The Vermont Council on World Affairs works with the International Visitor Leadership Program of the U.S. Department of State, the Open World program of the Library of Congress, and the Community Connections program of USAID in scheduling meetings and events for visitors from around the world.  We have hosted more than 2,500 visitors in the past, and we continue to welcome new visitors to Vermont.

To view delegations who visited Vermont in 2006 click here

To view delegations who visited Vermont in 2005 click here

International Visitor Leadership Program

Delegations Scheduled to Visit Vermont in 2008:

• Iraq (March 1-6):  Eight Iraqis will be visiting to learn about grassroots democracy by attending our town meetings and being involved in election activities.
• Europe (April 19-23):  Nine delegates from Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Romania will be visiting on the them of alternative energy.
• Ukraine (June 5-26):  Ten Ukrainians will be visiting to learn about forest preservation and national park management.

Delegations who have already visited Vermont in 2008:

• Multiregional group (February 7-9):  Twenty delegates from 20 different countries (Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lithuania, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, the People’s Republic of China, Romania, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, and Uganda) visited Vermont to learn more about intellectual property rights, copyrights, and patent law.  During their stay, they met with Governor Douglas, Lt. Governor Dubie, Vermont Supreme Court Justice Brian Burgess, Michael Chernick of the Vermont Legislative Council Peter Kunin at the Vermont Law School, Andrew Manitsky of Gravel and Shea, Mark Oettinger, and Emily Wetherell, a law clerk at the Vermont Supreme Court.

• Belarus (January 17-20):  Four university officials from Belarus visited Vermont and during their visit they met with Gail Stevenson, Director of International Programs at Champlain College; Professor Kevin McKenna of the Russian and Eastern European Studies Program at the University of Vermont; and Professor Robert Niemi, Coordinator of the American Studies Program at Saint Michael’s College.  They also enjoyed dinner at the home of Evan & Mary MacEwan and were our featured guests at the “East Meets West” potluck dinner.

In calendar year 2007, we hosted 25 delegations of international visitors totaling 124 delegates from 49 different countries (Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Germany, Guatemala, India, Japan, Iraq, Korea, Kosovo, Latvia, Macedonia, the Maldives, the Marshall Islands, Moldova, Montenegro, Nepal, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Russia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Turkey, Uganda, Venezuela, and the West Bank). The delegates were accompanied by 49 officials from the U.S. Department of State and other government agencies. The topics of their visits included criminal justice, community development, environmental education, grassroots democracy, journalism, the judiciary, local government, political parties, renewable energy, rural health care, sustainable agriculture, telecommunications, and youth leadership.

Delegations Who Visited Vermont in 2007:

• Turkey (December 8-11):  Five political party representatives visited Vermont as part of the American Council on Young Political Leaders program to learn about politics & government in Vermont. During their stay, they met with Governor Douglas; Senator Vincent Illuzi; Representative Rachel Weston; Rob Roper, the Chair of the Vermont Republican Party; Jill Krowinski, the Executive Director of the Vermont Democratic Party; and other Vermonters.

