January 3-5 Local and State Government, Group of 8 from the People’s Republic of China: Local governance institutions, human resources management, performance and health care standards.

January 6-7 Electricity Management, Group of 7 from the People’s Republic of China: Electricity company development, safety technologies, regulation and power safety.

January 14-17 Mr. Valdis VOINS, Deputy Chief, Riga City Police Departm ent, Latvia: Examining the management, cooperation and coordination of law enforcement agencies and community policing techniques.

January 17-24 Youth Ambassadors, Group of 6 from Brazil: Youth leadership, social responsibility, and education in the U.S.

January 22 – 29 Young Business and Economic Leaders, Group of 4 from Iraq: overview of the U.S. economic system, young people's involvement in business, law, and politics, role of educational institutions in promoting leadership

January 30-February 2 Ms. Solongo DARAMJAV, Human Rights Chief Commissioner, Mongolia: Protecting the rights of trafficked persons, role of local government and NGOs in dealing with victims of trafficking, state offices for civil rights.

February 2 – 7 Developing Leadership and Civic Responsibility, Group of 8 from Jordan: Student group focusing on leadership training and civic preparation for young leaders, strategies for political empowerment, engaging youth voters and creating effective public messages, the impact of youth on public policy.

February 6-10 Improving Governance and Strengthening Measures Against Corruption, Group of 10 from Russia: Focusing on corporate and social responsibility and ways of strengthening measures against criminal fraud and corporate corruption.

February 7 – 11 2008 Presidential Primaries, Multiregional Group of 25: Examining the American political process in the primaries for the 2008 presidential election.

February 10-15 Ms. Mizuho HOSHIMOTO, Technical Official, Office of Marine Prediction, Japan Meteorological Agency, Japan: Marine meteorological observational data; global ocean observing systems; management of ocean data; Argo data management

February 13 –17 Protection of Intellectual Property Rights, Multiregional Group of 24: Examining the rule of law in global trade and business communities, accountability in implementing intellectual property protections and the development of intellectual property rights laws and policies

February 13 – 19 NGOs and Civic Activism, Multiregional Group of 17: Focus on workshops for better leadership and communication in non-profit management, training session for non-profit leadership, development, management and fundraising.

February 16 – 20 Young Muslim Leaders, Group of 20 from Europe: Formulating public policy, Washington primaries and minority participation, multiculturalism and education, leadership development through service.

February 17– 20 U.S. Political System and Elections, Group of 4 from Croatia: policies and procedures that guide elections, campaign financing and lobbying, citizen engagement in the governance process.

February 17-22 Transparency and Good Governance, Group of 11 from Africa: State and local government, elections, public-private partnerships.

February 20 – 22 Business Administration and Management, Group of 11 from the People’s Republic of China: Business administration and marketing strategies, private proprietor system, management policies of market supervision.

February 20-24 Grassroots Democracy, Group of 2 from Turkmenistan: Human rights issues, civic engagement, civic education programs, U.S. education system including school visits.

February 26 – 27 Information Technology Development, Group of 6 from the People’s Republic of China: IT development and promotion in local and regional government.

February 26 – March 1 Organized Labor, Group of 3 from South Korea: The group will examine local impacts of international trade and economics. The guests will hold meetings concerning international trade, conduct port visits, and visit the local Worker Center to discuss training and special worker populations.

February 27 – March 1 Elementary and Secondary School Education, Group of 4 from Indonesia: Current challenges in developing quality curriculum for a diverse population

February 27 – March 2 Mr. Timothy David FIGURES, Head of International Aviation & Safety Division from United Kingdom: Examine issues concerning U.S. and European civil aviation safety as well as regional economic development and local/regional governance.

February 27 – March 2 Ms. Penny GILMOUR, Assistant Secretary for the Australian Education Union-ACT Branch, Australia: Performance pay for teachers, teacher registration, change management and generational change in unions, best use of resources in small unions.

March 2 – 5 Mr. Peter MALINAUSKAS, Representative of Labor Union Association, Australia: Retail industry in the U.S., issues of union member representation, the airline industry, American politics with respect to labor unions.

March 4 – 8 Grassroots Democracy- Campaigns and Elections, Group of 4 from Indonesia: Insights on the U.S. political system, role of political parties, civic engagement in political activities.

March 10-12 Electrical Power Management, Group of 8 from the People's Republic of China: Focusing on the development of electricity companies, safety technologies, pricing and rate setting, power regulation, and environmental protection.

March 12-16 Presidential Primaries, Group of 5 from Ukraine: Examining the American political process in the primaries for the 2008 presidential election.

March 13 – 15 Health Services, Group of 10 from the People’s Republic of China: Health services and law, american urgent rescue service, community health policy, women’s health education.

March 14 - 19 Nuclear Energy and Security in the U.S., Group of 6 from Armenia: Visit operational nuclear facilities to see new technologies, security procedures, and safety measures in action, discuss construction and operation of power plants, education and training of crews, development of operating documentation of power plants.

