National council for international visitors
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The National Council for International Visitors (NCIV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1961 to promote excellence in citizen diplomacy. NCIV members include individuals, program agencies, and 90 community organizations throughout the United States. NCIV members design and implement professional programs, provide cultural activities, and offer home hospitality opportunities for foreign leaders, specialists, and international scholars participating in the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program and other exchange programs. More than one third of the community members are staffed completely by volunteers. Each year the aggregate efforts of NCIV members involve more than 80,000 volunteers. Member organizations are expert at matching the resources of their communities with the needs of international visitors.[1]
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[edit] History
In 1961, a growing network of community organizations and national program agencies established a national office to represent their interests, facilitate their relations with the federal government, and provide coordination, education, and training to the member organizations. Founded as COSERV (National Council for Community Services to International Visitors), the National Council for International Visitors assumed its current name in 1982. Senator Arlen Specter nominated NCIV’s citizen diplomat volunteers for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
[edit] Mission
The mission of the NCIV is to promote excellence in citizen diplomacy. Citizen diplomacy is the concept that, in a vibrant democracy, the individual has the right – even the responsibility – to help shape U.S. foreign relations through person-to-person international exchanges.
NCIV maintains a small national office in Washington, DC. Its seven staff members, with leadership from Sherry Mueller, President, and policy guidance from a 16-person board of directors, are committed to assisting and training its members (1) to build their leadership and nonprofit management skills, and (2) to develop their capacity to arrange high quality programs for foreign leaders, specialists, and students. NCIV advocates for international exchange and citizen diplomacy, conducts education and training programs and conferences, serves as a clearing-house for information about the network, publishes resource materials, and develops standards for the network.
