiculturalism and diversity, intercultural dialogue in Asian-American community, inter-religious dialogue and religious tolerance, women in business, domestic violence.

May 30 - June 3 U.S. Foreign Policy and Human Rights, Group of 8, Multiregional : human rights component of U.S. foreign policy; non governmental organizations that champion human rights and how they bring their agendas to the attention of local and national leaders; grassroots organizations that seek to influence human rights policy at the national, state, and local levels.

May 31 – June 1 Labor Practices in the U.S., Group of 8 from People’s Republic of China: Best practices in Labor Union management and human resources management.

June 5 - 9 Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Group of 10 from East Asia: historical overview of religion, immigration, and minority groups in the U.S.; America’s long-standing commitment to freedom of religion; relationships among religious and minority communities an politics in the U.S.; role of religious and minority organizations in developing stable communities and fostering common political, social, and economic goals, while maintaining distinct cultural practices and beliefs.

June 6 – 9 Ms. Rebecca Bo-Lan LI, Assistant Director, Investigation Branch Four, Operations Department, Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China: Efforts to combat corruption at the state level, corporate policies on human resources management, state legislative initiatives on human resources management, human resources management societies in the United States.

June 9 – 13 Mr. Rodrigo Pacheco ARAUJO, Executive Editor Correio Amazonese, Brazil: Non-traditional media and Indigenous issues.

June 13 - 16 June City Team- Trafficking in Persons. Regional Group of 7 from Europe: Focusing on prosecutor and law enforcement.

June 13 - 16 State and Local Government Group of 12: Development and role of women in government and politics; programs for reconciliation and conflict transformation.

June 14 - 19 American Libraries, Multi-Regional Group of 16: This program is designed for library professionals involved in overall management and policy-making for programs and activities in both governmental and private libraries.

June 17 - 20 US Judicial Systems/Trafficking/Human Rights, Group of 2 from Chile: Role of state law and policy addressing international trafficking of women and girls.

June 17 – 22 Crisis and Disaster Management, Group of 4 from Netherlands: Current strategies of local, state, and federal disaster management agencies, harbor management and safety, crisis preparation, emergency training.

June 23 – 27 Mr. Johann Karl MOSER, Manager, Austrian Society for Economic and Finance Policy, Austria: Economic development and incentives, research funding, corporate responsibility.

June 23 - 27 Inter-Religious Diversity and Dialogue, Group of 3 from Kyrgyzstan: Understanding Democracy, Culture and Values by emphasizing tenants of Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech, Study Religious Diversity, Separation of Church and State, Positives and Negatives of Inter-Religious Dialogue.

June 27 – 30 U.S. Judicial System: Human and Civil Rights: Group of 3 from Indonesia: Individual rights in the U.S. judicial system, U.S. legal reform process, role of public and private lawyers, interaction between legal aid and NGO’s.

June 27 – 30 Intellectual Property Rights: Group of 3 from the Philippines: Protection of intellectual property rights, regulation and standards, the economic impact of pirated materials, and enhancing public awareness of intellectual property.

June 30 - July 21 Linking Individuals, Knowledge, and Culture (LINC), Group of 8 students from Morocco: development of leadership and dialogue skills through art and culture.

July 4 - 7 Civil Society and the Nuclear Industry, Group of 5 from Russia: Civic efforts toward monitoring and raising public awareness, state and NGO efforts to protect local communities and the environment from nuclear pollution and nuclear waste, civil society and the environment, nuclear industry accountability, and alternative energy.

July 7 – 11 Job Creation and Regional Development, Group of 3 from Germany: Regional development on the West Coast, role of state government in economic and community development, public-private partnerships, media coverage of economic, trade and labor issues.

July 8 – 11 Ms. Hakisiir YOHANNES, Co-owner, La Bell Flowers, Eritrea: Sustainable agriculture best practices, soil improvement, irrigation techniques, direct marketing.

July 11 - 15 Ms. Tatiani LEAL, Executive Coordinator, International Business Center, Federation of Industries of Santa Catarina Brazil: Government roles in establishing commercial and economic policies, current economic debates and new ideas among American business leaders, and impact of free trade and market integration on various communities.

July 24 – 29 Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection, Multiregional Group of 5: Local and state environmental policies and initiatives, economic development and Smart Growth, public advocacy, community case study of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

July 25 – 29 The Role of the Media in Democracy, Group of 5 from Uganda: Role of the media in U.S. society, relationship between government and media, media ethics, journalistic practices, press freedom, and U.S. foreign policy towards Africa.

July 28 – August 1 Ms. Isabelle Helene Theodoreus HAAFS, Project Manager “Multiple Offenders” City of the Hague, Netherlands: Ngo and law enforcement.

