Deputy Secretary Steinberg addresses the National Council for International Visitors

Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg discussed the new Administration’s foreign policy priorities in an address to the Ambassadors Luncheon Plenary of the National Council for International Visitors Annual Meeting, on February 12, 2009, at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC. The Deputy Secretary addressed more than 500 delegates from 90 communities across the United States, who assembled February 12-14, to focus on the theme "Citizen Diplomacy: Sharing America – Experiencing the World."

Through an array of expert speakers, training sessions, regional briefings, and visits to foreign embassies, the NCIV Annual Meeting offered participants an opportunity to increase their understanding of U.S. diplomacy and hone their skills in coordinating local programs for the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). These citizen diplomats play a crucial role in furthering America's foreign policy interests and building bridges of international understanding as they coordinate local programs for IVLP participants.