Lorem Ipsum Dolor Spring 2012Mayor’s Committee for International FriendshipLincoln Council for International Visitors

MCIF NewsSummer 2018

Thank You for Attending the Hub Cafe Event on May 24th!We hosted an amazing member event at the Hub Cafe with our International VisitorLeadership Program (IVLP) guests who were in Lincoln on a program about journalism andmedia. Professor Matt Waite from the UNL College of Journalism and MassCommunications moderated a forum in which we learned about new and emerging mediatrends in the guests' represented six countries. What an incredible exchange of ideas andnew friendships! Thank you to all involved! We will be sharing more member eventopportunities--stay tuned!

Calling LCIV Members!Every year, the U.S. Department of State and Global Ties U.S. helps community organizations such asours to host regional theme-based gatherings on citizen diplomacy entitled the Diplomacy Begins HereRegional Summits. These are incredible learning and networking opportunities for participants. Fromthe Global Ties U.S. website: "The Diplomacy Begins Here Regional Summits bring together leadersin business, government, and nonprofit organizations to forge new connections with local communitiesaround exchange programming and issues. They also serve as an opportunity for local communities todeepen their understanding of U.S. foreign policy, public diplomacy, and how exchange programs suchas the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) play a role in each."

One more regional summit will be held this year:

November 15th in Miami, FL with the theme of Community Resilience

**LCIV receives special funding to pay for round-trip airfare and lodging in order to attend one of thesesummits! If you are interested in attending, please contact Crystal Bock Thiessenat cbock3@unl.edu. We are able to fully-fund one member or partially-fund two or more members toattend.**

For more information: https://www.globaltiesus.org/our-work/diplomacy-begins-here-regional-summits

PRESIDENT: Summary by Crystal Bock ThiessenThe passing of the summer solstice, a time during which many peoplearound the world stop to reflect on their health and relationships, reminds usthat we are deep in the grips of that glorious time of year: summer! As Iwrite this, I’m currently spending some time in Ukraine, where preparationsfor the midsummer festival of Ivan Kupala are well underway. During thistime of celebrating relationships, fertility, health, prosperity, happiness, andcontinued good luck in the year, many people retreat from the cities to theirdatchas (country cottages) in order to spend time with loved ones. Although

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MEMBER OF THIS ORGANIZATION?Membership Dues for 2018 are: $15 for a Single Membership; $25 for a FamilyMembership. A Membership form can be found at the end of this newsletter.

we don’t necessarily have such strong traditions of celebrating the summer solstice back inthe States, no one can deny that it’s still a special time of year when we often come togetherwhile taking advantage of (or seeking respite from) the warmer temperatures.

spirit of citizen diplomacy will live on through our endeavors. The past few months in theLCIV have been exciting and busy for us all in terms of programming and welcominginternational visitors to Lincoln. Since our last newsletter, we have hosted participants onInternational Visitor Leadership Programs (IVLPs) from Cameroon, Chad, Hungary, India,Iraq, Malawi, Turkey, Uganda, Ethiopia, Macedonia, Morocco, Namibia, Pakistan, EquatorialGuinea, and the Palestinian Territories! Thanks to all who helped with programming,volunteering, event organization, or by serving as a Dinner Diplomat to these visitors.

Hope you have enjoyed your summer, everyone!

In keeping with the midsummer spirit of reflecting onlife and relationships, we would like to take the time toremember two very special members who haverecently passed away. Dolores Mather and RobertStoddard both dedicated a large part of their lives tointernational and intercultural communication andfriendship. They played very large roles in both thehistory and function of the Mayor’s Council forInternational Friendship along with the LCIV. We aregrateful for all of their contributions and hope that their

How Do I Volunteer? 3 Simple Ways...1) Escort International Guests to meetings and activities 2) Join International Guests for a meal andlearn more about their goals and experiences 3) Host International Guest(s) for a meal in your home

If you are interested in these opportunities please contact: Lisa Lee lisareneelee@gmail.comVolunteers offer such a unique opportunity for International Guests to learn more about our midwestculture and experiences. Please consider volunteering today!