July 28 – August 1 Freedom of Information and Expression, Group of 2 from Venezuela: Principals of the First Amendment, accountability and responsibility of the media to present & protect public opinion, rights of journalists and, government-press relations.

August 1 - 4 U.S. Congress-Korean National Assembly Youth Exchange, Group of 8 from the Korea: Youth engagement, volunteerism, U.S. government, politics, leadership.

August 1 – 5 Ethics and Good Governance, Regional Group of 5 from Africa: Role of Government in natural resource management and environmental and economic impacts of tourism and mining.

August 8 - 11 Ms. Raimonda Maria BOIAN, Spokesperson of Cluj Napoca City Hall, Romania: Examine government-media relations, role of media in a democratic society, explore government’s role in different cultural/ethnic groups.

August 8 – 11 Immigration and U.S. – Mexico Relations, Group of 4 from Mexico: United States government immigration policy, U.S. – Mexico relations, and media coverage of immigration issues.

August 8 – 11 Combating Trafficking in Persons, Regional group of 8 from Georgia and Turkey: Strategies employed and policies designed in the United States to combat human trafficking.

August 9 – 14 Islam and Muslim Education in the U.S, Regional group of 6 from Bulgaria: Challenges and accomplishments of Arab Americans after September 11; Islamic educational, social, and cultural services provided to the Muslim community in the region; various organizations’ efforts to educate the wider community, especially schools and businesses, about Muslim and Arab culture.

August 12 – 22 Mr. Michal Piotr GUC, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia, Poland. American local government practices, particularly as related to community and economic development.

August 15 - 18 International Crime Issues, Group of 2 from Argentina: Human trafficking, immigrant rights, drug prevention, and initiatives for, enforcement of and protection from the international crime issues that reach the state of Washington.

August 22 – 25 Ms. Wai-King LEE, Accountant and Elected District Councilor, Hong Kong: trade development and economic policy; grassroots advocacy and policy organizations; citizen participation and volunteerism.

August 22 - 25 Accountability of Government and Business, group of 5 from Vietnam. Corporate governance, ethical standards in business and government, corruption prevention, effect of transparency on trade, investment and economic development.

August 22 - 26 Accountability in Government and Business, Multiregional Group of 17: Corporate ethics and social responsibility, impact of information and communication technology on democracy and civic participation, and professionalism and ethics governing the legal community.

August 22 - 25 Civic Activism, Group of 3 from United Kingdom. Successful models of government and civil society, at- risk youth, volunteerism, civil society and faith based groups, US system of government, and the diversity of American culture.

August 31 – September 5 Student Leaders and Civic Responsibility, Regional Group of 13 from the Near East: student leaders on university campuses and in the broader community; American society and culture; skills necessary for future leaders; concerns and contributions of the emerging generation of young leaders in the United States.

August 29 - September 1 Mr. Kelvin GLEN, Managing Director, Business Against Crime, South Africa: Programs and initiatives to prevent crime, including public/private partnership efforts, police procedures and policies to prevent crime.

August 29 – September 2 Mr. Maria DONOSO de Vasquez Vice Director, National Association for the Conservation of Nature, Panama: Deforestation and erosion issues, communication and information campaigns for environmental issues, conservation partnerships.

September 2 - 6 State and Local Government, Group of 8 from Pakistan: Structure and dynamics of state and local government, the needs of U.S citizens, the regulation and government outsourcing of public-private partnerships, the role of voluntary organizations, the news media and their role in explaining government policies to their audiences.

September 5 - 8 NGO Management, Group of 7 from Bangladesh: Best practices, strategies, and methods used by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the areas of management and development.

September 5 - 9 U.S. – E.U. Relations, Group of 5 from Southeastern Europe- Republic of Serbia and Kosovo: US- EU anti-trust trade issues, strengthening economy through regional economic development, affect of regional trading organizations on American business.

September 5 – 9 Mr. Gerald Ndayizeye BIGURUBE, Director, Tanzania National Parks, Tanzania: National park management, search and rescue operations, public-private partnership in environmental conservation, wildlife management.

September 8 - 13 Civil Society and Human Rights in America, Group of 4 from Saudi Arabia: US civil society and the role that civil society organizations play in American society, NGOs and the promotion of grassroots democracy, separation of religion and state, ethnic and religious diversity and tolerance.

September 12 - 15 Mr. Muhammad HAMZAH, Journalist, Indonesia: Looking at violent conflicts covering role of state-wide media associations, minority publications, alternative media and blogs, secondary-school journalism education, investigative reporting and press protection.

