The Washington, DC-based nonprofit Global Ties U.S., in partnership with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, is excited to announce the photo exhibit, Impact of Exchange: Stories from U.S. Exchange Alumni. Impact of Exchange aims to inspire audiences in host communities to become future exchange participants – and pass on the power of exchange to others. The exhibit will take place in five communities across the United States between 2023-2024.
This traveling exhibit combines photography with storytelling, and features images taken by U.S. citizen Exchange Alumni of programs funded or sponsored by the U.S. Government. The images and stories will be printed on photo-quality vinyl panels and displayed in public spaces across the United States, depicting the experiences and adventures made possible through international exchange programs.
The Impact of Exchange exhibit will travel to the following locations. More details on the event dates and cities are forthcoming.
- Fall 2023 | Portland, MaineHosted in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Maine
- 2024 | ArkansasHosted in partnership with Global Ties Arkansas
- 2024 | IdahoHosted in partnership with Global Ties Idaho
- The final two locations will be announced soon
The Impact of Exchange is part of the U.S. Exchange Alumni Network and Capacity Building Program, a cooperative agreement with ECA’s Office of Alumni Affairs and Global Ties U.S. The exhibition is designed by Photoville and hosted by members of the Global Ties Network.
“The goal of the Impact of Exchange exhibit is to spark curiosity and show that what seems foreign can be familiar for diverse U.S. audiences,” said Katherine Brown, Ph.D., and President and CEO of Global Ties U.S. “We are thrilled to work with our colleagues at the Office of Alumni Affairs, Photoville, and Global Ties Network members across the country to share the global stories of exchange alumni with local U.S. communities.”
“We like to say that the international exchange doesn’t end when alumni return home,” said Nini Forino, Director of ECA’s Office of Alumni Affairs. “We wanted to give Exchange Alumni the opportunity to connect with their home communities and to inspire others to experience the life-changing experiences that our alumni have had.”
With more than 500,000 U.S. citizen alumni in the United States and around the world, the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Alumni Affairs opens the door to alumni networking, professional development, and the many opportunities that exist in citizen diplomacy. In addition to the Impact of Exchange photo exhibit, the partnership with Global Ties U.S. includes Career Connections seminars, in-person and virtual professional development events for U.S. citizen Exchange Alumni, and the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund (CDAF), a small grants competition for exchange program alumni to carry out public service projects that make an impact in U.S. and international communities.
Visit our website to learn more about the Impact of Exchange exhibit and to stay up-to-date on the traveling exhibit schedule.
More Information
Global Ties U.S. powers individuals, communities, and nations to build trust and advance peace and prosperity through international exchange. It is a nonprofit partner of the U.S. Department of State and supports a community-based network of 90+ nonprofit organizations serving all 50 U.S. states. Global Ties U.S. members are exchange professionals who provide the domestic infrastructure for U.S. public diplomacy efforts, implementing the International Visitor Leadership Program and a wide variety of educational, cultural, and professional exchange programs.
The Office of Alumni Affairs in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs: The Office of Alumni Affairs cultivates and extends the impact of U.S. government funded and sponsored educational and cultural exchange programs through continued engagement with alumni of these programs. This dynamic global network of millions of ExchangeAlumni includes current and former heads of state, Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, Olympic athletes, award-winning artists, and untold numbers of community leaders and changemakers around the world.
The Office of Alumni Affairs collaborates with U.S. embassies and consulates abroad to leverage the expertise, energy, and enthusiasm of exchange alumni in support of shared goals. Domestically, The Office of Alumni Affairs works with implementing partners to support U.S. citizen alumni in leveraging the impact of their exchange experience after returning to the United States. Every day, exchange alumni make a difference in their communities and around the world, in health care, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, volunteerism, the democratic process, technology, and much more.
Photoville is a New York-based nonprofit organization that works to promote a wider understanding and increased access to the art of photography for all. Founded in 2011 in Brooklyn, NY, Photoville was built on the principles of addressing cultural equity and inclusion by ensuring that the artists they exhibit are diverse in gender, class, and race. By activating public spaces, amplifying visual storytellers, and creating unique and highly innovative exhibition and programming environments, Photoville joins the cause of nurturing a new lens of representation.