VICE PRESIDENT: Jaine MerlissSalan Khurshid, a law professor, and Cabinet Minister of the Ministry ofExternal Affairs, said “In international relations, in foreign policy, a greatdeal has to do with the historical circumstances, a great deal has to do withthe sense of perception of people”. The perspective is where the magic forLCIV happens. One has only to hear the kindness and conversation atone of our many diplomat dinners, or read the participant reviews toappreciate the importance of establishing a personal perspective of theUnited States for our guests.

I am struck by our visitors’ profound differences and similarities. Certainly they differ in theirfocus; security, enterprise, technology, agriculture or government to recall only a few. Theydiffer in their geographic origins, governments and sociopolitical beliefs. What we know tobe similar, is the importance of the respect and good will established between our members,guests, and the countries they represent.

We are excited to see LCIV grow and realize some of our established goals. Ourmembership is growing in numbers and diverstiy, and we are making headway inconsistency within our practices and reports. I hope you have had a chance to “Like” us onFacebook and Instagram, these social media tools have taken us far in sharing pictures andstories about our guests’ experiences with LCIV. In addition, it is exciting to be a respectedpresence within our community.

Keep watching for our new programs and opportunities to particiapte!

Jaine Merliss

In Remembrance...Dolores Mather & Bob Stoddard

We want to take this opportunity to remember two long-time, pioneering members whopassed away this summer: Dolores Mather and Bob Stoddard.

Dolores was part of this organization for nearly 30 years and spent several of those yearscoodinating visitors from all over the world and making their stay in Lincoln both memorableand educational. She kept in contact with many visitors over the years and would shareupdates with the organization. Dolores was honored by Secretary of State, John Gale onAugust 18th, 2015 for her years of service bringing international visitors to Nebraska.

Bob was also a long-time member and did not hestitate to take on projects for thisorganization. Both he and his wife, Sally, were very active in several international-focusedorganizations including: LCIV/MCIF, Nebraskan’s for Peace and the United NationsAssociation.

Our local community as well as international communities, benefited from the work of theseindividuals. We offer great thanks and remembrance for making it possible for hundreds ofinternational visitors to experience our city and the time which was dedicated to help ensureorganizations such as ours, could continue on.

Programs in Review

EDWARD R. MURROW PROGRAM FOR JOURNALISTS – NEW & TRADITIONALBROADCAST MEDIA I

A Multi-Regional ProjectMay 23rd-25th, 2018

6 International Visitors in Attendance, Accompanied by: Mr. Marcelo Grandaria,LiaisonLIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Equatorial Guinea Mr. Marcelino Mateu KOMBA ONDORadio Host, Equatorial Guinea National Radio and Television

Ethiopia Ms. Furtuna Kahsay LEGHESSEHead, Journalism and Communication Department, MekelleUniversity

Macedonia Mrs. Arta LJATIFI TAHIRINews Editor, Alsat-M Television

Morocco Ms. Khadija IHSANETV Journalist and News Anchor, Medi1 TV

Namibia Mr. Jonathan BEUKESOnline Editor, TV News, Namibian Broadcasting Corporation

Pakistan Ms. Madiha Shah MODIContent Editor, State Bank of Pakistan

Information summarized by Ann Driscoll, Senior Program Officer, International VisitorLeadership Program, World Learning:

The visitors absolutely loved the Governor’s welcome to Nebraska. They found him “agenuinely, really nice guy” and appreciated the time he took to listen and to and answertheir questions. The group “felt privileged” to have that encounter with him.

They also absolutely loved HH, the Capitol tour, and just about all of their meetings. TheHub was a hit – the only, minor complaint was that it didn’t last longer. Overall, they said,“the quality of people we met was fantastic.”

Jonathan, from Namibia, especially enjoyed the meeting with the Nebraska PressAssociation. He said he’s taking that idea home with him and will see if he can get a similarorganization going for Namibian news media.

Again, thank you and your volunteers and HH and meeting hosts for a fantastic program.I’m so glad we gave this group the opportunity to go to Lincoln, and I’ll be looking for othergroups to send your way. (And thank you Lisa, too, for being great to work with on theprogramming and communication side.)