• Japan (December 2-16): Toshikazu Shimizu, the Superintendent of the Japanese National Police Agency, visited Vermont to learn about DNA analysis and quality assurance for criminal investigations. During his stay, he enjoyed overnight stays at the home of Roger & Kit Stone and Ray & Shirley Benson. He met with faculty and students of the Criminal Justice and Digital Forensics programs of Champlain College; members of the Burlington and Middlebury Police Departments; Chittenden State's Attorney T.J. Donovan; Addison County State's Attorney John Quinn ; the FBI Joint Task Force on Terrorism; the Director of Criminal Justice Services for the Vermont Department of Public Safety; the Commander of the Criminal Division of the Vermont State Police; criminal defense Attorney Frank Langrock; the Vermont Police Academy; David Tartter, Assistant Attorney General; the Director and staff of the Vermont Forensic Laboratory; and other Vermonters involved in these issues.
• Korea (November 24-28):Mr. Kang Wong Kim, Assistant Manager of the New and Renewable Energy Center, learned about renewable energy initiatives in Vermont through visits to Draker Laboratories; the Clean Energy Group; the Vermont Natural Resources Center; and Vermont Building Resources.
• China (November 10-14):  Mr. Xuanguo Fu, Vice President of Hainan Broadcasting and TV station, met with Dr. Juefei Wang, Dr. Jing-hua Yin, and students of the Asian Languages and Literatures program at UVM; Greg Epler Wood, a community television consultant; Dr. Jeff Rutenbeck, the Dean of Communications & Creative Media at Champlain College, and his students; Dr. John Hyde and other faculty and students of the Department of Journalism & Communications at Saint Michael’s College; and Marselis Parsons, News Director for WCAX-TV.  Mr. Fu was also interviewed on Mark Johnson’s radio program, and was hosted for dinner at the home of Barry Dimson and Pamela Laurence.
• Iraq (November 7-9) 8 high level officials, including the Governor of Al Anbar Province, the Mayor of Ramadi, the Chair of the Al Anbar Provincial Council, and others came to Vermont especially to meet with Vermont soldiers who had served in Al Anbar Province.  During their visit, the met with Governor Douglas and Lt. Governor Dubie; General Dubie and members of the Vermont National Guard’s Task Force Saber,  and Mayor Kiss of Burlington.  They were hosted for a tour, dinner and a reunion with Vermont veterans of Iraq at Norwich University.  The Governor of Al Anbar Province and the Mayor of Ramadi were also interviewed on Mark Johnson’s radio talk show.You can read about their visit by clicking on one of the following links: Burlington Free Press Article, WPTZ Plattsburgh article and video, or WCAX Coverage
  
•  Brazil (October 31-November 2): 2 Mayors from Brazil learned about  local government in meetings with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns; William J. Fraser, the City Manager of Montpelier, and Al Voegele, the Town Manager of Colchester.  They also enjoyed an evening in Burlington with members of the Sambatucada band and other Vermonters with ties to Brazil.

• Southeast Asia (October 16-19): 7 delegates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Qatar explored the topic of rural health care in meetings with Paul Ugalde and Scott Connollly of the Population Media Center; Tracy Phillips and Lisa Hardy of the Ladies First program at the Vermont Department of Health; Dr. Charles MacLean of the Area Health Education Center at UVM; the Vermont Nurses Association; and the Community Health Center of Burlington.

