What We Do
About Us
The Citizen Diplomacy Alliance for International Visitors serves participants in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program and other exchanges, building person-to-person relationships “one handshake at a time.”
Citizen Diplomacy
Would you like to serve as a citizen diplomat and host foreign leaders visiting Southern Arizona? The Citizen Diplomacy Alliance offers unique opportunities to engage in citizen diplomacy with participants in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program and other exchanges.
Who We Are
administered by the U.S. Department of State annually brings to the United States approximately 5,000 foreign nationals from all over the world to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience America firsthand. The visitors, who are selected by United States Foreign Service Officers overseas, are current or potential leaders in government, politics, the media, education, the arts, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), business and other fields.
Stories
Ambassador Kate Marie Byrnes, US Ambassador to North Macedonia
Ambassador Kate Marie Byrnes, US Ambassador to North Macedonia, started off her lively and informative World Watch ZOOM discussion by touting her host country as a success story. She mentioned Macedonia’s peaceful separation from Yugoslavia and the country’s entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2020 as NATO’s thirtieth member. Known as the Former Read more about Ambassador Kate Marie Byrnes, US Ambassador to North Macedonia[…]
Chargé d’Affaires Michael Goldman – Australia
Each of the Ambassadors and Embassy officials who have shared their time, their information, and their insights with us have given us a far greater understanding of U.S. relations with other countries than we might be able to get from general news sources. Sometimes the relationships are strong, and sometimes, as in the case of Read more about Chargé d’Affaires Michael Goldman – Australia[…]
Ambassador Chapman – Brazil
World Watch Brazil June 8, 2021 In a relaxed and very personable manner, Ambassador Chapman began by referencing his close personal ties with Arizona and acknowledging our Pat Watson for her persistence in putting him on our Ambassador World Watch schedule. He also praised her work with Citizen Diplomacy Alliance with the statement: “Citizen Diplomacy Read more about Ambassador Chapman – Brazil[…]
Mexico’s Consul in Tucson, Rafael Barceló Durazo
Mexico’s Consul in Tucson, Rafael Barceló Durazo In November we heard from the current U.S. Consul General to Nogales, Sonora, Laura Biedenbach, whose chat was moderated by our former Consul General to Nogales, Sonora, Virginia Staab. In the recap of that meeting, I mentioned that it was such a pleasure and privilege to have a Read more about Mexico’s Consul in Tucson, Rafael Barceló Durazo[…]
Annual Meeting
The annual meeting for Citizen Diplomacy Alliance will be held on April 9, 2022 at the Mexican Consulate in Tucson at 2 p.m. All interested people are encouraged to attend, join Citizen Diplomacy Alliance and become involved in learning, sharing, hosting and making a difference in the world! The keynote speaker will be Chancellor Lee Read more about Annual Meeting[…]
A Portuguese colony until 1975
A Portuguese colony until 1975, Angola’s path since independence has been marked by on-going civil war, government corruption, a countryside full of hidden land mines, disease, and huge debt to China and other power countries until 2017, when President João Lorenzo was elected. According to U.S. Ambassador Nina Maria Fite, the new President has begun Read more about A Portuguese colony until 1975[…]
Consul General Nogales, Mexico
Consul General Laura Biedenbach, U.S. Consulate Nogales, Sonora One of my favorite projects at Citizen Diplomacy Alliance is our Meet the Ambassadors program. How many people have the chance to see our world through the eyes of our amazing Foreign Service diplomats directly from our embassies abroad? In the past year, we have visited with Read more about Consul General Nogales, Mexico[…]
Meet Chargé d’Affaires Richard H. Glenn from the U.S. Embassy in Chile
In a lively and truly insightful meeting, Richard H. Glenn, head of the U.S. Delegation to Chile, painted a picture of a country that emerged from the military dictatorship in the 70’s and 80’s to become a strong partner with the U.S. in promoting the values of democracy. Chile’s transition from dictatorship to a strong, Read more about Meet Chargé d’Affaires Richard H. Glenn from the U.S. Embassy in Chile[…]
Congratulations to Todd Robinson
Todd Robinson, former Ambassador to Guatemala, has been confirmed as the new Assistant Secretary for State INL. “Almost all of the illicit drugs causing the unprecedented rise in American deaths from drug overdoses are produced outside the United States. In order to achieve sustainable long-term solutions to the security challenges present by the illicit drug Read more about Congratulations to Todd Robinson[…]
Charge’ d’Affaires, Emily Fleckner
Negara Brunei Darussalam (State of Brunei, Abode of Peace) is situated on the China Sea coast in the northwest corner of the island of Borneo. It is a tiny country with a total population of 420 thousand, with half of the residents living in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan. Although small in land Read more about Charge’ d’Affaires, Emily Fleckner[…]