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Dear Friends,
The uniquely Boston holiday is nearly upon us — Patriots’ Day. In addition to commemorating the “shot heard around the world” 249 years ago in nearby Lexington and Concord, Boston will be welcoming athletes from around the world. Marathon runners, specifically, for the 128th Boston Marathon, which drew entries from citizens of 127 countries. Remarkable!
WorldBoston has been doing its part by already welcoming international citizens (some of whom may be marathon runners?) from over 70 countries this year so far! Far-flung countries, too, like Bhutan, Cook Islands, Fiji, Palau, Timor Leste, Togo, and Vanuatu. We warmly thank all of the community members who have been busy collaborating with us to host so many international leaders in their offices, homes, and schools, such as at Algonquin Regional High School.
Speaking of high schools and marathons, we held our own annual competition for high school students a couple weeks ago — Academic WorldQuest. Congratulations to the winning team from Boston Latin School who will represent Massachusetts at the national competition in Washington, D.C. this month!
While we might not spot any of you on the pavement of Heartbreak Hill or on the sidelines of the marathon route, we do hope to see you after Patriots’ Day on April 22nd for Chat & Chowder, or April 29th for Great Decisions. Join us for international engagement, expert insights, and more — no running required.
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Sarah Sibley
Vice President for Citizen Diplomacy
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P.S. – Good luck to any of the Boston Marathon runners among us!
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Help WorldBoston bring the world to you!
As a non-profit organization, WorldBoston relies on community support to deliver our mission of fostering engagement in international affairs and cooperation between people of all nations.
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Highlight
In early March, WorldBoston President & CEO Mary Yntema, Director of Citizen Diplomacy Programs Joshua Bruno, and IVLP Coordinator Charles Lewis had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to attend the Global Ties U.S. National Meeting. The theme of this year’s conference was “Diplomacy in Action: Raising Community Voices.” While there, they attended valuable working sessions, gained insights into the upcoming year of programming, and, of course, enjoyed seeing their counterparts from around the country in-person. Click here to see a video highlight reel from the National Meeting.
The World in Boston, and Boston in… Washington D.C.! Pictured is WorldBoston President Mary Yntema pointing out the Boston Harbor in one of the beautiful State Department Diplomatic Reception rooms.
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A Single Country Project for Italy
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A Single Country Project for Mozambique
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A Single Country Project for Tajikistan
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We welcome your thoughts and ideas for in-person programming. If you have suggestions, please contact Vice President for Citizen Diplomacy, Sarah Sibley.
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In March, we welcomed our cohort of 13 Fellows participating in the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative. The group, all of whom are entrepreneurs in their home countries, are here in Boston for a month-long program to build their professional skills and business acumen.
Each week, the Fellows spend 4 days working at host organizations/companies in and around Boston to gain firsthand experience. On Fridays, WorldBoston hosts the Fellows for special skill-building programming and cultural activities, including a tour of Boston’s Innovation Trail, pitch training, networking with Boston-area professionals, and more.
One highlight of this year’s program was a networking lunch on Friday, March 29th, which was generously sponsored by the South Shore Chamber of Commerce. Around 20 business leaders from Boston, Fellowship host organizations, and WorldBoston Board members and staff were in attendance. Attendees were eager to learn more about the Fellows’ work and find opportunities for future collaboration.
This week is the cohort’s final week in Boston before they head to Washington D.C., along with our Director of Citizen Diplomacy Programs Josh Bruno, for a multi-day closing program and to meet their counterparts participating in YLAI in other cities across the U.S.
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Fellows at their first stop in the United States, Houston, Texas, where they attended a YLAI orientation and prepared for their trip to Boston.
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On Friday, March 8th, WorldBoston and the Freedom Trail Foundation treated Fellows to a historical tour of Downtown Boston.
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On Friday, March 15th, Fellows discussed the companies they lead in their home countries and presented a “Solution Pitch” to a panel of judges and coaches.
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On Friday, March 29th, the Fellows had an engaging workshop aimed to foster a creative mindset with facilitators Wendy Swart-Grossman and Jen Guillemin, co-founders of Creative Re/Frame.