• Iraq (October 14-17): 5 young leaders from Iraq, including the Mayor of Faida Village, met with Lt. Governor Brian Dubie;  Mayor Bob Kiss of Burlington;  Jo LaMarche, Burlington’s Director of Elections; and VCWA intern and Saint Michael’s College senior, Michelle Kayser, who introduced them to the Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts program at Saint Michael’s College.  They also addressed students in Dr. Gause’s Middle East Politics class at UVM and a global studies class at Champlain Valley Union High School.
• Macedonia (October 8-11): 7 Mayors from Gostivar, Saraj, Veles, Cair, Karposh, and Gazi Baba enjoyed an economic city tour of Burlington led by Ed Antczak of Burlington’s Community & Economic Development Office; met with Mayor Bob Kiss of Burlington; Jo LaMarche, Burlington’s Director of Elections;  former Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle;  Burlington Telecom Director Tim Nulty;  Dr. Mary Watzin, Director of the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory;  VCWA Chair and Colchester Town Manager, Al Voegele; and VCWA member and volunteer Mike Goldstein.  They also attended a meeting of the Burlington City Council.
• Russia (October 6-14): 5 Russian teachers enjoyed being guests in the homes of Ken & Gail Albert and Bill & Michelle Nordberg during their visit, as well as dinner at the home of Kit & Roger Stone.  Their professional appointments included meetings with Sean McMannon, the principal of Champlain Valley Union High School and attending classes arranged by CVUHS senior and VCWA Board member, Taylor Bates;  Jan Bedard of the Connecting Youth in Chittenden South; Joel Cook, Executive Director of the Vermont-National Education Association and several of his colleagues; the Vermont Department of Education for a series of appointments arranged by Mark Oettinger, General Counsel;  speaking to students at South Burlington High School,  Essex Junction High School, and the Red Cedar School; attending a prospective parents’ evening at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School;  meeting with participants in the ReCycle North Youth Build program; and meeting with faculty and students of the Russian Language School at Middlebury College.
• The Balkans (October 2-5): 7 delegates from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia visited Vermont on the theme of youth leadership initiatives and met with Allen Robinson, Executive Director of the Imani Youth and Family Center;  Shannon Dixon of the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington;  Heidi St. Peter, Director of the Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts program at Saint Michael’s College;  Susie Marchand, Coordinator of the Shelburne Explorers 4-H Club at Shelburne Farms; and spoke to Dr. Novotny’s senior seminar on Conflict Resolution at Saint Michael’s College as well as a Global Studies class at Champlain Valley Union High School.  VCWA members Barry Dimson and Pamela Laurence hosted them for dinner in their home. VCWA  intern Michelle Kayser accompanied them to a meeting at the Essex Teen Center, and VCWA member and volunteer Mike Goldstein joined them for dinner.
• Japan (September 8-11):  Ms. Miho Kaga, Director of the Hokkaido UR Research Institute, visited Vermont on the theme of environmental nonprofit organizations.  While in Vermont, she enjoyed dinner at the home of Toshiharu and Hideko Furukawa, attending the 6th Annual Vermont Small Farms Food Fest, a scenic sunset dinner cruise on Lake Champlain, and meetings with Dr. Mary Watzin, Director of the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory;  Pixley Tyler Hill and Paul Madden of the Friends of the Missisquoi Bay; Michaela Stickney, the Vermont Lake Champlain Coordinator for the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources; and Jen Cirillo, Coordinator of the Sustainable Schools Project at Shelburne Farms.
• Belgium (August 25-29):  Ms. Annick De Ridder, a member of the Flemish Parliament, visited Vermont on the theme of clean energy & transportation issues.  During her stay, she met with Karen Glitman, the Program Director and Clean Cities Coordinator at UVM; Dan Dutcher, Project Director, Clean Energy Group; and Brian Cosgrove of Entergy-Vermont Nuclear Power Corporation.  She also had the opportunity to network with several young Vermont women involved in political life, including Representative Heidi Scheuermann, Representative Rachel Weston, and Representative Mitzi Johnson, and visited our State House where she was given a guided tour and briefing on Vermont legislative procedures by Michael Chernick of the Legislative Council.
• Multi Regional (August 1-4) Five delegates from Cambodia, Cameroon, Hungary, Latvia, and the Marshall Islands visited Vermont on the theme of the American judicial process. During their stay in Montpelier, they met with Major Thomas L’Esperance, Criminal Division Commander, Vermont State Police; Ben Scotch, former lead attorney for the Vermont Supreme Court; Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell and Assistant Vermont Attorney General David Tartter; Vermont Supreme Court Justice John Dooley; Judge Mary Miles Teachout of the Washington County Supreme Court; and Robert Paquin of Senator Patrick Leahy’s Montpelier office.
• Chile (July 15-18): Marcello Frattasio of the Under Secretariat of Telecommunications visited Vermont for meetings with Governor Douglas; John Bloch and Kenric Kite of Onion River Community Access TV; Tom Murray, the Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Information & Innovation; and Kimberly Gates Maynard, owner and operator of the Franklin Telephone Company. Tim Nulty, the head of Burlington Telecom, hosted Mr. Frattasio at his home for dinner and met with him professionally as well.
• Afghanistan (July 2-5): Six officials from the Paktika province of Afghanistan visited Vermont on the theme of Community Development and Rural Health Care.  During their stay, they met with Lt. Governor Brian Dubie; General Michael Dubie of the Vermont National Guard; Peter Hofstetter, CEO, and Jonathan Billings, Director of Planning & Community Services, at the Northwestern Medical Center; St. Albans officials including Mary Garceau, City Manager, Jane Kiser, Director of Community Development, and Karen Bresnahan, Executive Director of St. Albans for the Future; Jonathan Hoffman of Direct Aid International;  and Roger Allbee, Secretary of the Vermont Department of Agriculture, Food and Markets.  They aslo attended a community meeting hosted by Al Voegele, the Town Manager of Colchester; and met with Afghan students and faculty at the Saint Michael’s College.  While in St. Albans, they joined members of the Vermont Council for a dutch treat lunch; watched the 4th of July fireworks in Burlington’s Waterfront Park; attended the Waitsfield/Warren 4th of July Parade and Field Day;  and were hosted by Lee McIsaac for a pot luck supper with her neighbors. VCWA member Inge Schaefer and Adam Silver, Executive Director of the Asian Cultural Center of Vermont, accompanied them on their visit.

