International Center of Worcester blog

“What it means to be a Citizen Diplomat”

intcent — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:34:40 +0000

Citizen Diplomacy is the concept that the individual has the right, even the responsibility, to help shape U.S. foreign relations ‘one handshake at a time.’ Citizen diplomats are students, teachers, athletes, artists, business people, humanitarians, adventurers or tourists who are motivated by a responsibility to engage with the rest of the world in a meaningful, mutually beneficial dialogue.

What it means for you to be a Citizen Diplomat? Share your story, personal experience or ask us about citizen diplomacy.

intcent — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:30:02 +0000

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Azerbaijan – Accountable Governance

intcent — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:31:54 +0000

ICW hosted visitors from Azerbaijan under the Open World program funded by the Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress. The theme of the program was “Accountable Governance” and it offered its participants an opportunity to meet with the Mayor of Worcester and other City officials to get an understanding of the local form of government. According to the specific theme of the program, such local professional resources as the City’s Election Commissioner, Chief Financial Officer, or Office of Economic Development were visited. ICW also selected private NGOs such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Women Voters, or other scores of private and community organizations in Worcester for the international visitors from Azerbaijan to meet with.

Participants are invited to comment.

Khabarovsk – TB/HIV Treatment in the USA

intcent — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:27:51 +0000

A group of 10 Russian professionals in TB and HIV came to Worcester under the Community Connection program entitled Tuberculosis and TB/HIV Care in the USA. The program’s goal was to equip participants with the knowledge on the US best practices of provision of comprehensive care to TB and TB/HIV patients, which includes medical care, counseling, and a wide range of social services; design of TB control programs and management of TB/HIV co-infection in civilian and prison settings; obligatory treatment of non-compliant patients with infectious forms of TB; etc. Participants also had an opportunity to establish professional connections with peers in the US, so that they can gain the knowledge, support, and inspiration necessary to successfully facilitate healthy lifestyle changes in Russia.

Comments from participants are welcome.

Pushkin – Provision of Municipal Services

intcent — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:23:22 +0000

Open world program titled Provision of Municipal Services

ICW hosted Russian professionals from our Sister city, Pushkin from September 17-25. Two men and three women from Pushkin town Administration and educational institutions visited Worcester to fulfill their business program and get a unique experience from their American colleagues. They took part in a professional exchange program on the theme of “Accountable Governance: Provision of Municipal Services” funded by the Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC. The delegates met with Mayor O’Brien, City Councilors, and representatives of the City Manager’s office. Their program also included visits to the Worcester public school, the YWCA, the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, the College of Professional and Continuing Education at Clark University and guided tours of Boston and Worcester. We had wonderful families who hosted one or two of these five delegates in their homes for eight days.

Comments from participants are welcome.

Engage the World and Improve Your Business

intcent — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:21:23 +0000

On April 7, 2009 the International Center of Worcester hosted a meeting titled, “Engage the World and Improve Your Business” at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Worcester, MA.

Guest speaker was Cari E. Guittard, Executive Director of Business for Diplomatic Action (http://businessfordiplomaticaction.org)

To refresh your memory about this event, you may download the description here: http://www.intcent.org/news_files/Business_Summit_Description.pdf

If you attended this event and would like to give us feedback on the experience, you are welcome to do so here.

Hello world!

intcent — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:48:31 +0000

We are new to blogging and hope to use this medium to promote “Citizen Diplomacy” in the Worcester, Massachusetts area.