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Mayor Eric Garcetti
City of Los Angeles
Mark Ridley-Thomas
Chair, L.A. County Board of Supervisors
Matthew Olsen
Boston Private Bank & Trust Company
Vice Chairs
Mathias Fobi, M.D.
Bariatec Corporation
Michele A. Franchett
Stone Grzegorek & Gonzalez LLP
Michael McDowell
Japan House Los Angeles
Deanne Neiman
Honorary Consul of Botswana
Legal Counsel
Wafa J. Hoballah
WJH Law Group, APC
Laman Alani
Haifa Azawi, M.D.
New Women Medical Care
Kathy Jones Irish
Kathy Jones Irish Consulting, LLC
Jonathan Kaji
Kaji & Associates
Patti MacJennett
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
Kristin McCowan Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti
Rima Nashashibi
Nashashibi International Consultants, LLC
Stephen Ozoigbo
International Advisor
Relativity Education
Lourdes Saab
L.A. County Office of Protocol
William Silva
Southern California Edison
David R. Stepp
Bryan Cave LLP
Yael Swerdlow
Women's Empowerment Foundation
Tina Tangalakis
Della
Tim Watkins
Watts Labour Community Action Committee
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In this month's issue you will find:
Quote of the Month
Better Safe than Sorry: Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management
Member Spotlight: Mary Anna Noveck Leads School-Building Project in Ethiopia
LA County Elections March 7th!
Volunteer Wanted at IVCLA!
Upcoming International Visitors in March
I hope you enjoy hearing about the recent goings-on at IVCLA. Please feel free to share your comments with me by sending an email to dkreculj@ivcla.org
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Q: What did you learn about American Culture during your visit that you didn't know before?
A:
A lot! There's a powerful belief that citizens can have an impact on the policies of the government. I thought that people didn't get involved, but now I see that there's a strong civil society.
--Jose Gabriel ZURA ZAMORA, Co-Director and Co-Founder, Censura Cero, El Salvador
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Better Safe than Sorry: Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management
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The visitors with Capt. John Ignatczyk at the CERT Unit
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Los Angeles is prone to many natural and man-made disasters, so local communities must be prepared, not only to protect themselves during emergencies, but also to rebuild and recover afterwards. In an effort to prevent loss of life and damage to city infrastructure, all city departments must focus on disaster preparedness. This February, five emergency management experts from Jordan, Pakistan, Portugal, Turkey and Venezuela came to Los Angeles as part of their International Visitor Leadership Program, where they learned best strategies for community recovery and coordinated efforts in emergency management.
The international visitors first took a look at disaster preparedness training for local communities. They met with members of the
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Unit, which provides disaster preparedness training for the home and workplace. This free training empowers civilians to deal with their circumstances in emergencies without needing help from outside sources. At the Ambassador School for Global Leadership, the group visited several classrooms to review their emergency evacuation plan.
To mitigate the impact of natural disasters in Los Angeles, the government, NGOs, community organizers and first responders align to build resilience to natural hazards. The delegation had a meeting at the Science Application for Risk Reduction (SAFRR) Project, which was created
to innovate the application of hazard science for the safety, security, and economic well-being of the nation. SAFRR directs new and existing research towards addressing gaps in vulnerability and producing innovative products.
Next, the participants went to the Center for Public Health and Disasters (CPHD) at UCLA, which addresses the critical issues faced when disaster impacts a community. The Center staff, whose diverse backgrounds include emergency medicine, environmental health, urban planning and more, discussed facilitating the interaction among public health, engineering, and social sciences.
The visitors had the opportunity to learn about emergency preparedness and coordination at the governmental level, at the City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department (EMD). The EMD is responsible for the coordination of Los Angeles' emergency planning, training, response and recovery efforts in the midst of major disasters that require involvement by multiple city departments. There, officials talked about the coordination with the West Coast FEMA office on common challenges, from flooding and landslides to terrorism and sanctuary cities. The visitors also had a tour of the state-of-the-art 84,000 square foot emergency operations center.
Finally, the group had an appointment with the Los Angeles County Emergency Operations Center (CEOC), whose mission is to develop, assemble and maintain information that may be needed during future emergencies. With over ten million residents in L.A. County, the Emergency Operations Center ensures command, control, coordination and communication during crisis response and long term recovery.
Besides their professional meetings, the international visitors got the chance to meet with Angelinos in a casual setting over home hospitality with IVCLA Young Professional members
Petra Hand, Leena Khan and Danielle Valentino.
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Danielle and her friend with international visitors Carlos Mendes Coelho Lopes Lucio, Duygu Guner, and Joaquin Alejandro Linayo Rivero
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Leena Khan and Petra Hand taking a selfie with international visitors Fadi Beida and Sara Khan
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Member Spotlight: Mary Anna Noveck Leads School-Building Project in Ethiopia
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Mary Anna in a sea of smiles
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IVCLA is proud to have a diverse and warmhearted membership base, which exemplifies our values as an organization striving to
increase international understanding and cooperation.
IVCLA member
Mary Anna Noveck is leading a special project to build a primary school in Ethiopia, as a board member of the
imagine1day USA Foundation. This project was launched to celebrate the life of her dear friend and compassionate educator, Irma Lyons.
