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Open World Program
What is the Open World Program?The Open World Program is sponsored by the Open World Center an independent entity of the Library of Congress, which aims to promote ideas of accountability, transparency, and citizen participation in government. This program brings elected officials, political candidates, and emerging political and civic leaders from the former Soviet Union to the United States. Since 2002, Sister Cities International has been partnering with the Academy for Educational Development and has hosted over 400 Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, and Uzbek participants.Sister city members with or without partners in the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union are invited to participate in the Open World Program. Each community hosts four delegates and a facilitator for an eight-day visit, and receives small grants to support the activities of their visiting delegations. Based on the theme that local community participants in, local host prepares a program of professional activities to cover various aspects of the theme. Local communities are also in charge of hiring interpreters, providing local transportation throughout the program, placing participats with host families, and organizing cultural and social activities to introduce their guests to the American life, culture, and values. Press Release of the Expansion of the Open World Program Sister Cities International's Open World Program Brochure Program OverviewUnder the Open World Program, four to five Lithuanian, Russian, Ukrainian and Uzbek delegates accompanied by a facilitator, come for a ten-day visit to the United States on a theme based program. Delegates are chosen by Lithuanian, Russian, Ukrainian and Uzbek organizations, companies, foundations, universities, or Sister Cities International, and U.S. government agencies within the US diplomatic mission to Eurasia. Before the Open World Program begins, delegates attend a pre-departure program in Moscow, Vilnius, Kiev or Tashkent, where they learn basic information regarding U.S. federal, state, and local government and their interrelationships, the balance of power, and the rule of law. In addition to orientation in those country's capitals, delegates go through an orientation in Washington, DC, which is then followed up by an eight-day stay in a local community.Expansion of the Open World ProgramThe Open World Program expanded into Ukraine and Uzbekistan as pilot programs in 2003, in addition to their current program in the Russian Federation. The pilot programs in 2003 brought 50 Ukrainian and 48 Uzbek leaders to the U.S. to address themes of civil society, NGO development, women as leaders, free elections, independent media, economic development with focus in small business/women's entrepreneurship, and health with the focus on drug addiction/rehabilitation. Groups of four to five delegates plus one facilitator came for an eleven-day visit to the U.S. They had a two-day orientation in Washington, DC and then traveled to host communities. These host communities were Cincinnati, OH and Seattle, WA.The following year, Sister Cities International partnered with AED to host another delegations from Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Chattanooga, TN and Cincinnati, OH hosted top journalists, judges, representatives of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and community leaders. It was especially important for Ukrainian leaders to travel to the U.S. in 2004, in order for them to have a better understanding about U.S. media and other sectors of the society, since Ukraine was preparing to hold presidential elections in the fall. Also, in 2004, the first delegation traveled from Lithuania, another pilot country that the U.S. Congress agreed to include in the Open World Program. Omaha, NE was the only sister city community agreed to host a Lithuanian group. Ukraine was the only country picked to continue in 2005, and Sister Cities International with AED hosted four delegations in Arlington, VA; Santa Cruz, CA; Newton, IA and Cincinnati, OH. In 2006, the partnership hosted four more Ukrainian delegations in Cincinnati, OH; Corvallis, OR; Newton, IA; and Santa Cruz, CA. ThemesEurasian delegates particpate in the Open World Program under different theme. To familiarize yourself with themes, please read the following.Themes for the Russian component of the Open World Program include the following: The Russian Civic Hosting Program Accountable Governance Rationale: In June 2003, Russia enacted legislation on local self-governance that vastly expanded the number of municipalities and gave local governments both more autonomy and more responsibility for basic services such as local public transportation, emergency services, garbage removal, and water. Although the legislation is still being implemented, new and established local governments need to hire and train staff; take on new budgeting, planning, and service-delivery responsibilities; promote local business development; and become more proactive, responsive, and accountable. Within this theme, Open World will also host delegations focused specifically on community economic development. Target Group: Mayors, city managers and other municipal administrators, regional and local legislators, citizen activists, policy researchers, journalists, public services providers, NGO leaders, local business leaders involved in community development, election officials, and library leaders. Delegations may be composed of people holding similar positions in different cities or regions, or of people from the same community or region (to support sister-city partnerships, specific projects, or cross-sectoral programming). This theme may also include delegations of national- or regional-level leaders and policy experts involved with policies affecting local self-governance. Special Hosting for Library Leaders Rationale: Libraries in Russia and the United States share a number of common challenges, including dealing with shrinking budgets, expanding social responsibilities, and the tension between patrons? rights and national security concerns. Target Group: Managers and other leading professionals from public, specialized, school, and university libraries, and government archives. Healthy Communities Although in recent years Russia's economic growth has raised overall living standards, significant social and health risks remain for vital segments of the population. Open World seeks to promote healthy communities in Russia by giving exchange participants new strategies for strengthening (1) health-care delivery and financing, (2) educational services, (3) access to social services, and (4) environmental stewardship.