March 16-21 U.S. Foreign Policy, Multiregional Group of 23: Immigration and border security, trans-boundary environmental policy issues, the role of a defense contractor.

March 18-21 Dr. YIN Yisheng, Division Head, Bureau of Enterprise Reform, State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC), People's Republic of China: Corporate management and structure, international business programs and curriculum, relationship between private businesses and federal, state, and local governments.

March 23-25 Environmental Protection, Group of 6 from People’s Republic of China: Investigating methods of environmental protection and initiating a harmonious relationship between environmental sustainability and economic development.

March 24 – 25 Transportation Management, Group of 5 from the People’s Republic of China: Transportation network management systems, local railway infrastructure maintenance.

March 23 – 26 Mr. Quang HAN, Deputy Director of Key Construction Division at the Dalian Port, the People’s Republic of China: Examining port management issues, learning about the role of government in determining trade policy and customs laws, investigating the role of private industry in port operations

March 24 – April 11 Young Business and Economic Leaders: Enhancing Leadership Potential, Group of 7 from South Asia: Examine strategies used in the U.S. to enhance the leadership qualities of young influential business and economic managers to develop free market economic structures and to advocate free trade agreements that benefit young entrepreneurs.

March 27 – 30 China Art Museum Directors Delegation, Group of 8 from the People’s Republic of China: Seattle museums, museum management, fundraising for the arts, and museum outreach strategies.

March 29 – April 4 U.S. Financial System, Multiregional Group of 25: Examine U.S. financial markets in their domestic and global contexts and explain U.S. perspectives on international economic and monetary issues.

April 1 – 5 Social, Political, and Economic Impact of New Media, Group of 3 from Germany: Role of new media and its effects on government transparency; impact of blogging on traditional print-media; rising popularity of social networking and podcasting.

April 2 – 6 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Efforts in the U.S., Group of 2 from Poland: Anti-trafficking policies at the federal, state, and local level; border control policies; detention center policies; long-term investigations into human trafficking networks; cross-border cooperation

April 3-6 Mr. Ming-dar HSU, Technical Specialist, Plant Quarantine Division, Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ), Council of Agriculture, Taiwan: U.S. plant health systems and plant health infrastructure and U.S. central government agencies on phytosanitary issues.

April 8 - 13 Teaching English as a Second Language, Multiregional Group of 8: Bilingual programs in elementary and secondary schools for children, youth vocational English as a second language, adult basic education and literacy training ESL programs and applied linguistics.

April 8-10 Government Finance, Group of 12 from People’s Republic of China: financial management, audit procedures and oversight policies of local governments in the United States.

April 10 – 15 Political Cartoonists, Group of 6 from the Near East and North Africa: Social, political, and journalistic roles of cartoons, press freedom and protection, government and media interaction, impact of blogging.

April 13 – 16 US – European Security Issues, Group of 17 from Europe: Focus on security and defense policy-making examining specific topics of domestic and trans-Atlantic security.

April 15-19 Scouting and Other Clubs, Group of 12 from Saudi Arabia: Youth activities and events; differences and similarities between Boy Scouts in the US and the Middle East.

April 17-19 U.S. Education System, Group of 6 from the People’s Republic of China: Management of U.S. education system, and integration of students with physical disabilities.

April 19 - 23 Civic Education and Youth Leadership, Multiregional Group of 10: 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.

April 20 – 26 Open World Leadership Program, Rule of Law, Group of 4 from Kazakhstan. Legislative system, court system, transparency of government, judicial law, legal education, civil law and civil rights.

April 20 – 23 Health Care Management, Group of 5 from Ukraine: Healthcare system and health insurance in the U.S.; differences between public and private health care in the U.S.; emergency medicine and trauma centers; pediatric care.

April 22 - 23 U.S. Legislative Systems, Group of 10 from the People’s Republic of China: Legislative Systems, the role of the state in trade and economic development policy.

April 22-25 Performing Arts in U.S. Society, Group of 7 from the Near East: Showcasing the musical and cultural diversity of modern American society.

April 23-26 Mr. Yue CHENG, Executive Editor, Top Talk Program, People’s Republic of China: Broadcast Journalism, U.S. China relations, media coverage of China, academic discussion.

April 23-26 Civic Education Group of 3 from Thailand: Examining functions at the local and state government levels, education systems, and efforts to protect civil and human rights, diversity, and pluralism.

April 23-26 Mr. Ahmef TASKAN, General Secretary of the Federation of Young Entrepreneurs, Netherlands.

April 26- May 1 Peace Through Community Problem Solving, South Asia Subregional Group of 5: Peace and conflict transformation, volunteerism, NGO and government cooperation, grassroots activism, citizen “faith” in central government.

April 29 – May 4 Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Multiregional Group of 8: Environmental education, cross-border environmental issues and protection strategies, international cooperation

April 30 – May 3 The Concept and Practice of Tolerance in the U.S., Group of 4 from Turkey: Role of government in promotion of Civil Rights, Diversity and Conflict Resolution Training, Response to Hate Crime and Discrimination.

