Chris Smith: “First, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) for…”

“First, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) for providing us with this opportunity to recognize the contributions of the National Council for International Visitors, particularly on its 50th anniversary, and the importance of the citizen diplomacy of the United States. The person-to-person contacts that occur when international visitors have the opportunity to live and work alongside ordinary Americans are often more than opinion-changing; they can be life-changing. To experience up-close the diversity, generosity, and industry of our people can shatter stereotypes and prejudices far more effectively than press statements and media campaigns. For these reasons, citizen diplomacy is an important tool for increasing the global understanding of American values. One significant component of our public diplomacy activities has been the International Visitor Leadership Program, a State Department program that brings thousands of current and emerging professional leaders to the U.S. every year for carefully designed short-term visits.”