September 19 – 23 Rule of Law, Group of 2 from Kenya: Civil and criminal justice systems, trial practices and court administration, accessible and independent judiciaries, and law-focused NGO’s

September 22 – 26 Journalism Education, Group of 5 from Ukraine: journalism training and education at the post-secondary level; curriculum development and design in journalism schools; the role of professional associations in journalism; impact of new technology on the print and broadcast industries.

September 22 - 26 Nursing Education, Group of 8 from Syria: Distance learning, critical and rehabilitative care, private nursing, public health.

September 22 – 26 Grassroots Democracy for Young Leaders, Group of 2 from Panama: Students and young leaders involved in public policy development and grassroots activism; young people’s contributions to foreign policy decision-making process; U.S. local system of government.

September 22 – 27 Women Entrepreneurs and Small Business Development, Group of 6 from Belarus: Business and trade development, small business administration, professional leadership and networking, online business registration.

September 22 – 27 Youth Leadership for Sustainable Peace Group of 14 from Europe: National Park, youth organizing and leadership, team-building, after-school programs, youth activism.

September 25 – 26 Environmental Protection, Group of 8 from People’s Republic of China: Inspection, regulation, and control of persistent organic pollutants.

September 26 – 29 Intellectual Property Rights Protection and Prosecution, Group of 3 from the People’s Republic of China: U.S. legal system protection for owners of intellectual property; enforcement of IPR laws, role of industry associations and law professionals in guaranteeing intellectual property protection.

September 26 –30 Investigative Journalism, Group of 3 from Croatia . Trends in American journalism, role of media in a democratic decentralized society, government-media relations, freedom of speech, media outlet operations

September 29 – October 3 Mr. Marek SVEHLA, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Respekt Weekly, Czech Republic: Editorial approaches in the U.S., relationships between public affairs offices and the press, relationship between government, lobbyists, and the media.

September 29 – October 4 Dr. Grzegorz Boleslaw HOLOWINSKI, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Dean for Students Affairs, Maritime Academy in Szczecin, Poland. Attending IEEE Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems.

September 30 – October 5 International Crime Issues, Multiregional Group of 20: Structure of the U.S. criminal justice system, foreign policy regarding global cooperation against terrorism and international crime, and the impact of international crime on political, economic, and social stability of the world community.

October 1 – 3 Transportation Management, Group of 19 from the People’s Republic of China: Traffic and transportation network management systems; electro-communication transportation technology.

October 3-7 Mr. Jakub JAWORSKI, Director, Bureau for International Cooperation of the Polish Chamber of National Defense Manufacturers, Poland: Domestic and overseas marketing, military procurements, U.S.-Polish relations, U.S. foreign policy

October 6 – 10 Youth Program Development, Group of 14 from Iraq. Youth activism, youth leadership and community engagement, at-risk youth services, and youth empowerment through sports.

October 6-10 Mr. James David MCLEOD, Director, International Education, Canada: Role of U.S. federal, state, and local government in the internationalization and diversication of academic studies, college best practice, partnerships with U.S. colleges and universities

October 6-11 Diversity through Music, Group of 6 from Azerbaijan: Examine American folk music with a focus on cultural varieties, community support of art, and how the arts convey creativity and diversity within American communities.

October 10 – 13 Combating International Crime, Group of 18 from Europe.
Human Trafficking, Port and Seaport protection, and international crime.

October 16 –20 Libraries in the U.S., Group of 4 from Romania: Organization and administration of U.S. libraries, library technology, training programs, libraries as centers for civic education, library promotion, library reference sources

October 16 – 20 US ROK Trade Relations, Group of 3 from Republic of Korea. Overview of U.S. – ROK bilateral economic and trade relations, concepts of free and fair trade, deepen knowledge of U.S. agriculture, manufacturing and service industries, and understanding U.S. government economic policies and programs.

October 20-24 Ms. Maria de los Angeles FERNANDEZ, Director, School of Political Studies, University Diego Portales, Chile: Academic and political perspectives on gender politics issues, women leadership to promote participation in politics.

October 20 - 27 Open World Specialized Rule of Law Program, Group of 6 Judges from Russia. Court systems, including civil and criminal cases, law enforcement, prison system, legal education, private practice of law in the U.S., and public law.

October 25 – 28 Chongqing Foreign Trade, Group of 10 from the People’s Republic of China: U.S.-China trade relations, foreign policy, U.S.-China business alliances.

October 25 – 31 Promoting Tolerance Through the Arts, Multiregional Group of 9: Promoting cultural tolerance through art, cross-cultural interactions, addressing tolerance and art through education.

