Friendship Force of Austin was honored when we were asked by FF International to host the Peruvian Leaders sponsored by the Open World Leadership Center - July 14-20, 2017. When speaking with Anita Knight and Kay Binder, host and activities coordinators, they said this presented a different challenge than hosting other Friendship Force club members. Ask them about this at our social get togethers. Here are pictures and the press release from this event.
PERUVIAN
LEADERS EXAMINED
ACCOUNTABLE
GOVERNANCE
IN AUSTIN,
TEXAS
Five leaders from
Peru participated in an Open World program July 14 through July 20,
2017, in Austin, Texas, examining accountable governance. The
Friendship Force Club of Austin hosted the delegation, with
GlobalAustin assisting in the professional programming.
Managed by the
independent Open World Leadership Center, the
Open World program introduces rising leaders of emerging
democracies to legislative functions essential to democracy. Funded
almost entirely by the U.S. Congress, Open World links Members to
their counterparts and is an instrument for Americans engaged in
citizen diplomacy.
Kay Binder,
Regional Director of Friendship Force International (FFI), and Anita
Knight, current Leadership Council Coordinator for our Friendship
Force Club, were honored to have been invited by FFI to host and plan
the week. We were assisted by GlobalAustin, which works
with the U.S. Department of State to deliver similar educational and
cultural programs to visiting international leaders.
GlobalAustin,
formerly the International Hospitality Council of Austin, has
promoted “citizen diplomacy” since
1960. And of course the Austin chapter of FFI believes that "a
world of friends is a world of peace". The Peru
delegation chose Austin, because we have had a Sister City
relationship with Lima, Peru since 1981; and the new officers of the
Austin-Lima Sister Cities committee were enthusiastic participants in
the week’s activities.
During their initial orientation in Washington, D.C., the delegates
met with several members of Congress, including 31st Texas
District Representative John Carter, as well as the Peruvian
Ambassador. While in Austin, the delegates toured the Lyndon B.
Johnson National Historic Park and library, swam in the iconic Barton
Springs Pool, and visited with local and state government officials,
UT professors, and community leaders. We were in the Capitol on the
opening day of the special session, when the press photographers were
busy with the other political visitors, namely protestors. That
day was the perfect LIVE demonstration of folks attempting to prove
or to demand that our elected officials are accountable.
Homestays allowed the Open World delegates to experience American
family life. Besides Friendship Force and GlobalAustin, other groups
involved in this program included the Texas Partners of the Americas,
Austin-Lima Sister Cities committee, and the PanAmerican Roundtable.
Friendship Force members involved in home and dinner hosting,
besides Kay and Anita, were Lana & Fernando Kempff, new members
Gloria & Rudy Munguia, Marilyn Scott, and Lin Hughes. Several
others attended the farewell dinner and reception at Takoba’s
Tex-Mex restaurant, where the Peruvians shared their perspectives on
the visit and their country. It was a busy but rewarding week!