Special Thanks to: Bruce Johnson & Barb Hoppe and Andy & Jaine Merliss foropening their homes to a night of dinner with diplomats.

Special events, such as visitors enjoying a socialevening in Lincoln, are made possible by

volunteers like you. Without the support ofvolunteers, our visitors would be limited in their

experience. If you are interested in sharing yourtime with guests, please contact Lisa Lee (913)

219-3514 or lisareneelee@gmail.com . Anyamount of time is valued!

EDWARD R. MURROW PROGRAM FOR JOURNALISTS – NEW & TRADITIONALBROADCAST MEDIA I (Cont’d)

Photo: Feedback from the Edward R. MorrowProgram for Journalists Photo: World Learning International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) visiting

journalists from Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Macedonia, Morocco, Namibia,and Pakistan are in Lincoln learning about new & traditional broadcast mediawith a visit to NET Nebraska, our state's PBS and NPR stations

Photos (left & right): Journalists from Equatorial Guinea,Ethiopia, Macedonia, Morocco, Namibia, and Pakistanvisiting Lincoln as a part of World Learning InternationalVisitor Leadership Program (IVLP) program visited theNebraska Capitol to meet with our Governor whowelcomed them to Nebraska at the NebraskaGovernor's Office

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Cameroon Ms. Amine IYA ACHAM Epse ALIMJournalist, Cameroon Radio Television Corporation (CRTV),North Region

Ms. Becky ETA BISSONG Epse TCHONKOProducer/Presenter of Radio and Magazines, Cameroon RadioTelevision Corporation (CRTV), Radio National Station

Ms. Irene DJAO BOLLEHCommunication Unit and Head of Service, Elections Cameroon(ELECAM), North Region

Ms. Beatrice LONGMENE KAZEEditorinChief, Kalak FM

Ms. Edith MIREILLE MANINGOUESenior Radio Reporter, Royal FM

Ms. Benedicte SEYFAOU NASSOUROU Epse MFONZIEJournalist, Dan Broadcasting System (DBS) TV

EMPOWERING FEMALE JOURNALISTS

A Project for CameroonMay 3rd-May 5th

6 International Visitors in Attendance, Accompanied by: Ms. Dominique Daudon and Mr.Gilbert Martin, French Language Interpreters

Special Thanks to: Elaine Hammer and Dick & Justina Clark for opening their homesto a night of dinner with diplomats. Thank you to Gary Heusel for greeting visitorsupon their arrival.

Visitors engaged with many community leaders during their two day stay in Lincoln. Theybegan the day with Laura Stimple, Assistant Secretary of State, Communications Director &International Relations Coordinator. Next they met with David Shively, Lancaster CountyElection Coordinator. These meetings addressed state efforts to ensure properlyadministered elections as well as training volunteer poll workers and engaging with mediaover election results.

Next, visitors met with Garry Kebbel, Professor of the College of Journalism & MassCommunication at UN-L . They learned of best practices in compaign and election reportingcoverage, including news that engages communities and digital news and advertisingexperiments.

The afternoon concluded with Cheryl Alberts Irwin, Communications Specialist Marketing,Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources at UN-L and Vice President of the NebraskaPress Women organization. Visitors learned the organizational structure and challenges of aprofessional femail journalist association, including professional development and advocacyefforts. Home hospitality was enjoyed at the home of Elaine Hammer. Additional attendeesincluded Maxine Moul and Ian & Enid Newman.

EMPOWERING FEMALE JOURNALISTS (Cont’d)

Our International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) groupfrom Cameroon learned more about empowering femalejournalists with a stop at Nebraska Press Women to speakwith Cheryl Alberts Irwin. They were also warmlywelcomed by Professor Gary Kebbel at UNL College ofJournalism and Mass Communications while inLincoln! We love these important exchanges that are sovital to our mutual communities!

Participants from Cameroon enjoy dinner andhome hospitality with local community membersduring their stay in Lincoln!

On the final day of their visit, they met with Dennis Kellogg, News Director-NET News andstaff. Visitors toured the facility and spoke with journalists from the news staff aboutproviding election coverage both locally and nationally as well as connecting with ruralNebraska.

