Sourced from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/06/164984.htm
Five women’s sports administrators from Bolivia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, and South Africa have been invited by the U.S. Department of State to meet their American counterparts from civil society, the private sector, academic institutions, and government to discuss ways to work together to empower women and girls throughout the world. The initiative as a part of the U.S. Department of State’s Women’s World Cup Initiative: Empowering Women and Girls through Sports. During their visit the international sports administrators will get an opportunity to travel to New York City, Washington, D.C., Kansas City, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program.
The objective of this initiative is to address the issues concerning the administration of women’s and girls’ soccer programs. During their meets with American counterparts the International Visitors will exchange ideas and best practices in the management of sports and recreational programs. They will also get a chance to analyse how athletic programs for women and girls can help in promoting leadership, teamwork, respect, self awareness and life skills, and how sports and recreation programs can make a positive impact on at-risk and underserved youth.
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ International Visitor Leadership Program is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. For the last 70 years, every year, this program invites approximately 5,200 current and emerging leaders to the United States from around the world for professional engagement with U.S. peers and for firsthand experience of American society and culture.
