Promoting global awareness and understanding
By Yvonne Oh, IPDGC Program Coordinator
In 1952, Vermont native Warren Austin, a former U.S. Senator and the first U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, founded the Vermont Council on World Affairs (VCWA) to promote awareness and understanding for world affairs through education and engagement.
For almost 70 years, VCWA has managed to welcome visitors from 75 countries and through these programs have contributed over $1 million in economic impact to Vermont’s economy.
In conversation with VCWA’s Executive Director, Patricia Preston (on left), PDx interviewer and SMPA graduate student Victoria Makanjuola learns more about how these public diplomacy programs build Vermont’s global reputation and enhances US interests by building relationships with leaders and communities overseas.
VCWA was also the recipient of a grant given to honor Sen. Patrick Leahy, the 2019 recipient of the IPDGC Walter Roberts Award for Congressional Leadership in Public Diplomacy. The grant of $5000 was used for a “reverse-exchange” program to Tanzania. Here are some of Patricia’s photos and recollections from that memorable program: 2019 Changemakers Summit in Dar Es Salaam.
To find out more about the Vermont Council of World Affairs and its programs, go to https://www.vcwa.org/
Enjoy the latest PDx podcast with Patricia Preston and the Vermont Council on World Affairs: Connecting the World to Vermont