International Visitor Leadership Program Explained

The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is a professional exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The mission of IVLP is to offer current and emerging international leaders the opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of American political, economic, social and cultural life through carefully designed exchanges that reflect participants’ professional interests and the public diplomacy objectives of the United States government.

The exchange brings up to 5,000 professional emerging leaders from around the world to the United States each year for programs of up to three weeks. The program is nomination only by staff at U.S. Embassies.^[1]

History

In 1940, Nelson Rockefeller was named the Coordinator of Commercial and Cultural Affairs for the American Republics. He initiated the exchange of persons program with Latin America, inviting 130 Latin American journalists to the United States and recognized as the first exchange under what would become the IVLP. In 1948 representative Karl E. Mundt and Senator H. Alexander Smith marshaled the Informational and Educational Exchange Act, also known as the Smith-Mundt Act which was passed by the 80th United States Congress and approved by President Harry S. Truman. During a time when Americans grew increasingly concerned about Soviet propaganda, the purpose of the Smith-Mundt was "to promote a better understanding of the United States in other countries, and to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries" though educational and cultural exchanges. From this legislation birthed the Foreign Leaders Program, which was eventually consolidated into the International Visitor Program (IVP) in 1952. In 2004, the IVP was renamed the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).^{[2] [3]}

Goals

The purpose of the IVLP is to:

1. cultivate lasting relationships between current and emerging professionals around the world and their American counterparts
2. provides opportunities for foreign opinion makers to gain firsthand knowledge about U.S. society, culture and politics^[4]

Notable alumni

The following tables list the 338 current and former chiefs of state and heads of government who have participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program.

East Asia and Pacific

Country	Name	Highest Position	Year Participated
		Prime Minister	2006
		Governor General	1978
		Prime Minister	1977
		Governor General	1970
		Prime Minister	1964
		Prime Minister	1964
Cook Islands		Prime Minister	1987
		President	1961
		Acting President	1964
		President	1963
		Governor General	1964
		President	1989
		President	1979
		Prime Minister	1981, 1980
		Prime Minister	1988
		Prime Minister	1980
		Prime Minister	2000, 1962
		Prime Minister	1973
		Prime Minister	1963, 1953
		President	1994
		Prime Minister	1998
		Prime Minister	1989
		Prime Minister	1983
		Prime Minister	1971, 1962
		Prime Minister	1965
		Prime Minister	1967
		Prime Minister	1958
		President	1968
		Governor-General	1976
		Prime Minister	1971
		President	1964
		Vice President	2020
		Prime Minister	1981
		President	1964
		President	1979
		President	1965
		President	1964
		Prime Minister	1977
	Hyun Seung-jong	Acting Prime Minister	1971
	Lee Yung-duk	Prime Minister	1966
	Kim Sang-hyup	Prime Minister	1970, 1960
		Prime Minister	1975
		Prime Minister	1971
	Lee Han-key	Prime Minister	1972
	Choi Doo-sun	Prime Minister	1950
		President	2003, 1971
		President	1990
		Prime Minister	1971
		King	1964
		Prime Minister	1968
		Prime Minister	1976

Europe

Country/Region	Name	Highest Position	Year Participated
		Prime Minister	1996, 1995
		President	1964
		Chancellor	1987
		Chancellor	1984, 1971
		Chancellor	1975
		Chancellor	1958
		Chancellor	1965
		Prime Minister	1983
		Prime Minister	1983
		Prime Minister	1971
		Prime Minister	1967
		Prime Minister	1984
		Prime Minister	2004
		Prime Minister	1992
		Prime Minister	1990
	Zoran Milanović	Prime Minister	1996
		President	2002
		Prime Minister	1998
		President	1998
		President	1968
		Prime Minister	1999, 1994
		Prime Minister	1989
		Prime Minister	1982
		Prime Minister	1985
		Prime Minister	2005, 1992
		President	1992
		President	1983
		Prime Minister	2003
		Prime Minister	1993
		Prime Minister	1974
		Prime Minister	1979
		Prime Minister	1970
		Prime Minister	1995
		President	1985
		Prime Minister	1984
		Prime Minister	1977
		Prime Minister	1978
		Prime Minister	1965
		Prime Minister	1977
		President	1956
		Prime Minister	1961
		Prime Minister	1956
		President	1999
		Prime Minister	1997
		Prime Minister	1997
		President	1993
		President	2000
		Chancellor	1981
		President	1978
		President	1951
		President	1950
		Chancellor	1954
		Chancellor	1954
		Chancellor	1956
		Prime Minister	1995
		Prime Minister	1959
		President	1951
		President	1952
		Prime Minister	1958, 1953
		Prime Minister	1981
		Prime Minister	1989
		Prime Minister	1985
		Prime Minister	1983
		Prime Minister	1984
		President	1957
		Prime Minister	1989
		President	1976
		Prime Minister	1980
		President	1960
		President	1966
		President	1963
		Prime Minister	1981
		Prime Minister	1979
		Prime Minister	1981
		Prime Minister	1952
		Prime Minister	1960
		President	2003
		Prime Minister	2001
		Prime Minister	2000
		President	1994
		President	2002, 1993
		President	1992
		Prime Minister	1973
		Prime Minister	2000
		President	1996
		Prime Minister	1996
		Prime Minister	1984
		President	1974, 1975
	Guido De Marco	President	1973
		Prime Minister	1990
		President	1971
		Prime Minister	1965
		President	2005
		President	1995
		Prime Minister	1999
	Film director	2006			Prime Minister	1985
								Prime Minister	1978
	Prime Minister	1953, 1979
Norway	Erna Solberg	Prime Minister	1996
		Prime Minister	1988
		Prime Minister	1982
		Prime Minister	1971
		Prime Minister	1978
		Prime Minister	1979
		Prime Minister	2004
		President	2006
		Prime Minister	1995
		Prime Minister	1988
		Prime Minister	1978
		Prime Minister	2000
		President	1994
		President	1978
		President	1965
		President	1976
		Prime Minister	1978
		Prime Minister	1965
		Prime Minister	1995
		Prime Minister	1991
		President	1988
		Deputy
		Prime Minister	2002
		Prime Minister	1973
		President	1993
		National Councilor	2019
		President	1995
		President	1957
		President	1994
		President
		Prime Minister	1992, 1984
		Prime Minister	1992, 1986
		Prime Minister	1967
		Prime Minister	1953
		First Minister of Scotland	2008

