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Pawan Ghimire
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Content created by Virtual Intern Christopher Belden
Pawan Ghimire is a pioneer in Nepal for people with disabilities. Blinded by Maoist insurgents during a military operation in 2003, Ghimire discovered cricket as a rehabilitation therapy. He now serves as the chair of the Cricket Association of the Blind - Nepal, helping blind men and women in Nepal find strength through the game of cricket.
In 2016, he participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) titled "Access for All: Enhancing the Lives of People with Disabilities." While in the United States, Ghimire had several valuable experiences he took back to Nepal. He was inspired by the opportunities for people with disabilities to support themselves in the United States and shared the message with several organizations in Nepal.
Shortly after returning to Nepal, he assisted in establishing an all-female sporting event for athletes with disabilities, promoting the idea that disabilities are not barriers, but opportunities.
Ghimire helps children with disabilities view themselves as more than their disabilities and to strive for success. Through the association, Ghimire has made blind cricket players more visible in Nepali society. The men’s blind cricket team participated in a World Cup, and the women’s team defeated Pakistan in a tournament.
Through his work with the Cricket Association of the Blind-Nepal, Pawan Ghimire has improved the perception of people with disabilities in Nepal and works to ensure that people with disabilities can enjoy fundamental rights.
Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams
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Magdalena Waleska Aldana Segura
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Content created by Virtual Intern Radha VaradanGrowing up in Guatemala, Magdalena Waleska Aldana Segura was often the only female in her physics class. She took her love of science and built a successful career as a university professor teaching physics and mentoring students interested in science-related careers.
Through workshops that have been attended by more than 4,000 high school students and 350 professors, she encourages women’s involvement in fields where they are underrepresented. Aldana Segura credits the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) as a driving force behind her recent activism. She took part in the 2017 #HiddenNoMore IVLP project that connected her with nearly 50 like-minded women in STEAM fields. These contacts from her IVLP have helped take her workshops to the next level, allowed her to organize conferences for children, and provided an opportunity to speak at a prestigious STEAM conference in Chicago.
Her involvement in the Guatemalan Women in Science association (GWSA), the Association for American Advancement of Science (AAAS), and her long career as a university professor ensures that Magdalena Waleska Aldana Segura is illuminating the future of STEAM education by empowering one woman at a time.
Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams
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Aldana SeguraIVLP Alumni
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Dr. David Tawei Lee
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Content created by Virtual Intern Shayna Canty
A long-serving diplomat, Dr. David Tawei Lee was appointed Secretary-General to the President of Taiwan on August 3, 2020. Lee also served Taiwan as Minister of Foreign Affairs between 2016 and 2018 and as Secretary-General of the National Security Council until May 2020. He has been known for his close ties with the United States.
He started his international affairs career at the age of 21 as a foreign affairs major from the National Taiwan University. During his collegiate career he was selected as one of 12 students to take part in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on the East-Asia Student Leaders Program in 1972. He said, "the experience was mind-opening... I learned so much during my time in the program." He indicated in a speech that “it was an impressive experience that led me to decide to dedicate my career to international affairs.”
After the IVLP, he went on to receive his M.A. and Ph.D. in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. Lee also served as Taiwan's senior representative to numerous countries including Australia, Canada, the European Union, and the United States.
Dr. David Tawei Lee is a scholar and career diplomat who has helped build bilateral connections around the world.
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Otto Sonnenholzner
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Content created by Virtual Intern Eden Davenport
As the former Vice President of Ecuador, Otto Sonnenholzner was one of the youngest high-level politicians in his country. While working in the Ecuadorian broadcasting industry, Sonnenholzner was selected for the International Visitor Leadership Visitor (IVLP) on a 2010 investigative journalism project. Through his IVLP exchange, he strengthened his knowledge of the strategies and tools needed to defend freedom of expression.
Sonnenholtzner became president of the the Ecuadorian Broadcasting Association after his IVLP and was a prominent figure in the industry before his election as a national representative of the Ecuadorian government.
When asked about his IVLP, Sonnenholzner said, "This experience consolidated and renewed a collective effort in the defense of democratic values of freedom of expression in Ecuador. With better knowledge of international regulations, we are able to defend and advance the fight for freedom.”
As Ecuador’s 50th Vice President, Otto Sonnenholzner is a young politician seeking to defend and advance the goals of freedom and democracy in Ecuador.
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SonnenholznerIVLP Alumni
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Hamzeh Abaza
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Content created by Virtual Intern Erinn Heffes
Hamzeh Abaza tirelessly works to assist refugees in crisis in Jordan, which is the second largest refugee hosting country per capita worldwide. In 2015, Abaza participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) “Engaging Youth Leaders in Strengthening Communities” project, allowing him to meet leaders from around the world and U.S. organizations working with youth and supporting entrepreneurship. His participation led him to assist local institutions and community-based organizations in enhancing refugee inclusion in their youth empowerment and entrepreneurship projects in Jordan.