Mary Anna, along with Irma's children Taina and JA-Lamar and their friends, will fund a new primary school in Ethiopia's Filangur community, to be built by April 2017. Currently, they have reached 85% of their fundraising goal.
The school project will live on as a powerful legacy for Irma's husband, children, past students, families, and friends. They will provide countless out-of-school children living in one of the poorest nations in the world the opportunity to go to school and have access to a quality education for generations to come.
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Laying the foundation for the Filangur Primary School
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LA County Elections March 7th!
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There are elections happening throughout LA County this March, and your vote is needed! Democracy starts with awareness, and it continues with actually casting your vote!
Only 15 to 20 percent of voters turn out for city and county elections in LA, compared to about 70 percent for presidential elections. This results in elected leadership and ballot initiatives that don't always reflect the values of our communities. If we want leadership that lives up to our hopes and expectations, we need to support them where they get their start, here in our local communities.
Eight councilmembers and the mayor are up for election in the City of Los Angeles. If you live in the City of LA, you can find out which council district you live in here. Dozens of cities also have councilmembers and school board seats up for election. You can find a full list of elections here.
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Volunteer Wanted at IVCLA!
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IVCLA is looking for a volunteer to help match international visitors with our members for home hospitality dinners!
With this volunteer opportunity, you will get a first-hand look at what emerging leaders are coming to Los Angeles, and match them with their perfect hosts. International visitors often say that home hospitality is one of the best parts of their time in the U.S. Getting to meet with local Angelinos in a casual and intimate setting gives the international visitors a more holistic view of the United States.
Volunteer hours are flexible. If you or anyone you know are interested, please contact Cameron Campbell at ccampbell@ivcla.org or (213) 388-1428 ext. 26
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Upcoming Events
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6:30pm 7707 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Join us for an evening of delicious cuisine, music, and dancing as we bid farewell to our Russian visitors before they return home!
Spend a fun evening getting to know our honored guests who are invited to the United States through the
Open World Leadership Center. These community-focused women will explore entrepreneurship while in Los Angeles.
Come celebrate with us as we share dinner, dancing, and drinks. We will toast our Russian friends and bid adieu as their program in Los Angeles comes to a close.
Please note that space is limited, and
prior registration is required to attend.
Contact Cameron Campbell for more information: ccampbell@ivcla.org or (213) 388-1428 ext. 26
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DISCOVER AND TASTE ITALY'S FINEST FOOD & WINE PRODUCTS
The
Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West
presents
Taste of Italy roadshow Los Angeles
, an an authentically Italian food and wine experience featuring a grand tasting and guided educational seminars.
Taste of Italy roadshow
offers foodies and wine connoisseurs and lovers alike a peek into Italy's unparalleled food and wine culture. Savor, discover and learn about authentic Italian food and wines from an array of selected premium boutique producers!
$15 off with code ITALIA
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Fulbright Visiting Scholar
Przemyslaw Wojciech Pest
from
Poland will be presenting the following lecture:
What future for the European Union after Brexit?
Shem Pest holds a Ph.D. degree in Law, specializing in Financial Law from the University of Wroclaw (Poland). At the University of Wroclaw he works as Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics. Professor Pest's research interests are focused on
public finances and taxation. As a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Grantee at the University of Wyoming for the 2017 Spring semester, he teaches International Business at the UW MBA program and does research on natural resources taxation in Wyoming with Prof. Robert W. Godby at the UW Energy Economics & Public Policies Center.
Space is limited. Please RSVP by March 27
th
To reserve a seat please contact J. Cynthia McDermott: cmcdermott@antioch.edu
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Upcoming International Visitors
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The following are among the arriving guests of the
U.S. government whose professional appointments in
Los Angeles will be arranged by the
International Visitors Council of Los Angeles.
March 2017
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Kosovo
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Countering Violent Extremism in Youth
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Mar 4 - 8
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90 International Fulbright Scholars
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Fulbright Summit
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Mar 8 - 11
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Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Philippines
Singapore
Vietnam
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ASEAN: Community Engagement with Youth
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Mar 8 - 11
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Afghanistan
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Effective Disaster Management and Emergency Response Coordination
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Mar 8 - 12
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Bangladesh
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Women Strengthening Labor Unions and Improving Labor-Management
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Mar 11 - 15
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Mexico
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Trafficking in Persons
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Mar 12 - 15
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Colombia
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Strengthening Public Health Strategies to Address Emergent Virus
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Mar 15 - 19
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South Africa
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Ms. Carol Silindile DLUDLA
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Mar 18 - 22
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People's Republic of China
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Intellectual Property Rights Issues in the U.S.
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Mar 22 - 25
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Benin
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Liberia
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mozambique
Rwanda
Sierra Leone
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
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Race and Social Justice
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Mar 22 - 28
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Russia
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Open World: Community-Focused Women Entrepreneurs in Sister Cities
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Mar 24 - April 1
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Slovakia
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Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness of Slovakia's Judiciary
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Mar 25 - 29
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Turkmenistan
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Museum Management and Outreach
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Mar 30 - April 4
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Editor: Danica Kreculj
Projects Coordinator
(213) 388-1428
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