Dear Friends,
In “normal” times, Earth Day on April 22 was always a big feature in the calendars of the internationally- and climate-minded. The same is true this year, even if events will be virtual. The day’s significance is highlighted this year by the Leaders’ Climate Summit on April 22-23. President Biden and Special Presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry invited 40 world leaders to the summit to mark the fifth anniversary of the Paris Accord and to underscore the urgency of the issue. The gathering is intended as a milestone on the road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November in Glasgow.
WorldBoston’s citizen diplomacy frequently concerns climate topics. For example, at the end of April, we’ll be one of several cities hosting a new “salon”-style virtual program for alumni of the IVLP, “Strategies for Climate Action”. Our multi-regional group will explore energy and infrastructure in Boston. We all miss our in-person visitors, but, really, that’s pretty cool!
As was always the case in “normal” times, April this year is a busy month for WorldBoston, with some outstanding programs on perennial hot topics, Korea and Iran, among others.
We hope to see you soon.
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Mary P. Yntema
President & CEO
p.s. On April 17 our local Academic WorldQuest winners, Boston Latin School, Somerset Berkley Regional High School (Team 1), and Weston High School, will compete in the National Academic WorldQuest tournament. Go, teams!
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Help WorldBoston bring the world to you!
As a non-profit organization, WorldBoston relies on the generosity and support of members, donors, and sponsors to accomplish our mission: foster engagement in international affairs and cooperation between people of all nations.
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The Korean Peninsula is facing a defining era. Though South Korean President Moon Jae-in and then-U.S. President Donald Trump tried to repair the rift between North and South Korea, any and all attempts lost momentum as Pyongyang continued to test long-range missiles for its nuclear weapons program. As the rift between the U.S. and China grows further, South Korea may end up in the middle of the two superpowers. What does the future hold for the U.S. relationship with the Republic of Korea?
This event is produced by our partner GBH Forum Network and sponsored by the Lowell Institute.
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Dr. Victor Cha is Senior Vice President and the inaugural holder of the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. In July 2019, he was appointed Vice Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs at the School for Foreign Affairs at Georgetown University. Dr. Cha was also the deputy head of delegation for the United States at the Six-Party Talks in Beijing and received two outstanding service commendations during his tenure at the National Security Council from 2004 to 2007.
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Chat & Chowder features key authors on global topics in an engaging setting. Even virtually, the spirit of “Chat” persists! We encourage everyone to BYOCB (Bring Your Own Chow(der) & Beverages), and also tojoin us for the informal post-Chat Chat with other WorldBoston members (separate Zoom link provided in registration confirmation email). Newcomers always welcome!
John Ghazvinian was born in Iran and raised in London and Los Angeles. He has a doctorate in history from Oxford University. Ghazvinian’s writing has appeared in Newsweek, The Sunday Times, The New Statesman, Slate, and The Nation. He is the Executive Director of the Middle East Center at the University of Pennsylvania and lives in Philadelphia.
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In this rich, fascinating history, John Ghazvinian traces the complex story of the relations of these two powers back to the Persian Empire of the eighteenth century–the subject of great admiration of Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams–and an America seen by Iranians as an ideal to emulate for their own government.
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On Saturday, April 17th, the World Affairs Councils of America’s Academic WorldQuest National Competition will take place.
Last month, we co-hosted the Eastern U.S. regional competition. We congratulate the top three teams from Massachusetts – Boston Latin School, Somerset Berkley Regional High School (Team 1), and Weston High School!
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WorldBoston’s international relations-themed TikTok competition is still in progress. The last day to submit TikToks is April 12th, and winners will recieve prizes for their schools!
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Missing international connectivity? Looking to get involved with virtual citizen diplomacy programs? Next month brings more virtual home hospitality opportunities and we’d love to get you in on a fun house tour and conversation about local life in whatever part of Greater Boston you call home!
- Friday, May 7 at 11am-12pm | Multi-regional, Journalism: Research & Investigation
- Monday, May 10 at 12:00-1:00pm | Multi-regional, Managing Foreign Aid and Foreign Direct Investment
- Friday, May 14 at 11:00am-12:00pm | Multi-regional, Journalism: Research & Investigation
- Thursday, May 13 at 10:45-11:45am | Multi-regional, Youth and Civic Engagement
If interested, please contact Sarah Sibley, VP for Citizen Diplomacy.
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YLAI will end nationally on April 16th. This year’s cohort of YLAI fellows was very impressive and dynamic – we wish them success moving forward and warmly welcome them on future visits back to Boston!