Target Group: Government officials (with an emphasis on regional and local executive-branch officials), health-care administrators, health-care providers involved in policy-making, health educators, and NGO leaders.
Target Group: Regional and local government officials involved in education policy and reform, school administrators, teachers in leadership roles, and NGO leaders
Target Group: Social service officials and providers, municipal executives, regional and local legislators, NGO leaders, and editors and other journalists.
Target Group: Environmental NGO leaders, government officials, environmental activists, nonproliferation experts, researchers, and journalists. Women as Leaders Rationale: The Open World Program continues to focus on the important contribution women make in building a civil society in the Russian Federation. Each women as leaders delegation will be organized around one of the following subthemes: women as political leaders, women in government, domestic violence prevention, anti human trafficking initiatives, women in business, and NGO development and management. Target Group: Women political and NGO leaders, government officials at all jurisdictional levels (federal, regional, and local), editors, and entrepreneurs, leadership development practices in Russia; appropriate settings include university seminars and meetings of civic and women's organizations. The expansion of the Open World Program includes the following themes for each country: The Lithuania Civic Hosting Program In 2004, the Open World Center brought 50 participants and 10 facilitators from Lithuania in the following thematic areas:
Ukrainian delegations have been participating in the following themes
The Uzbekistan Civic Hosting Program The Uzbek delegations have been participating in the following themes:
Who are facilitators and what do they do?A facilitator is a Lithuanian, Russian, Ukrainian, or Uzbek national who has participated in at least a one-year study program in the United States. These facilitators are hired by the American Councils for International Education in the country that they reside in. They provide non-technical language interpretation and act as cultural guides for participants who have never visited the United States. These facilitators accompany the group to professional activities and events, such as lectures, roundtable discussions, meetings, and they also assist with basic communication at cultural and social events. The local community however, must hire a professional interpreter(s) for official/technical meetings and events.BudgetTravel to and from the United States is arranged and covered by the American Councils for International Education. Local communities will receive small stipends of $2,700 to cover administrative expenses and will be reimbursed up to $4,800 for any local transportation, cultural events, professional interpreting, gifts, or working meals.What is the Open World Library Project?In 2003, the Open World Leadership Center sponsored 40 librarians and 10 facilitators from Russia to participate in the Open World Program. These delegates got hands-on experience in the US library system. The exchange was administered by the Academy for Educational Development (AED), in partnership with Sister Cities International, and gave sister city programs an opportunity to host these librarians. Requirements and programming are similar to the "regular" Open World Program. The first delegation visited the United States on January 22, 2003. All attended the American Library Association (ALA) Conference in Philadelphia, PA, and then traveled in groups of five to their respective sister city hosts of New Brunswick, NJ; Arlington, VA; and Montclair, NJ.The second delegation of librarians visited under the "Computers in Libraries" theme March 10-20, and were hosted by Fredericksburg, VA; Blount County, TN; and San Diego, CA. The third delegation traveled under "National Library Legislative Day" theme in May 11-21. These groups were hosted by Saratoga Springs, NY and Princeton, WV. The last delegation traveled in December 11-21, 2003 under the "Managers of Art Libraries" theme to Arlington, VA Sister City Association and to Princeton-Yoshkar Ola Sister City Project under the "Deputy Directors of Children's Libraries" theme. Because of previous successes, Sister Cities International partnered again with AED to host another librarian delegation in 2005. The Open World Leadership Center brought 48 librarians from Russia to attend the orientation in Washington, DC, Annual American Library Association Conference in Chicago, IL, and local professional and cultural meetings. Two of the sister city programs hosted the librarians and they were Charlotte, NC and Long Beach, CA. How can I get involved?Sister city members interested in hosting or nominating delegates for the Open World Program must be paid members of SCI. For more information, please contact Jim Doumas at jdoumas@sister-cities.org or at 202-347-8630 ext. 8636. We would like to hear from those of you who are interested in hosting or nominating. Please hurry if you are interested in participating in the 2007 Open World program.Program UpdatesIntroductionOver the past five years over 50 sister city communities have participated in the Open World Program, hosting close to a hundred and fifty Open World delegations. Please