| Center for Civil Society International [email protected] |  |
Get the latest information on the "USIA: Business for Russia" program in the US-NIS Organizations section of the Website.
Philadelphia’s International Visitors Council (IVC) was established in 1954. It is a private, nonprofit membership organization which describes itself as “the official Greater Philadelphia representative for international guests of the U.S. Government and private foundations.” IVC's Center for International Development uses Philadelphia “as a classroom for democracy and free market development,” annually arranging more than 3,500 one-on-one meetings that link parliamentarians from five continents, mayors from more than 60 cities around the globe, and heads of businesses, universities, hospitals and government agencies from 140 countries with their Philadelphia-area counterparts. IVC's Center for International Business provides international networking opportunities for the local business community and educational seminars for executives to better understand the political, economic and business climates around the world.
Together with 26 other cities Philadelphia IVC recently completed a two-year USIA project entitled Business for Russia (BFR). BFR brought more than 1,000 young entrepreneurs and business managers from about 30 Russian cities to the U.S. for 4-5 week programs which included: internships in companies or organizations comparable to theirs in Russia; seminars on small business management and other topics; on-site visits; a home-stay; and cultural experiences. Among the organizations that provided internships were Camden Iron & Steel, DuPont, Ernst & Young, International Trading Group, Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Shell Oil Company, WCAU-TV and WDRE FM.
Based on BFR’s success, IVC is now launching Community Connections: Linking Philadelphia with Russia and Ukraine. Also funded by USIA, Community Connections starts in the fall of 1996 and is intended to establish and strengthen ties between Russian and Ukrainian business managers, legal professionals and local government officials and their American counterparts. Participants will be in their 20’s through early 40’s and will number 1,158, divided roughly equally between Russia and Ukraine. The program will provide visitors with an intensive three to five-week technical training program in the fields of local government, law, or business/entrepreneurship. IVC will arrange internships related to participants’ professions and homestays with Philadelphia area families. IVC members and other professionals, serving as “community mentors,” will ensure that the Ukrainian and Russian visitors are incorporated into the city’s business, social and cultural activities.
IVC of Philadelphia
Ann L. Stauffer
Community Connections Proj. Consultant 1600 Arch Street, 1M
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2028
Tel: (215) 686-3961
Fax: (215) 686-3930
E-mail: [email protected]
For more information or to order a subscription, see our publications page.
The URL for this page is: http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/~ccsi/csew/96-05/ivcphily.htm
Last updated: August 2, 1996
|
| Center for Civil Society International [email protected] | |