More than half of WorldChicago’s yearly visitors come to Chicago through the International Visitor Leadership Program  (IVLP), the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. IVLP participants, nominated by the U.S. Embassies, visit multiple cities across the U.S.to build relationships and exchange best practices with their American counterparts in a variety of fields. WorldChicago’s goal is to connect IVLP visitors with non-profit, business, and civic leaders in the Chicago area to spark meaningful dialogue and collaboration.

The Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) is a premier initiative of the Organization of American States (OAS), focused on economic development, innovation, and entrepreneurship across the Americas. The program will bring 50 senior decision-makers across various sectors to Illinois to explore diverse projects, investments, and public-private partnerships, fostering collaboration and sharing best practices to enhance economic competitiveness.

WorldChicago is pleased to have been awarded a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to implement the Digital Creators program, which brought nine social media influencers from Korea to the U.S. During their visit to Los Angeles/San Diego, Chicago, and Washington D.C./Baltimore, participants explored themes aimed at engaging Republic of Korea (ROK) digital content creators in developing insight into U.S. cultural issues, enhancing Korean youth’s understanding of U.S. values of advocacy and civil rights, and providing digital skills learning experiences to amplify their voices.

The Austria to America Exchange Program fosters cultural exchange, professional development, and mutual understanding between Austria and the U.S. Funded by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, the program provides Austrian students and young professionals opportunities to explore American culture, politics, and industry practices. Participants visit political institutions and communities, engage in democracy dialogues with young leaders, experts, and government officials, while strengthening their media literacy skills.