A year after his IVLP, Abaza joined the International Cooperation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNGi) to voice his opinion on how Jordan should transition towards decentralization based on ideas he gained during his IVLP project. He was directly involved in facilitating community meetings with political leaders and managing awareness campaigns.
During his IVLP, Abaza visited the Bond Street Theatre and Downtown Community Television Center which positively impacted him and led him to gradually expand his film industry skills. Abaza was involved in various feature films and documentaries in 2019.
Hamzeh Abaza continues to play a critical role in responding to Jordan’s refugee crisis by building local government capacity, empowering youth, and creating work opportunities.
Edited by Virtual Interns Regina Navarro-Gomez and Kristin Mitra
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AbazaIVLP Alumni
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Camilla Sharshekeeva
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Content created by Virtual Intern Helen Zeidman
Camilla Sharshekeeva, a Kyrgyz education reformer, is a bridge for scholarship between Central Asia and the United States. Sharshekeeva started her career as an English professor at Kyrgyz State University with a passion for American education. In 1993, she was selected for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) during an inflection point in education in the Kyrgyz Republic. By visiting American universities, Sharshekeeva gained the ideas, plans, and confidence needed to change the education system in her home country.
One of her main reforms was to initiate courses taught in English to foster a global community in Central Asia. In 2001, she earned an appointment as Minister of Education and Culture due to her innovations and ability to blend key elements of American education with Kyrgyz universities. She continued her work by collaborating with officials from the Kyrgyz Republic and the United States and created the International University of Central Asia (IUCA) in 2008. Now, as Provost at IUCA, she manages both academic and non-academic programs.
Camilla Sharshekeeva uses her passion for global collaboration to build communities and reform higher education..
Edited by Virtual Interns Regina Navarro-Gomez and Kristin Mitra
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SharshekeevaIVLP Alumni
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Marie-Elise Gbèdo
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Content created by Virtual Intern Celeste Lan
Marie-Elise Gbèdo, a human rights lawyer at Barreau du Bénin (Benin Bar), fights domestic violence, female genital mutilation, sexual harassment, and other injustices. Gbèdo is President of the Association of Female Lawyers of Benin and has received awards including the “Grand Officer” title in the National Order of Benin.
Gbèdo credits her 1997 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) as a key influence on her career. In 2001, Gbèdo became the first woman to run for president in Benin, a decision inspired in part by meeting female politicians during her IVLP. In 2011, she participated in the launch of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Women in Public Service Project.
Gbèdo serves as a mentor to female political candidates. She empowers women through “You Can Do It Too,” a leadership and career training initiative of the US-Benin Women Alumni Association.
Marie-Elise Gbèdo emboldens women and girls and champions their rights.
Edited by Virtual Interns Regina Navarro-Gomez and Kristin Mitra
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GbèdoIVLP Alumni
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Samanta Olivero Pacheco
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Content created by Virtual Intern Shayna Canty
Samanta Olivero-Pacheco brings art to at-risk and underserved youth in the Dominican Republic as a director of the nonprofit Proyectarte. When the U.S. Embassy of Santo Domingo's Cultural Section began planning a dance program for underserved youth, Olivero-Pacheco was asked to participate to ensure the dance program's success.
In 2017, she participated in an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) project, "Addressing the Needs of Underserved and At-Risk Youth." She traveled to several cities where she was able to fuel her passion for volunteerism and engaging communities through the arts. With that knowledge and inspiration, she returned to the Dominican Republic and established ProyectArte Cultural, a nonprofit that creates a bridge to allow people to view art in public spaces.
Olivero-Pacheco built a strong network with fellow IVLP participants. After her IVLP, she partnered with alumni from Costa Rica, Honduras, and elsewhere in Latin America on art education and social inclusion projects.
Olivero-Pacheco continues to work with social, educational, and cultural institutions to transform art. Samanta Olivero-Pacheco advocates for the needs of underserved communities, promotes a sense of place by conveying its history through the arts, and is committed to using art to help underserved youth build life enhancing skills.
Edited by Virtual Interns Regina Navarro-Gomez and Kristin Mitra
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Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education
The United States cannot afford to be absent from the world stage: U.S. leadership and engagement makes an essential difference abroad, as well as at home.
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47 Business and Social Entrepreneurs from Europe Begin 2021 YTILI Fellowship Program
Last month, 47 business and social entrepreneurs from 36 countries in Europe began the 2021 Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI) Fellowship Program.
