Creating international connections.
Cultivating local innovation.
Activating global potential.
February 2019
CITIZEN DIPLOMACY NEWS
Expand Your World Today
In This Issue...
  • Quote of the Month
  • March 18: Meet the 2019 International Women of Courage
  • L.A. Intersection Dedicated to Dr. Amarjit Marwah
  • African Peacemakers Visit Los Angeles
  • Welcome New Board Member!
  • Welcome Spring Intern!
  • IVCLA Board Member Recognized for Community Service
  • We Couldn't Do It Without You
  • Community Events
  • International Opportunities
  • Upcoming International Visitors
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Quote of the Month:
"[The meeting with Tessa Jolls at Center for Media Literacy] was one of the best presentations during our visit to the U.S. We got to participate in the interactive workshop which was interesting. She spoke about new opportunities in media education and literacy. I hope I can use this knowledge in my work."

~Visitor from Tajikistan on a program about Promoting Media Literacy Through Education
March 18: Meet the 2019 International Women of Courage
2018 International Women of Courage Award Ceremony in Washington D.C.
Join us on March 18th for a luncheon and discussion with the 2019 International Women of Courage! The Secretary of State's Annual International Women of Courage Award recognizes women from around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, human rights, women's empowerment and more. Often at great personal risk, these women have chosen to dedicate their lives to bettering our world.

Mark your calendars and don't miss the opportunity to hear from the 2019 Women of Courage! More details will be announced shortly.

L.A. Intersection Dedicated to Dr. Amarjit Marwah
Photo credit: India Journal
IVCLA advisory board member and host of the annual Fulbright Luncheon, Dr. Amarjit Marwah, was honored by the City of Los Angeles early this month with the dedication of an intersection in his name. On February 4th, signs reading "Dr. Amarjit Singh Marwah Square" were posted at the intersection of Vermont and Finley Avenues to recognize Dr. Marwah's lifetime of contributions to both the Sikh community and City of Los Angeles.

Nearly 200 people gathered at the intersection's Hollywood Sikh Temple for the ceremony, which Dr. Marwah founded nearly 50 years ago. Councilmember David Ryu presented Dr. Marwah with his own smaller version of the sign. Also in attendance were several consular corps members, including The Honorable Sanjay Panda, Consul General of India. We congratulate Dr. Marwah on this prestigious and well-deserved honor!
African Peacemakers Visit Los Angeles
This month, IVCLA had the pleasure of hosting a special group of visitors from 11 countries in Africa: Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote D'Ivoire, Djibouti, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria and Uganda. The visitors are experts in conflict resolution, violence prevention and sustainable peace. Their program focused on community strategies for countering violent extremism and promoting tolerance. While in Los Angeles, the visitors met with several local resources that work on similar issues. They also had the unique opportunity to share Home Hospitality meals with IVCLA members Karen Byrnes and Mary Anna Noveck and experience L.A. the local way. Above, the visitors pose with Robert Sowell (center), Assistant Executive Director of the L.A. County Commission on Human Relations.
Welcome New Board Member!
On February 6th we hosted our 2nd annual Global Awareness Luncheon, which examined media literacy, education and the challenges and opportunities the digital age presents to civil society and public life. Thanks to our sponsor Cecile Munoz , several students were able to participate in the interesting discussion.

As part of the luncheon, we were thrilled to officially elect Wendy Gladney to the IVCLA Board of Directors! A native of Southern California, Wendy has been an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, author, philanthropist and business owner for over 20 years. She is the founder of Wendy’s Enterprises and the author of three books: Forgiveness: Change Your Life Forever , The Preacher's Daughter: A Memory , and Healing Without Hate: How To Forgive To Live

Wendy received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is also a graduate of The Protocol School of Washington, certified and licensed to teach International Protocol, Etiquette and Intercultural Understanding. We look forward to working with Wendy and we welcome her to the IVCLA community!
Welcome Spring Intern!

As IVCLA's Communication and Events Intern, Raymond works with staff to support global dialogue through immersion and information. He believes good communication is key to strong domestic and international relationships. Raymond is a senior at Loyola Marymount University where he is pursuing a degree in Political Science. He has served as the student Director of Intercultural Affairs and as a member of the university's Intercultural Advisory Committee. Aside from school, Raymond likes to spend his time developing start-ups and traveling. He enjoys reading, cooking, staying active, and watching movies.

IVCLA Board Member Recognized for Community Service

The LA Cedars Rotary Club will present IVCLA board member Lourdes Saab, with the LA Cedars 2019 Community Service Award at their banquet on April 13th. The award recognizes Ms. Saab's exemplary service and dedication to the community. As Chief of Protocol for the County of Los Angeles, Ms. Saab manages the Office of Protocol, which serves as the liaison between the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles Consular Corps.
We Couldn't Do It Without You
It's people like you who make our work possible! With your support, we are able to create high-quality, people-to-people exchange programs that address today's most pressing challenges and increase international understanding between Los Angeles and the world.

We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the supporters who contributed to our 2018 year-end giving campaign and helped us reach our fundraising goal:

Robert Banks
John and Ginger Barnard
James Bukowski
Allen and Sybil Cayir
Lanie Denslow
Wendy Gladney
Amy Bernstein and Robert Goldstein
Robert Gray
Jill Gurr
Wafa Hoballah
Jonathan Kaji
James and Sandra Kohn
Mable Kong
Alexander Kramer
Kay and Jack Lachter
Richard and Heidi Landers
Judith Lovely and Sam Losh
Diana Lee Luxenburg
Dr. Amarjit Marwah
Cecile Munoz
Ruth and Rodney Punt
Ed and Linda Rice
John and Nancy Richardson
Todd Ruffner
Lourdes Saab
Thomas Safran
Dilpreet Sidhu
John Stoddard
Neal and Helen Thomas
Sebastian and Monica Zacharia

Thank you for believing in the power of Citizen Diplomacy. We look forward to our continued collaboration in 2019!

P.S. Check out our 2018 Impact Report to see how your support pays off!

Community Events
March 9: Head to Grover Cleveland Charter High School for a day filled with food, music, performances, art, media training, a silent auction and more!

For thirteen years, the International Youth Media Summit (IYMS), which was founded at Cleveland Charter High School, has been bringing together young people from around the world. Together they build bridges across cultures, collaborating on media pieces that challenge their generation to take responsibility for the future. International Youth Media Day is a chance to celebrate their accomplishments and generate support for the program. Proceeds raised at International Youth Media Day will go towards funding the 2019-2020 Global Media Studies Magnet program, a four-year, project-based program focused on social justice themes and communication arts, as well as student participation in IYMS.

When:
Saturday, March 9, 2019
2:00-5:00 p.m.

Where:
Grover Cleveland Charter High School Media Center
8140 Vanalden Ave. Reseda, CA 91335

Donation:
Students: $2
Adults: $5
International Opportunities
The World Trade Week Committee offers scholarships to aspiring students in international trade fields. Scholarships are awarded to outstanding graduating high school seniors entering an accredited college or university with the goal of a career in international trade, as well as college students pursuing international degrees. By fostering international trade education and international business development, the committee hopes to develop a network of international trade professionals willing to provide mentoring to future students interested in international business. Deadline to apply is Friday, March 15.



Upcoming International Visitors
Due to the recent government shutdown, many of our projects in February were postponed. We look forward to welcoming more visitors to Los Angeles in March!