May 8-9 Accountability in Government, Multiregional Group of 19: International issues in business and government accountability with a focus on trade and institutional ethics education and training.

May 8-14 Grassroots Communications – Getting the Word Out, Group of 5 from Belarus: Examining how grassroots organizations and partnerships have impacted civil society, their role in community outreach and the U.S. democratic system. Also exploring tools, techniques and resources used by grassroots organizations to recruit, organize and mobilize youth members.

May 14-18 Independence and Responsibility in Journalism, Group of 5 from Azerbaijan: Examine editorial decision making for news and public affairs programming, the relationship between the media and political interests in the U.S., election coverage.

May 14-18 International Security Issues, Multiregional Group of 7: Legislatures’ platform on domestic and international security, patrol vessel and terminal security system at a state level, academic programs on security issues of regional and global concerns.

May 17-21 U.S. Canada Security Issues, Group of 2 from Canada: Role of federal, state, and local governments in carrying out security and foreign policy. This group will be looking at seaport and immigration control, and how security restrictions on the borders affect businesses.

May 17 – 21 Mr. Ferry JACOB, Head, Multilateral and Regional Cooperation Subdivision, Trade Research and Development Agency, Indonesia: Pacific Rim trade, agricultural trade, government promotion of trade, fair trade and labor issues, intellectual property rights and trade agreements.

May 18-19 Local Government/Economic Development, Group of 5 from the People’s Republic of China: To learn the function of the local government in promotion of the local economy.

May 20-23 Trade and Economic Development, Group of 11 from Europe: Examination of international trade in Washington state as well as analysis of cooperation between non-profit organizations, corporations, and government agencies that foster economic development through trade.

May 21-24 The Power of the Internet and Rule of Law, Group of 2 from the People’s Republic of China: New Media, Civic Journalism, School of Journalism, Youth Media Initiatives, Transparency and Freedom of Information.

May 22-28 Port Security, Group of 6 from Albania: Examination of port security, focusing on issues of ferry management, border control, military issues and environmental clean-up.

May 24-28 Foreign Policy, Group of 7 from Korea: Trade, cultural relations, clubs, Korean Studies programs, and military.

May 28 – June 1 Approaches to Peace and Conflict Resolution, Group of 16 from Iran: Preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution in domestic and international affairs, alternative dispute mediation, conflict resolution and peace studies.

May 31-June 4 Ms. Katrine CAMILLERI, Assistant Director, Jesuit Refugee Service: Examine immigration, citizenship, and refugee policies and services in government, non-governmental organizations, and in the private sector.

June 1 – 6 U.S. Trade Policy, Multiregional Group of 21: Focus on United States trade policy, business, and commerce.

June 1-4 Mr. Vassilios KARAMITSANIS, President: PLATFORMA, Greece: U.S. approaches to contemporary art, film, and media, art fundraising and programs with youth and college students, Seattle Film Festival.

June 4 – 7 ITT from Japan Group of 3: Exploring issues of aviation in the area.

June 11 – 15 International Crime Issues, Multiregional Group of 7: Exploring U.S. criminal justice system in relation to international crime and U.S. foreign policies against terrorism and international crime, and examining its impact on the political, economic and social stability of the entire world community.

June 14 – 18 International Aviation and Environmental Protection, Group of 10 from the Europe: Interested in discussion of how the environment has been affected due to aviation, including air quality, noise and alternative fuel use.

June 14 – 18 Port Security and Maritime Disaster Prevention, Group of 5 from Russia: U.S. port security and maritime transportation systems, inter-agency cooperation between Russian officials, American educational institutions that train specialists in the field of port security and maritime disaster prevention.

June 17 – 21 Transparency and Good Governance, Regional Group of 14 from Latin America: Role of private citizens in policy decisions and government oversight, concept and protection of whistleblowers, sustainable economic development.

June 18-21 Intellectual Property Rights in China: Examining the U.S. perspective on IPR in China, IPR enforcement systems in the U.S., immigration and customs enforcement, management of hotlines and information systems, anti-counterfeiting campaigns.

June 18 – 22 American Libraries, Regional Group of 9 from East Asia: how libraries build a democratic society, the role of academic libraries, integration of Muslim communities in American society.

June 21-25 Administration and Accountability in Local Government, Group of 5 from Pakistan. Analyze how local governmental agencies in the United States carry out policy decisions and how citizens hold their leaders accountable.

June 24-28 ASEAN Youth Ambassador Program, Group of 13 from Indonesia. Promotion of Association of Southeast Asian Nations by competitively selected youth ambassadors.

July 2 – 6 American Corners and the Modern Library, Group of 6 from Russia: Community support for public libraries, fiscal oversight of library systems, global library programs.

October 14-18 Immigration and Integration in Belgium, Group from Belgium: Education, job training, conflict resolution, intercultural training, and facilitating the integration of immigrant youth.