H. Res. 1402 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
December 8, 2010. 
Whereas 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the National 
Council for International Visitors (NCIV), originally 
founded as the National Council for Community Services 
to International Visitors (COSERV) in 1961; 
Whereas the mission of NCIV is to promote excellence in cit-
izen diplomacy, the concept that the individual citizen has 
the right and responsibility to help develop constructive 
United States foreign relations ‘‘one handshake at a 
time’’; 
Whereas citizen diplomacy has the power to shape percep-
tions in the United States of foreign cultures and inter-
national perceptions of the United States, effectively 
shattering stereotypes, illuminating differences, under-
scoring common human aspirations, and developing the 
web of human connections needed to achieve more peace-
ful relations between countries; 
Whereas NCIV is the private sector partner of the United 
States Department of State International Visitor Leader-
ship Program (IVLP), a public diplomacy initiative that 
brings distinguished foreign leaders to the United States 
for short-term professional programs under the authority 
of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of
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1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.; also referred to as the 
‘‘Fulbright-Hays Act’’); 
Whereas the NCIV network comprises individuals, program 
agencies, and 92 community organizations throughout 
the United States, including approximately 80,000 volun-
teers who are involved in NCIV member activities each 
year as host families, professional resources, volunteer 
programmers, board members, and other supporters; 
Whereas the network of citizen diplomats in NCIV has orga-
nized professional programs, cultural activities, and home 
visits for more than 190,000 foreign leaders participating 
in the IVLP, 285 of whom went on to become chiefs of 
state or heads of government in their countries; 
Whereas the NCIV network has hosted and strengthened the 
relationships of the United States with notable foreign 
leaders who are alumni of the IVLP; 
Whereas United States ambassadors have in repeated surveys 
ranked the NCIV network-facilitated IVLP first among 
63 United States public diplomacy programs; 
Whereas in 2001, the NCIV network of citizen diplomats was 
nominated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for its work 
to promote fraternity between nations; 
Whereas all Federal funding for the citizen diplomacy of the 
NCIV network is spent in the United States, where it has 
leveraged $6 in local economic impact for every Federal 
dollar expended; 
Whereas NCIV member organizations provide invaluable op-
portunities for United States students to develop global 
perspectives and vividly experience the diversity of the 
world by bringing foreign leaders into local schools, loan-
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ing teachers cultural artifacts, and developing inter-
nationally focused curricula; 
Whereas participation of United States communities, busi-
nesses, and universities in the international exchange pro-
grams implemented by the NCIV network strengthens 
the ability of the United States to produce a globally lit-
erate and competitive workforce; 
Whereas NCIV provides leadership at the national level hav-
ing convened leaders of sister organizations for two na-
tional Summits on Citizen Diplomacy and providing 
funding to its member organizations for Summits on Cit-
izen Diplomacy in communities throughout the United 
States, giving those organizations the opportunity to fos-
ter internationally focused dialogue and to cultivate last-
ing partnerships with like-minded organizations in their 
own communities; 
Whereas NCIV member organizations serve as international 
gateways, sharing their communities with the world and 
the world with their communities, welcoming strangers 
and sending home friends; and 
Whereas, February 16, 2011, would be an appropriate date 
to designate as ‘‘Citizen Diplomacy Day’’: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the 50th anniversary of the National 
Council for International Visitors and its extraordinary 
efforts to promote excellence in citizen diplomacy; 
(2) commends the achievements of the thousands of 
citizen diplomats who have worked for generations to
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share the best of the United States with foreign leaders, 
specialists, and scholars; 
(3) thanks the National Council for International 
Visitors citizen diplomats for their service to their com-
munities, the United States, and the world; and 
(4) supports the designation of ‘‘Citizen Diplomacy 
Day’’. 
Attest: 
Clerk.