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Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), and implemented by IREX and WorldBoston, the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship Program is the flagship program for emerging entrepreneurs and business leaders from the Western Hemisphere. To learn more about YLAI, visit YLAI.state.org.
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March was a busy month for the Fulbright Visiting Scholars Enrichment Program at WorldBoston! Early in the month, the Scholars visited Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC), where they had the opportunity to learn about the unique community college system in the United States. Several BHCC Deans spoke about innovation in higher education, as well as DEIA in the education space. The Scholars enjoyed meeting with a few of BHCC’s international students!
A couple weeks later, the Scholars honored Women’s History Month with a bipartisan panel discussion with members of the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators. The program, which took place in the Massachusetts State House, was an excellent opportunity for the Scholars to hear about how state politics operate in Massachusetts, what it’s like to be a woman in state government, and how Republicans and Democrats work together.
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We look forward to getting the Scholars outside in April, when they’ll volunteer at a beach cleanup with The Harborkeepers!
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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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Monday, April 22, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
Hybrid Event at Foley and Lardner LLP
Join us for this installment of our popular Chat & Chowder series, featuring Sidita Kushi, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Bridgewater State University, and Monica Duffy Toft, Academic Dean, Professor, and Director of the Center for Strategic Studies at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, to discuss their book, Dying by the Sword: The Militarization of US Foreign Policy.
Each Chat & Chowder event features a presentation, audience Q&A, dedicated time for networking, and (of course!) a selection of chowders and beverages. This program is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.
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Monday, April 29, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
Hybrid Event at the Boston Public Library
China’s economic rise and the increasing role of the state in its economy have led some US policymakers to seek to deny China access to US technology and investment. This is seen as a necessary corrective to decades of predatory Chinese economic policies. Is this a wise strategy, and how effective can it be?
Join us for a timely discussion of this topic with Wendy Cutler, Vice President of the Asia Society Policy Institute. The program will feature an expert discussion between Wendy Cutler and WorldBoston Board member Leslie Griffin, live audience Q&A, and time for networking and discussion with other globally-oriented participants in the Newsfeed Café. This program is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.
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That’s a wrap on Academic WorldQuest (AWQ)! On Saturday, March 23rd, we had the pleasure of hosting 20 teams at our annual Academic WorldQuest competition for high school students. Congratulations to the winning team from the Boston Latin School! We look forward to sending the team to D.C. for the National Competition hosted by the World Affairs Councils of America in April. Special shout out as well to the two teams from Lexington High School who tied for 2nd place.
Coinciding with the AWQ competition, we hosted a debrief session with the participants in our pilot Global Up global competency professional development program. The educators, many of whom had teams participating in AWQ, shared their experiences with the program and gave us valuable insights into where we can take this program in the future.
Thank you to all of the dedicated educators who took part!
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UP NEXT: Chat & Chowder with Calder Walton on Spies: The Epic Intelligence War between East and West, Thursday, May 2nd, 6:00-7:30 PM ET. Register here.
You can view and register for upcoming events in May and beyond on our website calendar here.
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WorldBoston Event Reporting Opportunity
Be sure to check out our latest event recap, written by Saadwi Balaji on our March Chat & Chowder program with Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. Read the recap here.
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Now more than ever, WorldBoston relies on the support of our community to fulfill our mission. Donors who contribute $25 – $999 are proudly recognized on our website as Community Supporters. (Donors of $1,000 and above are Sponsors and enjoy year-round benefits; learn more here.)
We encourage you to contribute to WorldBoston to become a 2024 Community Supporter. Donors will receive this year’s special pin to recognize their support!
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Below are new Community Supporters in the past month — we thank them and hope that you will join. You can make a tax-deductible donation on our website at any time.
Joseph Ash, Nicholas Bayer, Caron Golder, Irving Kempner, Jeanne Maciel, and Sheila Smyth
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Check your inbox every Friday for WorldBoston Recommends – our staff picks for high-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 recent events:
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Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for updates!
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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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