Occasionally at ICMA, we have international visitors come to the office who are interested in learning about local governance. Last Thursday, our Afghanistan Regional Director, Sandra Tripp-Jones, and our Director of International Programs, David Grossman, welcomed a group of 22 government officials from 21 countries across the world, including China, Nigeria, Russia, Uganda, and Venezuela.

These visitors are part of the International Visitor Leadership Program, a program funded by the U.S. State Department that connects international leaders with American government officials. Participants are nominated and selected by staff at U.S. embassies all over the world. Over a three week period, they meet with city officials, visit both public and private sector organizations, and engage in cultural U.S. activities.

Sandra and David gave the visitors an overview of ICMA, some of our exchange programs, and local governance in the U.S. Eager to learn more, the guests inquired about the differences between nonprofit and profit work and the council-manager vs. strong mayor forms of government, among other questions. David commented after the visit, “For me, it was very special that ICMA could connect with the vast majority of this group having had meaningful local government connections in their countries.”

If you’d like to learn more about some of ICMA’s international programs, visit the ICMA International website, the International Development topic area in the Knowledge Network, and the International Dispatches and Notes from CityLinks blogs, or e-mail international@icma.org.