Follow @YLAIBoston on Instagram for local updates about the fellowship program.
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The Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by WorldBoston.
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Fulbright Visiting Scholar Enrichment Program
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As the official cultural enrichment host for New England scholars, WorldBoston facilitates virtual events for the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Enrichment Program. Currently, there are 14 scholars representing 11 countries living and working in New England. They are completing their scholarly work at the region’s most prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, MIT, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, among others.
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In March, we hosted:
- State Senator Joan Lovely and State Representatives Patricia Haddad, Hannah Kane, and Joan Meschino from the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislatorsto recognize Women’s History Month and explain the history of the Caucus. They also kindly described their important work as state legislators, from ensuring that the state of Massachusetts emerges stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic, to food insecurity, to climate change.
In April, we will host:
- Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) to discuss the U.S. community college model, the innovative educational practices at BHCC, and the college’s initiatives in workforce development.
- Emerald Necklace tour to see the series of connected parks around Boston that Frederick Law Olmsted designed in the 19th century.
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This Fulbright Enrichment activity is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE), and WorldBoston.
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Custom Visitor Programs
Have an idea for virtual international exchange? We do Custom Visitor Exchange programming to meet objectives of various clients — whether government, private, etc. Contact Josh Bruno, Manager of Citizen Diplomacy Programs, to learn more.
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With the U.S. Department of State keeping a hold on in-person exchange programming for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) through September 2021, we remain committed to welcoming virtual delegations. A warm thank you to all of our local citizen diplomats for joining us in this endeavor. Here’s who’s “visiting” in April:
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Venezuela and Spain
(based in Jerusalem)
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IVLP Series: Domestic Violence:
Unique Challenges Within the LGBTQ Community
Multi-Regional Project
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Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists: Research and Investigation
Regional Project, Western Hemisphere
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Promoting Cybersecurity
Multi-Regional Project
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IVLP Series: Youth Civic and Political Engagement
Multi-Regional Project
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IVLP Series: Strategies for Climate Action
Multi-Regional Project
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We are looking for new ideas for virtual cultural activities, especially seasonal options. If you have any, please contact our VP for Citizen Diplomacy, Sarah Sibley.
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WorldBoston celebrates the persistent work of Boston’s local diplomatic and representative corps. In this new “Corner” we note some recent arrivals and departures of senior members. Colleagues in the corps – please contact Jordan Pederson if you have a recent item to report!
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You Ki-Jun
Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Boston
Mr. You Ki-Jun began serving as the Consul General of the Republic of Korea to Boston in November. He was previously Director-General for International Legal Affairs of the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2016-2020. Read more and get in touch here.
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Özge Gülgün
Vice Consul of Turkey in Boston
Özge Gülgün was appointed the new Vice Consul of Turkey to New England at the beginning of September. She previously served in the Directorate General for Multilateral Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey. Read more and get in touch here.
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Welcome to last month’s new and returning WorldBoston members: Patrick Bench, Gulya Bugdaeva, Sarah Hong, and Peggy Lowenstein. Thank you, we appreciate your support!
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Check your inbox every Friday for “WorldBoston Recommends” — our staff picks for hiqh-quality virtual programs on global topics in the coming week.
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Missed any of our recent events? You can find video recordings of our events on our YouTube channel! Below are links to the most recent events:
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Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for updates!
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You are able to contribute to WorldBoston at no additional cost to you! If you shop at Amazon through this link or the AmazonSmile logo to the right, a portion of your purchase will be donated to WorldBoston. Bookmark our page today.
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Wait, Did You Miss Something?
Don’t forget to check our News section for announcements and past newsletters.
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The International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program and WorldBoston’s main citizen diplomacy partner. Launched in 1940, the IVLP is a professional exchange program that seeks to build mutual understanding between the U.S. and other nations through carefully designed short-term visits to the U.S. for current and emerging foreign leaders. These visits reflect the International Visitors’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the United States.
The U.S. Department of State’s bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers the IVLP. In doing so, the bureau enters cooperative agreements with National Program Agencies, a group of private, not-for-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C., that design and implement national IVLP itineraries. In addition to the National Program Agencies, the IVLP relies on the commitment and skills of local community organizations across the U.S., known as Community Based Members (CBMs). Under the professional association of Global Ties U.S., local CBM members develop professional programs, arrange cultural activities, and provide home hospitality for international visitors.
WorldBoston is part of the Global Ties Network of more than 90 CBMs in 45 states.
WorldBoston is a member of the World Affairs Councils of America,
a network of more than 90 independent Councils in more than 40 states.
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