North Africa, Near East, South Asia and Central Asia

Country	Name	Highest Position	Year Participated
		President	1987
			1977
		Prime Minister	1952
		Prime Minister	1987
		Prime Minister	1993
		President	1968
		Prime Minister	1990
		Prime Minister	1977
		President	1999, 1986
		Prime Minister	1993
		Prime Minister	1960
		Prime Minister	1961
		Prime Minister	1962
	Arun Daniel Yellamaty		2022
		President	1980
		Prime Minister	1978
		Prime Minister	1977
		Prime Minister	1988
		Prime Minister	1969
		President	2004
		President	1979, 1972
		President	1971
		Media Personality	2006
		Prime Minister	1986
		Prime Minister	1965, 1961
		Prime Minister	1993
		Prime Minister
		President	1949
		President	1989
		Prime Minister	1988, 1981
		Prime Minister	1975
		President	1966
		Prime Minister	1964
		Prime Minister	1989

Sub-Saharan Africa

Country	Name	Highest Position	Year Participated
		President	1997
		President	1976
		President	1975
		President	1999, 1986
		President	1966
		Prime Minister	1999
		Prime Minister	1992
		President	1993
		Prime Minister	1974
		President	Late 1960s
		President	1962
		Prime Minister	1992
		President	1999
		President	1969
		Queen	1993
		President	1973
		President	1964
		President	1989
		President	1980
		President	1978
		President	1981
		Prime Minister	1986
		President	1985
		Governor General	1982
		Governor General	1969
		President	1987
		Prime Minister	1986
		Prime Minister	1996
		Prime Minister	1990
		Prime Minister	1986
		Vice President
		Prime Minister	1986
		President	1976
		Prime Minister	1975
		President	1967
		Prime Minister	1986
		President	1960
		President	2001
		Prime Minister	1997
		Prime Minister	1972
		Prime Minister	1990
		Prime Minister	2011
		Prime Minister	1979
		Prime Minister	1989

Western Hemisphere

Country	Name	Highest Position	Year Participated
		President	1966
		President	1981
		Prime Minister	1988
		Prime Minister	1975
		Prime Minister	1973
		Prime Minister	1995
		President	2002, 1979
		President	1992
		President	1964
		Governor General	1978
		President	1988
		Mayor	2021
		President	1998
		President	1985
		President	1982
		President	1952
		President	1977
		Prime Minister	1971
		President	1985
		Prime Minister	1995
		Prime Minister	1979
		President	1991
		President	1995
		President	1979
		President	1960
		President	1985
		President	1993
		President	1962
		President	1986
		President	1986
		Governor General	1972
		Prime Minister	1967
		President	1966
		President	1976
		President	1992
		President	1982
		President	1988
		Prime Minister	1983
		President	1980
		President	1959
		President	1986
		President	1993
		President	1986
		President	1985
		Prime Minister	1981
		Governor General	1981
		Prime Minister	1960
		President	1992
		President	1989
		Prime Minister	1988
		Prime Minister	1997
	Vladimiro Montesinos	Intelligence chief	1976^[5]
		Prime Minister	1990
		Premier	1980
		Premier	1972
		Prime Minister	1985
		Prime Minister	1973
		President	1981
		President	1978
		President	1986
		Prime Minister	1998
		Prime Minister	1988
		Prime Minister	1978
		President	1988
		President	1993
		President	1976
		President	1984
		President	1968
		President	1962
		President	1967

Agencies involved

The IVLP functions through a cooperative agreement with several National Program Agencies and Global Ties U.S., comprising organizations in 45 states, that arrange the itineraries for IVLP exchange participants.^[6]

• CRDF Global
• Cultural Vistas
• FHI360
• Institute of International Education
• Meridian International Center
• Mississippi Consortium for International Development
• American Councils for International Education
• World Learning

External links

• IVLP Overview
• Global Ties U.S.

Notes and References

1. Web site: IVLP Fact Sheet, U.S. Department of State. 2013-09-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20130525094452/http://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/ivlp-fact-sheet.pdf. 2013-05-25. dead.
2. Web site: Program History - International Visitor Leadership Program. 2013-09-24.
3. Web site: How do you spot a future world leader?, Jon Kelly, BBC News Magazine. 2013-09-24.
4. Web site: International Visitor Leadership Program. 2013-09-24.
5. Web site: Vladimiro Montesinos - The Declassified Record . 2023-04-16 . George Washington University.
6. Web site: Implementing Partnerships. 2013-09-24.