read further to learn about some of the most recent Sister Cities International local host programs. Delegation from Azerbaijan Arrives to Houston under the Auspices of the Open World Program In May 2007, four representatives of different municipalities and regions from Azerbaijan visited two small cities in the Houston metropolitan area to experience first-hand American-style democracy on a local level. A professional program was organized jointly by the city management of the City of Bellaire and the City of West University Place to share with the delegation the intricacies of city management in the U.S. The program was designed to demonstrate transparency and accountability in government, democratic and consultative decision-making processes, and the role of private institutions and citizen participation in local governance and in community life. During interactive meetings with various municipal departments and private institutions, the delegates had an opportunity to learn about the inter-relationships between federal, state and local government, the local government structure, policy development, and the interaction and cooperation between government, private institutions, and volunteer organizations. The guests also learned about the delivery of various municipal services, law enforcement, fire brigade, library, schools, and sports fields. During the program, the Mayor of the City of Bellaire officially proclaimed May 17th as Azerbaijan Day in the City of Bellaire. To complete the cross-cultural experience, the delegates stayed at the homes of American families where they enjoyed a close up view of life in the U.S. Besides sharing meals and talking about day to day life, the delegates had a chance to join their hosts in their daily activities that included a church service, a concert, a baseball game, and a visit a working cattle ranch outside the city. Russian Delegates Spend a Week in Muscatine, Iowa In June-July, 2007, a delegation from Russia spent a week in Muscatine, IA, learning about American education system. The program, organized by the Muscatine Sister Cities, Inc., included meetings with educators from local schools and a community college, as well as State Representatives Jeff Kaufmann and Nathan Reichert. The delegates also had an opportunity to participate in a televised radio show with the town?s Mayor Richard O'Brien. One of the highlights of the program was an impromptu invitation to a meeting with Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was campaigning in a neighboring community that week. The Russian visitors also enjoyed attending a parade and watching fireworks during the Independence Day celebration. West Jordan, Utah in partnership with Votkinsk and Izhevsk, Russia Address Disability Issues in the Udmurt Republic During the first week of August 2007, a group of eight Russian delegates from Votkinsk and Izhevsk came to West Jordan, UT to jumpstart a new collaborative project that focuses on the disability issues in the Udmurt Republic. The goal of the program is to build civil society groups able to address the needs of people with disabilities, increase awareness of government officials regarding the needs of people with disabilities, and empower disabled individuals to become stronger advocates for self-determination. To achieve these objectives, visit organizers wanted to ensure diverse representation of various professional and social backgrounds. As a result, the delegation included professionals representing non-profit, business, law, and the government sectors, as well as four disabled individuals, three of whom were in wheelchairs. This arrangement helped facilitate future cooperation among diverse actors, particularly once the delegates returned home. The program was an absolute success thanks to the enthusiasm and passion of the hosts and incredible local support from government, non-profits, and businesses in Utah. High level officials, including Mayor of West Jordan and his wife, spent many hours with the delegates, attending various events and socials, and helping with unforeseen challenges. The delegates had a chance to meet with Executive Director of Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, visit Shriners Hospital for Children, tour Humanitarian Center, ride mass transit, and interact with disabled living in Utah. In the words of one of the participants, "the program is excellent, I have only positive impressions. I am very glad that the sister city relationship exists." Who has participated?A warm welcome goes out to all local Sister City communities who have participated in the Open World Program. View the list of host communities.Related Publications and Local PressNew U.S. - Russian Bilingual Library goes onlineNew Brunswick Sister Cities Association Vladimir/Canterbury Sister City Association of Bloomington-Normal Blount County Sister City Association Fredericksburg Sister City Association Oakland Nakhodka Sister City Association Oak Ridge Sister City Support Organization Sister Cities of Richmond San Diego-Vladivostok Sister City Society International Sister Cities Of Rochester West Jordan Sister City Foundation Tooele Sister City Committee Web sites of Open World partnersWorld Services of La CrosseOpen World Center American Councils for International Education |
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