1. Otgontuya Badamgarav

   First Name

   Otgontuva

   Participant Headshot

   

   Short Biography

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   Content created by Virtual Intern Adelle Barkhuizen

   Otgontuya Badamgarav started using a wheelchair due to a car accident and mainly stayed at home because of the stigma in Mongolia against people with disabilities. In 2010, she participated in an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) that highlighted how people with disabilities live, work, and study in the United States. She saw how disability rights are supported by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

   Badamgarav was overwhelmed by the support shown to people with disabilities from all levels of government in the United States. She returned home eager to share best practices and find new opportunities to promote and protect the rights of people with disabilities. She describes her IVLP as an opportunity to see firsthand that countries view equality as a human right and gain an understanding of the legal framework provided by the ADA. While on the program she met the Department of State’s special advisor for international disability rights and credits much of the legislative progress in Mongolia with her interactions with the special advisor’s office.

   She has started a wide range of activities that empower woman with disabilities. She organized a job fair for people with disabilities, created a mentorship program, and designed independent living courses and even a dance class for people with disabilities.

   Networking with people with similar disabilities and goals in other parts of the world brings her an understanding of the possibilities for equality. Otgontuya Badamgarav actively promotes the voices of people with disabilities in Mongolia and is no longer bound by cultural stigmas.

   Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams

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   Home Country

   Mongolia

   Last name

   Badamgarav

   IVLP Alumni

2. António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres

   First Name

   António Manuel

   Participant Headshot

   

   Short Biography

   

    

   Content created by Virtual Intern  Eden Davenport

   António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, the current Secretary-General of the United Nations, has had a life-long career in government and public service. He was a participant in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in 1978.

   His IVLP exchange to the United States forged a passion and commitment to international cooperation that extended throughout his career as the former Prime Minister of Portugal, President of the European Council, Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as a member of the Portuguese Council of State and Parliament.

   Secretary-General Guterres founded the Portuguese Refugee Council and served as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). While at the UNHCR, he headed one of the world’s foremost humanitarian organizations during some of the most serious displacement crises in decades. The conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and the crises in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Yemen, led to a huge rise in UNHCR’s activities as the number of people displaced by conflict rose dramatically.

   Secretary-General Guterres recently said, "Through my participation in the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), I was fortunate to gain a deep understanding of the United States and its culture, experience the warm and gracious hospitality of its people, and witness the American spirit, which so uniquely embodies that land. As the program celebrates its 80th anniversary, I remain grateful to the government of the United States for providing such an opportunity and share my encouragement to all others that are considering participating in the IVLP."

   As Secretary-General, António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres has turned his focus to future generations on issues related to protecting the environment and sustainable development. Secretary-General Guterres continues to showcase Portuguese leadership in the global arena, using his influence to increase diplomatic capacity and reaffirm the values of the United Nations.

   Edited by Virtual Interns Regina Navarro-Gomez and Kristin Mitra

    

   Photo

   

   Home Country

   Portugal

   Last name

   de Oliveira Guterres

   IVLP Alumni

3. Study Abroad, Make a Difference

   

   National Security Language Initiative for Youth alumni talk about their exchange experiences.

4. Empowerment and the Soccer Field

   

   "Playing sports gives a girl the feeling of empowerment, ...how to become a better, stronger character."

5. Unpublished

   Are You Ready for Futsal?

   More than 12 million people in over 100 countries play an indoor version of soccer called futsal.

6. U.S. Visit Motivates Leaders to Empower Women

   Through an exploration of women, peace and security, international participants took away strategies for directing positive political, social and economic change in a democratic society.

7. Sports Grant Provides Disability Skills Training to Coaches in Mexico

   

   The National Ability Center, in collaboration with the Departamento de Educación Especial for the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico, and UCP Wheels for Humanity in the United States conducted a multi-phased sports exchange for youth with disabilities with the goal of establishing sustainable sports programs that target youth with physical and developmental disabilities in Mexico.

8. History

   An Informal History of the Fulbright Program

9. IDEAS Grant Competition Opens for U.S. Colleges and Universities

   IDEAS Grant Competition Opens for U.S. Colleges and Universities, offers One-Time Doubling of Grants to Rebuild Study Abroad Capacity.

10. #20Questions with Egyptian Fulbrighter Michael Jacob for International Education Week

    

    Check out our #20Questions video with Egyptian Fulbrighter Michael Jacob for International Education Week!

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