Delegation from Afghanistan tours the Northwest Regional Medical Center in St. Albans

• Moldova (June 20 - July 11): Ten Moldovans visited Vermont on the theme of Nonprofit Organization Capacity Building, and were hosted in the homes of 13 generous Vermont families during their stay.  Nancy Cathcart, Director of the Center for Service and Civic Engagement, hosted a roundtable discussion for leaders of VT nonprofit organizations and the Moldovans to initiate their program.  Other professional meetings included appointments at Burlington’s Center for Community & Neighborhoods, the Howard Center for Community Services, the Clarina Howard Nichols Center, Shelburne Farms, the Vermont Center for Independent Living, Project Harmony, the Institute for Sustainable Communities, AARP, the Center for Peace & Justice, Women Helping Battered Women, the Champlain Housing Trust, and NeighborKeepers.  Moldovans currently living in Vermont joined them for social events, and VCWA Board member Bill Ryerson and his wife Leta Finch welcomed the delegation and their host families for dinner in their home.  Kit & Roger Stone and Frank & Ducky Donath were among the host families who also invited the entire delegation to their homes for dinner.  The Moldovans participated in Colchester’s 4th of July parade and enjoyed many scenic attractions during their visit.

• Hong Kong/China (June 17-20): Mr. Simon Lee, an international banker and  member of the Election Committee of the Democratic Party of Hong Kong, visited Vermont on the theme of grassroots democracy. During his stay, he met with Jill Krowinski, Executive Director of the Vermont Democratic Party; Morgan Daybell, Executive Director of the Vermont Progressive Party; Ben Scotch, former Executive Director of the Vermont American Civil Liberties Union; Alden Guptill, Executive Director of the Vermont Republican Party; Michael Quinn, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Economic Development; Chuck Ross, Vermont State Director for U.S. Senator Patrick J. Leahy; Tom Hughes, Executive Director of Democracy for America; Peter Regan of Hazelett Strip-Casting Corporation; and Al Voegele, Town Manager of Colchester.  Bonnie & Andrew Tangalos, members of the Vermont Council on World Affairs Board of Directors, hosted him in their home for dinner.
• Russia (June 9-17):  5 Russian women visited Vermont as part of the Open World program on the theme of NGO management and women as leaders.  During their visit, they stayed in the homes of Mike and Emina Burak, Carol Canfield Swearingen, Megan and Greg Epler Wood, and Patricia Hanson.  They met with Governor Douglas; Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz; Ann Marin, the Executive Director of Project Harmony; Bill Mares of the Vermont Beekeepers Association; David Mullin, Executive Director of Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity; Serena Chaudry, Executive Director of the Center for Peace & Justice; Jane Van Buren, President of Noonmark Services; Dr. Duncan Wilkie, Senior Archeologist with the Vermont Department of Transportation; Will Patten, Executive Director, and Andrea Cohen, Public Policy Coordinator, for Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility;   Tudor Mcoanu and his colleagues at the Champlain Housing Trust; Sasha Barnes and her colleagues at The Institute for Sustainable Communities; Mark Oettinger, General Counsel of the Vermont Department of Education; Ben Scotch, former Executive Director of the Vermont American Civil Liberties Union; Jeannine Russell, a transportation archeologist at the Vermont Department of Transportation; and Catherine Simonson of the Howard Center. They were also interviewed by Rosalyn Graham of the South County Sentinel.  They were hosted for lunch at the home of Mary Field Belenky and Bob Belenky in Marshfield, and for dinner by the Buraks and Carol Canfield Swearingen.

