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Virtual Workshop Trains Law Enforcement to Disrupt Trafficking in Cultural Property from Latin America
On July 15, 2022, the U.S. Department of State’s Cultural Antiquities Task Force (CATF) held a virtual training workshop for law enforcement officials from the United States to enhance their knowledge of cultural property from Latin America and to build capacity to disrupt its trafficking.
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The Rhythm Road: Gospel Music Abroad
Oscar Williams Jr. and Perfected Praise share some of their gospel spirit before heading out on a U.S. Department of State sponsored tour through Europe.
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LGBT Pride Month: The U.S. Department of State Welcomes NBA Player Jason Collins
NBA basketball star Jason Collins tipped off LGBT Pride Month at the U.S. Department of State by enchanting a Department audience with tales of both tough personal decisions and personal successes.
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Mandela Washington Fellow: Investing in the Environment
Mandela Washington Fellow Clive Jifunte, a wildlife ecologist from Zambia, discusses how his fellowship will impact his career and future.
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University of Montana: FUSALMO – El Salvador
The University of Montana partnered with in-country partner FUSALMO to conduct a two-way sports exchange between Montana and El Salvador focusing on youth who are susceptible to gangs and crime.
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Alain Akouala Atipault
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Alain AkoualaParticipant Headshot
Short Biography
Content created by Virtual Intern Melanie Ourhaan
Alain Akouala Atipault, a proud son of Africa has served as a politician in the government of the Republic of Congo for 15 years. In his current role as communications advisor for the National Council of Dialogue, he directs public and diplomatic relations for his government. As a founding member of a French think tank, he simultaneously works to improve relations between France and Africa.
In 1997, Akouala Atipault participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) with a group of young African professionals. On that visit to the United States, he discovered new possibilities for advancement of his country and was inspired to be a leader for positive change in the Congo.
Akouala Atipault recalls his group's discussion with U.S. Representative John Lewis, the renowned civil rights leader and former companion of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That exchange was an epiphany for him, and he remembers sharing with Representative Lewis the myriad difficulties he faced trying to establish himself as a young entrepreneur, only to have Representative Lewis encourage him to drop everything and invest himself heavily in politics if he wanted to profoundly effect change in his country.
Today, after a decade and a half of active political involvement, Alain Akouala Atipault is still working to end entrenched poverty and create opportunities for Congolese youth and ensure a brighter future for his African homeland.
Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams
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AtipaultIVLP Alumni
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Dr. Valeria Klitsounova
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ValeriaParticipant Headshot
Short Biography
Content created by Virtual Intern Shayna Canty
Raised by her aunt and grandmother, Dr. Valeria Klitsounova grew up thinking critically and developed her independence and leadership skills at a young age. As a board member for a museum of history and rural culture in Belarus that she and her husband owned, she was passionate about sharing Belarusian history. After the selling the museum, she looked for other opportunities to bring information about Belarus to the world. In 2002, Dr. Klitsounova introduced the idea of agritourism to Belarus and has been working to provide more income opportunities to rural communities throughout the country. She founded the Belarusian Association of Rural and Ecotourism “Country Escape,” a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Belarus as a tourist destination. Dr. Klitsounova traveled to the United States in 2003 to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) that was focused on NGO management. During her exchange she discovered many concepts that she could use to support entrepreneurs who were members of her nonprofit. She directly credits the IVLP for improving her negotiating skills that, in turn, persuaded the Belarusian government to increase funding and expand programming in other villages.
Today “Country Escape” has more than 800 members and is shaping the rural tourism sector in Belarus. Between running her nonprofit, teaching and developing courses about ecotourism, and publishing books, Dr. Valeria Klitsounova has become the “mother of agritourism” in Belarus!
Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams
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KlitsounovaIVLP Alumni
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Veronica Corchado Espinoza, Director, Municipal Institute for Women
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Veronica CorchadoParticipant Headshot
Short Biography
Content created by Callan McCormick
Veronica Corchado Espinoza is an avid defender of women's rights and has spent her career working to reduce violence against women in her hometown of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Dedicated to social change and motivated by her IVLP, Corchado established "The Collective for Arts, Community, and Equality," a civil society organization in Ciudad Juarez to empower at-risk youth through education, sports, and the arts. The center stimulates local interest in art but more importantly provides a safe zone for girls and women in some of the city’s most historically violent communities.
Through the "Safe Corridor" initiative, Corchado is helping women living or working downtown recover their public spaces. She is globally-minded in her endeavors, actively collaborating with international organizations to reach her goals. During her 2010 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), Corchado became inspired by initiatives to deter violence in Los Angeles and implemented similar ideas at home.
Veronica Corchado Espinoza is a life-long advocate for women’s rights using arts and advocacy to inspire women to bring about changes within their community.
Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams
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EspinozaIVLP Alumni
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Mohamed Amine Zariat, Community Organizer
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Mohamed AmineParticipant Headshot
Short Biography
Content created by Virtual Intern Eden Davenport
A former player on the Moroccan National Basketball Team, Mohamed Amine Zariat took his passion for team sports and developed a nonprofit. TIBU started as a basketball tournament for at-risk youth in a low-income neighborhood in Morocco and has evolved to provide Moroccan youth leadership and social skills at 18 community centers. TIBU also provides opportunities for physically disabled youth to build their confidence through inclusive sports.
Zariat returned from his IVLP inspired with new ideas to expand TIBU's programming. TIBU is now supported by the Moroccan Ministry of Education, and Zariat plans to implement programs throughout Morocco. By providing opportunities for Moroccan youth to become community leaders, Zariat is changing the world in which they live.
Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams
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The whole experience has enriched my life not only professionally but also personally. Meeting people from different sports organisations as NBA, NCAA, Vita Sports, Lebron James Family Foundation, etc. from the mainstream to smaller and community-based or specialised ones in different cities and states, has given me the opportunity to deepen my leadership skills, particularly through the diverse range of youth empowerment practices through sports in the US, by learning their stories, business, management and operation models. IVLP experience helps me everyday to impact more, to innovate more and to scale more." - Mr. Amine Zariat
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ZariatIVLP Alumni
