1. Transforming Waste, Transforming the Future: Redefining Plastic in the DRC

   Where others saw piles of discarded plastic, Nicole Mugoli Menemene saw potential. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where waste management systems tend to be underdeveloped, Nicole turned her personal commitment to sanitation into a business that combines innovation with social impact.

2. Fulbright in Brazil

   Fulbright programs available for Americans in Brazil and for Brazilians in the U.S.

3. TechWomen SpeakOUT on StoryCorps

   

   Menekse Gencer (Silicon Valley Mentor) & Noha Abousonna (Egyptian TechWoman) talk about their journey working in technology as women.

4. Fulbright in Germany

   Fulbright programs available for Americans in Germany and for Germans in the U.S.

5. Helping to Educate, Engage, and Empower Youth

   Hosted at the University of Connecticut, Grace’s SUSI experience allowed her to examine how business techniques and entrepreneurial skills can be used to address social issues.

6. The Collaboratory Launches 22.33 - A Podcast of Life-Changing Stories

   Each year, State Department-sponsored exchange programs connect approximately 350,000 people in almost every country and all U.S. states.

7. The Faces of FLEX

   

   Winners of the "Faces of FLEX" photo and video contest.

8. Jazz Appreciation Month

   To celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month this April, the U.S. Department of State is hosting a panel discussion, jazz performance and cultural diplomacy exhibit at the U.S. Diplomacy Center.

9. Michael Zantovsky

   First Name

   Michael

   Participant Headshot

   

   Short Biography

   

    

   Content created by Virtual Intern  Helen Zeidman

   Michael Zantovsky is a Czech diplomat, politician, and author who leverages the power of words to advance international understanding. Zantovsky became the press secretary and spokesperson for Czech president Vaclav Havel after the Velvet Revolution. In 1990, when President George H.W. Bush visited Prague, Zantovsky met the White House press secretary which laid the foundation for Zantovsky's exchange experience in the United States.

   In 1991, Zantovsky traveled to the United States through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) to learn about American media relations. "My still largely intuitive and improvised press operation back home was a far cry from the well-organized and systematic manner in which the White House media message was elaborated and processed, and the various talking points prepared," he said. During his IVLP, Zantovsky said that "I had access everywhere and could speak to everyone. In the ten or so days I spent there, I learned a whole lot. It was something between sitting in a front row at a world class boxing match and going back to school."

   Zantovsky later became Ambassador to the United States, Israel, and Great Britain and after serving as a diplomat, he wrote Havel: A Life, a biography of Vaclav Havel that was popular in both Czech and English. In 2015, Zantovsky became the Executive Director of the Vaclav Havel Library in Prague, and through conferences and events, the library and its archives shares the life of Havel with the people.

   Michael Zantovsky advocates for international diplomacy on and off the page and for increasing access to information through literature.

   Edited by Virtual Interns Regina Navarro-Gomez and Kristin Mitra

    

   Photo

   

   

   

   Home Country

   Czech Republic

   Last name

   Zantovsky

   IVLP Alumni

10. Sports Evaluation

    Sports Evaluation

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