Visitors then met with Joe Starita, Professor at the College of Journalism & MassCommunication. This provided an opportunity to learn the impact of student journalism on ahuman rights issue. The afternoon ended at Civic Nebraska. John Cartier, Director ofVoting Rights and Kent Day, Director of Youth Leadership shared how the nonprofit worksto promote a strong democracy through youth civic Leadership programs and their defenseof voting access and rights for all.

Dinner with diplomats was hosted by Dick and Justina Clark at their home.

THE U.S. JUSTICE SYSTEM PROTECTING WOMEN & CHILDREN

A Multi-Regional ProjectApril 5th-April 9th

8 International Visitors in Attendance, Accompanied by: Mr. Stoyko Stoykov, Liaison

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Chad Mr. Adoumtar NOUBATOURSenior Policy OfficerWomen,Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD)African Union Commission (AUC)

Hungary Dr. (Ms.) Beatrix BORBÁS-KARACSONYINEAssociate ProfessorNational University of Public Service Department of Civil Law

India Ms. Huma PARVEENConsultantDelhi Commission for Women (DCW)

Iraq Mr. Sardar Sabah Bozo BOZODirectorLegal Thought Center

Malawi Ms. Martha Ettah Snowden KAUKONDEDirector of Enforcement and Compliance Competition and FairTrading Commission Malawi

Palestinian Territories Mr. Aziz ABUHAMMADCriminal ProsecutorAttorney General's Office Jericho and Bethlehem

Turkey Ms. Seda GURERLawyerIzmir Bar Association

Uganda Ms. Justine NABWIRELegal OfficerUganda Women's Network

This group of visitors spent time in both Omaha and Lincoln as part of a shared project.Lincoln, as our capitol city, draws many projects as visitors are interested to learn more aboutthe Unicameral and meet with policy makers.

Home hosting opportunities are available with most every group;if you have interest in home hosting, please contact Lisa Lee:

lisareneelee@gmail.com

Top Photos: LCIV Members and visitors enjoyedlunch together at the Nebraska Club on FridayApril 6th.

THE U.S. JUSTICE SYSTEM PROTECTING WOMEN & CHILDREN (Cont’d)

The eight visitors spent time in both Omaha and Lincoln during their stay in Nebraska.Several professional appointments in Lincoln included: Nebraska Supreme Court,Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale, Office of Nebraska Attorney General DougPeterson, Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Heavican, CASA, Nebraska StateCapitol and the Lancaster County Youth Service Center.

Members enjoy opportuntiessuch as this to engage in

conversation and learn moreabout the visitors and their

experiences.

Visitors were able to meet and converse with NE Senator Patty Pansing Brooks, during oneof their many appointments in Lincoln. They shared this was a highlight of their time spentin Nebraska.

In photo (Left - Right): Dr. Beatrix Borbas, Hungary, Ms. Seda Gurer,Turkey, Mr. Sardar Bozo, Iraq, Mr. Aziz Abuhammad, PalestinianTerritories, Senator Patty Panisng Brooks, Mr. Adoumtar Noubatour,Chad, Ms. Huma Parveen, India, Ms. Justine Nabwire, Uganda andMs. Martha Kaukonde, Malawi

Membership Form -Lincoln Council for International Visitors

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LCIV Annual Membership ______Single $15(January 1 - December 31) ______Family $25

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Send to:LINCOLN COUNCIL FOR INTERNATIONAL VISITORSSherri Johnson1415 N 41st StreetLincoln, NE 68503

This publication isfunded by theBureau ofEducational andCultural Affairs ofthe U.S.Department of Stateunder the authorityof the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961.

We invite you to participate in the Lincoln Council for International Visitors.

There are a variety of ways to volunteer. Please contact us today!

www.lciv.org

MEMBERSHIP DUES!Membership Dues for 2018 are Now Due: $15 for a Single Membership; $25 for a Family

Membership. A Membership form can be found at the end of this newsletter.

You may mail the dues to the address below.

NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTIONThis newsletter is distributed electronically to email addresses on file. However if you wouldprefer to receive a paper copy, please contact Cassidy Bohac (402) 580-2068 or emailcassidybohac@gmail.com .