October 21 - 25 Urban Environmental Issues, Multiregional Group of 21: Urban environmental problems, pollution, resource management, architectural and infrastructure decay, and coping with natural disasters.

October 26 – 31 The Role of Religion in the U.S. Group of 10 students from Jordan. Cultural and religious diversity in the U.S.; interfaith cooperation.

October 27 – November 13 Serbian Youth Leadership Program, Group of 12 Students and Youth Leaders from Serbia. Ethnic Tolerance in a Multi-Ethnic Society, Volunteerism, Leadership, and Conflict Transformation.

October 30 – November 2 Dr. Methee PAYOMYONG, Director, Natural Resources & Environmental Development Section, Northern Economic and Social Development Office of the National Economic & Social Development Board (NESDB), Thailand: Metropolitan evolution, good governance, decentralization, community participation, heritage preservation, food security, management of migration.

October 31-November 4 Foodborne Disease Prevention, Group of 23 from Iran: Common food born diseases and their causes, foodborne disease prevention and public awareness strategies, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations, and good hygiene practices (GHP) in public establishments.

November 3 – 7 Youth and Family Social Issues, Group of 9 from Singapore: Best practices of organizations addressing teen social issues, at-risk-youth programs for
minority populations.

November 4 – 7 Mr Maciej Krystian URBANSKI, Director of Security and Facilitation Department, Poland: Poland Aviation Project, improving flight security.

November 11 -14 Municipal Government, Group of 2 mayors from Poland: Cooperation between various branches of government, relationship between cities and the federal government, distribution of responsibilities, management of the city government, and sustainability and environmental issues.

November 11-14 Mr. Eiji KANO, Assistant director of Information Policy Division, Japan: Building an “e-government”, improve IT project management and IT procurement.

November 13-16 U.S. Foreign Policy and Counterterrorism, Multiregional Group of 28: Factors shaping U.S. foreign policy and the importance of counterterrorism and antiterrorism efforts to foreign relations.

November 20 – 24 Grassroots Democracy, Multiregional Group of 5: Citizens’ participation in democratic process, influence of citizen action groups, importance of diversity in the political system.

November 21 – 24 Foodborne Disease Prevention Group of 23 from Iran: Common food born diseases and their causes, foodborne disease prevention and public awareness strategies, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations, and good hygiene practices (GHP) in public establishments.

November 24 – 28 HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention, Multiregional Group of 22: Exploring U.S. policies on education and prevention of HIV/AIDS, examining the role of NGO’s in educating communities, promoting international cooperation in fighting disease.

November 27 – 28 American Business Group of 5 from People’s Republic of China: Information technology, high tech industry growth, and regional trade development.

November 28 – December 1 Current U.S. Political, Social, and Economic Issues, Group of 3 from Germany: immigration and border control, trade, competitiveness and technology, Islam in the U.S., alternative energy sources.

November 28 – December 2 Ms. Nauvarat SUKSAMRAN, Regional News Reporter, Thailand: Investigative journalism, anti-corruption measures in government and the elections process, human and drug trafficking.

December 1 – 9 Library of Congress Open World Russian Leadership Program, Group of 10 from Russia: Examining federalism and civil society, local governance, legislative processes, relations among different levels and branches of government, opportunities for youth to get involved in their communities, and professional activities and roles of women in U.S. politics.

December 2 – 8 Television Broadcasting in the United States, Group of 2 from Indonesia: Provide an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of broadcast journalists in the United States, a sense of the diversity of viewpoints held by Americans, develop contacts in American television media.

December 4 -5 Environmental Protection in the U.S., Group of 6 from the People’s Republic of China: Investigate monitoring of ozone depleting substances, programs to improve air quality, and environmental monitoring partnerships.

December 4 – 9 Community Foundation Development, Group of 5 from Ukraine: Introduction to successful models for the promotion of grassroots organization, sustainability, and civil society. Visits to local foundations, advocacy organizations, civic groups, and businesses.

December 5 – 9 HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention, Infectious Disease and Public Health, Sub-Regional Group of 7: Examining prevention in the U.S., observing treatment and care services, appreciating the rigorous control policies in hospitals, and investigating the public health infrastructure.

December 9-10 Emergency Management, Group of 4 from the People’s Republic of China: Emergency management systems, inter-agency cooperation, community safety education.

December 17-19 Financial Management, Group of 8 from the People’s Republic of China: Business administration, marketing strategy, and market supervision management policies.

December 19-22 Mr. Raja Juli ANTONI, Executive Director, Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity, Indonesia: Diversity of American Culture, integration of immigrants, Native American cultural preservation.

December 21-22 Social Security, Group of 7 from the People’s Republic of China: Social Insurance Management issues, TBD.