CIEE and InterExchange Announce the Founding of the Coalition for American Public Diplomacy and Leadership (CAPDL)

CAPDL will advocate for strengthening and expanding U.S. Department of State BridgeUSA programs

The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and InterExchange, two non-profit sponsors of BridgeUSA programs, have founded the Coalition for American Public Diplomacy and Leadership (CAPDL) to cultivate a network of supporters who will promote the growth and expansion of BridgeUSA programs and will champion the programs as powerful tools that advance U.S. public diplomacy, national security, and economic prosperity.

CAPDL’s founding members are joined by two affiliate members, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) and the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) whose member businesses host thousands of BridgeUSA exchange visitors each year.

Understanding the priorities of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), CAPDL will focus on three areas: education, regulation, and evaluation. CAPDL will educate policymakers about the effectiveness of BridgeUSA programs as a public diplomacy tool, work with ECA on robust regulation, and adopt an approach to evaluation that demonstrates the impact of BridgeUSA programs.

CAPDL members share the belief that strong private sector exchange visitor programs advance U.S. diplomatic relations and bolster national security by improving the perception of the U.S. in the eyes of future leaders.  

For more than 50 years, the U.S. Department of State BridgeUSA program has allowed exchange visitors from more than 200 countries around the world to travel to the United States to learn about American culture, meet Americans, and return home with a deeper knowledge of American values. BridgeUSA includes such successful exchange programs as Summer Work Travel, Camp Counselor, Au Pair, Intern, and Trainee.

About the Coalition for American Public Diplomacy and Leadership (CAPDL)
The mission of the Coalition for American Public Diplomacy and Leadership is to strengthen and expand Department of State BridgeUSA programs by cultivating a network of supporters who champion the programs as powerful tools that advance U.S. public diplomacy, national security, and economic prosperity.​

Contacts:

• Erica Carley Harris from CIEE, eharris@ciee.org 
• Tanya Burovtseva from InterExchange, tburovtseva@interexchange.org