Russian Open World visitors meeting with Governor Jim Douglas and Secretary of State Deb Markowitz.

• Latin America (June 7 - 13): Sixteen leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela visited on the theme of Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development.  During their stay, they met with Terry Bradshaw, Manager of UVM’s Horticultural Research Center; Megan Camp, Sam Dixon, Marshall Webb and Rosalyn Graham of Shelburne Farms; Kit Perkins, Executive Director of The Intervale; Shellie Swann, International Manager of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters; Roger Allbee, Secretary of the Vermont Department of Agriculture, Food and Markets; and Megan Epler Wood of EplerWood International and past president of the International Ecotourism Society.

To read an Infarmation article about the Latin American delegation click HERE.

• Scandinavia (June 2-6): Four delegates from Denmark, Finland and Sweden visited Vermont on the theme of Energy and Climate Change.  During their stay, they attended our China Town Hall meeting on “China Power: How Do You Bring Clean Energy to 1.25 Billion People?” at Vermont College; met with Lewis Milford, President & CEO of the Clean Energy Group; Jake Brown of the Vermont Natural Resources Council; Betsy Anderson and Mark Preston of Distributed Energy Systems; Blair Hamilton of Vermont Energy Investment Corporation;  Anne Doremus and Julie Won of Hanson Investment Management; Donald DeHayes, Dean of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at UVM and his colleagues, Dean Wang, Gioia Thompson, and Vernon Grubinger; Bruce McGeoch of Draker Solar Design; Dorothy Wolfe, President of gro Brillian Energy Solutions; and Brian Cosgrove of Entergy-Vermont Nuclear Power Corporation.  They also toured NRG Systems and were hosted for dinner at the home of VCWA members Dennis and Sandie Lindberg.
• Multi-Regional (May 16-22): Six leaders from Argentina, Estonia, Germany, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and the West Bank visited Vermont on the theme of local government.  They enjoyed an economic city tour of Burlington as well as meetings with Burlington's Mayor and Director of Elections, the Church Street Marketplace Commission, and town officials in Colchester, Williston and Winooski. They also spoke to students at Colchester High School and were hosted in the homes of Vermont Council on World Affairs members.
• China (April 7-11): 2 Environmental educators from China visited Vermont and enjoyed meetings with Kevin Dorn,  Secretary of Commerce  & Community Development; Dana Eidsness, Director of International Trade for the Vermont Global Trade Partnership; Jen Cirillo of  the Sustainable Schools Project  at Shelburne Farms.  They also spoke at an Environmental Studies Senior Seminar at Middlebury College, and were hosted by Randy Kritkausky and Carolyn Schmidt of Ecologia, and Peter Lynch of Green Across the Pacific during their stay.
• Armenia (March 22-April 13):8 Armenians involved in the Bed & Breakfast industry visited Vermont as part of the Community Connections program to learn about B&B Customer Service.  They visited a number of B&Bs and Country Inns throughout Vermont, and attended classes on Hospitality Management at Champlain College and Johnson College.
• Southeast Asia (February 10-17):Ten journalists from Southeast Asia (Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) visited Vermont on the theme of investigative reporting, community development, and state & local government. Stranded in Vermont during the Valentine's Day Blizzard, they nonetheless enjoyed asleigh ride at Shelburne Farms, a reception at the home of VCWA member Dr. Saleem Ali, a meeting at the Center for Rural Studies at UVM, a roundtable discussion at the Peace & Justice Center, a visit to Burlington College, a discussion with Ken Picard of Seven Days, a meeting with Al Voegele, the Town Manager of Colchester at the Colchester Meeting House, and a day at the State House where they met Governor Douglas, Lt. Governor Brian Dubie, Senator Diane Snelling, and Michael Chernick of the Legislative Council. They were able to observe the Legislature in session and had a tour of the State House personally conducted by Vermont State Buildings Curator David Schutz before stopping in Waterbury Center for a tour of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory.

Southeast Asia delegation meets with Governor Douglas