For more than 60 years, the International Visitor Leadership Program has brought guests to the United States from all over the world to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience the U.S. firsthand. These international visitors have all been highly qualified professionals including educators, cabinet members, judges, community organizers, journalists, health professionals, trade policy decision-makers and many more. Emphasis is placed on increasing mutual understanding through communication at the personal and professional levels. Last year, MIC arranged 516 professional appointments for 390 visitors from 107 different countries, using 288 local resources.

Since its inception in 1940, more than 135,000 international visitors have participated in this national program. Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom and Gerhard Schroeder of Germany are just two of the 200 IVLP alumni who have gone on to become heads of government.