The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is a professional exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program hosts a short-term visit to the United States, for the current and emerging  leaders in a variety of fields experience. The exchange program  brings up to 5,000 professional emerging leaders from around the world to the United States each year for programs of up to three weeks. The program is nomination only by staff at U.S. Embassies.
The program was started in  1940, by  Nelson Rockefeller. He initiated the exchange of person program with Latin America, inviting 130 Latin American journalists to the United States and recognized as the first exchange under what would become the IVLP.
The IVLP offers the opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of American political, economic, social and cultural life through carefully designed exchanges that reflect participants’ professional interests and the public diplomacy objectives of the United States government.
