N. Iraqi Leaders Study Institutional Development in U.S.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

May 8, 2001

MEDIA NOTE

Northern Iraqi Community Leaders Examine Institutional Development
through State Department's International Visitor Program

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, Office of International Visitors, is sponsoring a three-week
International Visitor project titled, "Institutional Development," May
7 through May 25, 2001. The participants include regional
administration officials, legal specialists, academics, and NGO
leaders from northern Iraq.

Beginning their program in Washington, DC (May 7-12), the visitors
examine federalism, regionalism, strategic planning for economic
development, local government, the role and function of Congress,
organizational management, rule of law, democratization and elections,
and building civil society.

In Pittsburgh, PA (May 7-13), the group focuses on public policy
formulation, public administration, and county government, and
explores the U.S. judicial system and the training of court personnel.
In Charleston, WV (May 13-19), the visitors examine the state as the
key partner in American federalism and how the state works with
communities to promote an expanded economy through grants, loans, and
technical assistance. They observe how the state approaches the
challenge of generating employment opportunities for low-income
residents. In Johnson City, TN (May 19-23), the visitors meet with
representatives from East Tennessee State University to discuss an
innovative system of cooperation between the university and four
surrounding counties to provide health care. The group meets with
representatives from the First Tennessee Development District to
discuss cooperative arrangements among local jurisdictions.

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The Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs fosters
mutual understanding between the United States and other countries
through international educational and training programs. The Bureau
administers the International Visitor Program, operating under
authority of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961
(Fulbright-Hays Act), to increase mutual understanding through
communication at the personal and professional levels. Each year the
International Visitor Program brings participants to the United States
from all over the world to meet and confer with their professional
counterparts and to experience the United States firsthand. The
visitors, who are current or potential leaders in government,
politics, the media, education, and other fields, are selected by
American Foreign Service Officers overseas.