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Executive Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister Lawen Hawezy with U.S. Cultural Affairs assistant Ann-Charlotte Olofsson at a March 4 IVLP reception at U.S. Embassy-Baghdad.
Iraqis Get Taste of American Society, Values with IVLP Visit
(Alumni meet at CAO, Baghdad reception, share impressions)
By Jim Fisher-Thompson
Special Correspondent
March 13, 2008
Baghdad – Contacts with Americans left a lasting impression on Iraqis who traveled to the United States recently courtesy of the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), according to experiences they shared at an alumni reception hosted by the Embassy’s Cultural Affairs Office.
Speaking in Arabic, Ambassador Ryan Crocker welcomed the 40 Iraqi alumni who attended the March 4 luncheon held in the garden of the U.S. Chancery in the Green Zone. He said the IVLP program was important because it brought Iraqis and Americans closer together; “clearing up misconceptions leading to greater understanding between our two cultures.”
The IVLP initiative brings foreign professionals to the United States to meet and confer with their counterparts over a three-week period. Citizen-to-citizen program involves travel to smaller cities where the visitors experience first-hand a wide range of cultural diversity while coming into contact with the democratic values and practices shared by Americans.
May Joseph Rammo, director of the Iraq Fashion House (historical heritage fashions), said her October-November, 2007 trip to Washington, D.C., Houston, New York City and Santa Monica helped clear up a major “misimpression” she had of America.
“I found the idea we had of American people not liking or taking an interest in culture and art was not correct,” she said. On the contrary, “I learned Americans enjoy and value culture. I was struck at the number of museums and galleries in the cities I visited and how well attended they were. You even saw groups of small children visiting them.
“Unfortunately, because of the conflict here, museums have been closed and access denied to the public. People here have gotten out of the habit of visiting and studying their heritage,” she explained.
When political and social stability return, “We need to transfer this [U.S. cultural interest] to Iraq,” Rammo said.
Lawen Hawezy, executive assistant to Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih, said his January-February 2008 IVLP was his first visit to the United States and memorable because of the contacts he made with Americans working on budgetary and legislative matters.
Hawezy, who recently completed an advanced degree in economics in Holland said, “The visit was definitely valuable because our group – Young Executives and Economic Leaders – was able to meet with Americans involved in economic planning which is important in my new job in Iraq.”
Other IVLP groups have focused on: Law enforcement, higher education, young business leaders and the performing arts.
During visits to Washington D.C., Tampa, Seattle and Louisville, Hawezy met with legislators and local leaders who gave him tips on civil planning and budget allocation. “I made some valuable contacts that will help me with my work in the Ministry and look forward to touching base again with my new American contacts,” he said.
Mentioning the 400 Iraqis who have participated in the IVLP initiative in recent times, John Balian, head of the Embassy’s Cultural Affairs Office said he believed the program “represents the most efficient and effective means to expose a wide range of Iraqis to the lifestyle, culture and diversity of America.”
He said, “It also gives Iraqis a unique opportunity to share their culture with Americans, thus contributing significantly to the enhancement of mutual understanding between the two nations."
Brad Minnick, director of International Visitor programs with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, made a special trip to Baghdad to greet the alumni and listen to the impressions and concerns. He told the reception a chief goal of IVLP was to foster personal and professional relationships sustainable over time “to make Iraq a better place.”
He added that altogether 200 Iraqis would travel to the United States in 2008 under the innovative citizen-to-citizen program.
More than 200 IVLP alumni from around the world are current or former heads of government or chiefs of state. They include: President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan; President Mikhail Saaskashvili of Georgia; President Alvaro Uribe Velez of Columbia; and former: Chancellor Gherhard Schroeder of Germany; President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya; Prime Minister Dr. Adnan Badran of Jordan; President Ricardo Lagos of Chile and Prime Minister Helen Clark of New Zealand.