Connect with industry leaders from around the world!
International Visitor Leadership Program
The World Affairs Council is the only organization in Washington state that manages the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) for the U.S. Department of State. IVLP is a professional development exchange program that advances U.S. foreign policy and builds long-term relationships between Americans and international leaders in government, business, academia, and other fields. Alumni include over 500 current and former heads of state, 12 Nobel Laureates, 1,600+ Cabinet Ministers, and 1,000+ Members of Parliament.
Every year, we welcome over 500 of these international visitors to Seattle and connect them with local leaders in an exchange of expertise, ideas, and cultural understanding.
Be a part of our growing professional network that directly engages in global dialogue, explores opportunities for partnership and collaboration, and sparks innovative ideas with fresh perspectives.
Dinner Diplomacy
Dinner diplomacy enables international visitors to meet informally with Americans. Whether the hosts are families, groups of friends, or an individual person, or if the meal is prepared at someone’s home or enjoyed at a favorite local restaurant, sharing a meal is an invaluable opportunity for all participants to learn more about each other’s culture, country, customs, and values. You can learn more by visiting www.world-affairs.org/program/dinner-diplomacy.
Our Local Impact
In FY 2023, the World Affairs Council turned $200,517 in federal funds for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) into $1,998,298 in local economic impact. Annually, we consistently average a 10:1 return rate on investment. More importantly, the conversations we help to facilitate lead to greater cultural understanding and appreciation. Hear what our local leaders and international visitors have had to say about their meetings:
“The group was fantastic, and they were super inquisitive with excellent questions. I was very impressed with the group.”
GeekWire representative about the “Friends, Partners, Allies Reporting Tour” IVLP
“Thank you for your efforts building bridges around the globe. We are all global citizens.”
Washington State Department of Commerce representative about the “Strengthening Resilience of Democracy and Sovereignty” IVLP
“That was a wonderful gathering! I’m so honored and grateful to meet such amazing legislators from across the globe but who share the same indigenous heritage and traditions that we do. We have so much in common and clearly so much to learn from one another.”
Washington State Representative about “Emerging Australian First Nations Leaders” IVLP
“The most striking and important aspect of this program was the emphasis on a multidimensional approach to criminal justice, which goes beyond punishment and focuses on prevention, redirection, and community integration…I think the program was ideal this way, I got a lot of different perspectives.”
International Visitor from “Regional Collaboration to Combat Transnational Crime” IVLP
“[The visitors] were completely amazed by Mary’s Place – the extent and reach of their assistance to victims; the plan is to use Mary’s Place as a model for a new center in Kyrgyzstan. They also mentioned the state senators with whom they met – they could not get over how dedicated they were, what good people they were, and how much they obviously cared about helping victims of domestic and gender-based violence.”
U.S. Department of State Program Officer about “Addressing Gender Based Violence” IVLP
