Partner Conferences

We are writing to you with two requests that we trust will fit into your interests and your schedule. First, we would ask you to "save the date" for the upcoming U.S. Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy, which will be held in Washington, DC November 16-19. Second, we would like to solicit your ideas about how best to encourage more Americans to become globally engaged through community-based organizations that promote and practice citizen diplomacy.

SAVE THE DATE: November 16-19, 2010

This Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy will bring together leaders from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to develop strategies to promote citizen diplomacy and global engagement among the American people. Organized by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, this effort is being supported by numerous groups, including our own: the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV), and Sister Cities International (SCI). Some of you have participated in other National Summits on Citizen Diplomacy-one held in July 2006 coinciding with the Sister Cities International Conference, and one in February 2008 immediately preceding the NCIV National Conference.

As Co-Chairs of the Community-Based Organization Task Force for the summit, we strongly believe that our community has a vested interest in encouraging more Americans to become involved in international exchange and see themselves as citizen diplomats. Many of our most pressing challenges-whether it be promoting fair and transparent rules for trade, containing pandemics, preserving the environment, or fighting terrorism and piracy-are increasingly global in nature. An informed and mobilized American citizenry, seeking to build bridges of understanding and cooperation with other cultures, is essential if we are to tackle global problems successfully.

Proposal Guidelines

Submission Form

We are also seeking ideas for initiatives that can leverage the expertise of our community to advance this strategic objective of better informed, more active American citizens. It might be an existing program within your organization or one that can be scaled up with additional resources. Alternatively, perhaps you have learned of a new concept that needs to be further developed and piloted. At the summit, we will showcase the best proposals for ways that the U.S. community-based international organizations can help the American people become more knowledgeable about other cultures and increasingly engaged with the world around them.

If you have a suggestion for such a program, please take the time to share your thinking with us. We have attached documents giving you additional background information about the summit, the specific program objectives, and the proposal submission form. If you have any questions about submitting a proposal or about the summit in general, please contact Frances Reimers, communications and programs manager, at freimers@sister-cities.org or 202-347-8630. The deadline for submitting your proposals is July 1, 2010. Do not hesitate to contact us directly with your suggestions and questions. We look forward to hearing your thoughts about the U.S. Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy. We hope you will be able to join us in Washington this coming November.

Sincerely,

Patrick M. Madden President & CEO Sister Cities International

Sherry L. Mueller, Ph.D. President & CEO National Council for International Visitors