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Adam Weinberg and World Learning Board Members Help Launch National Presidents' Initiative For Citizen Diplomacy

Strategic Plan to be Presented to New Administration

BRATTLEBORO, VT (October 06, 2008) -- World Learning Executive Vice President, Adam Weinberg, and Trustees Sherry Mueller and Tom Fox are among 40 U.S. leaders who have formulated a National Presidents' Initiative for Citizen Diplomacy to dramatically improve international relations throughout the world. The Initiative, sponsored by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy emerged from recent discussions by the leaders of more than 90 organizations in international affairs who attended a Leadership Forum on Citizen Diplomacy at the Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin, October 1-3, 2008.

A National Presidents' Initiative Steering Committee plans to meet with members of the U.S. Center's Board, forum participants, nationally recognized leaders in foreign affairs, members of Congress, members of the new administration's transition team on foreign policy, and with the president-elect in early December to discuss this strategic plan and its implementation.

"Restoring America's image abroad must be a priority for the next administration if we are to reclaim our position of leadership in the world," said Dr. Weinberg. "We know that face-to-face cultural and educational exchanges work and the implementation of the National Presidents' Initiative will dramatically increase our capacity to support programs that make a difference."

World Learning's involvement in the Presidents' Initiative reflects the organization's 75 years of leadership in bridging cultures through educational and cultural exchange. In January of this year, World Learning and the Aspen Institute conducted a poll of 1,099 Americans which found that a growing number of Americans worry that the country's damaged reputation is harming America's place in the world. More than 75% polled believe that Americans going abroad change local perceptions of our people and culture for the better. Following that poll, World Learning co-hosted with Georgetown University's Mortara Center for International Studies and the Aspen Institute a two-part Citizen Diplomacy discussion series at Georgetown. And in May, Dr. Weinberg and World Learning President and CEO Carol Bellamy co-authored an article in The Washington Quarterly highlighting the role of cultural and educational exchange in improving America's image abroad.

As articulated by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, the National Presidents' Initiative will be a "Call to Action" to energize and motivate Americans to become citizen diplomats, dramatically increasing the number of Americans, of all ages, who are actively engaged globally to strengthen America's international relationships. The strategic plan includes the expansion of existing citizen diplomacy efforts and identifies bold new, innovative opportunities to engage all Americans globally through education, business, volunteer service, community-based initiatives, professional exchange, arts & humanities programs, sports, development assistance or international travel.