CIP President Lisa Purdy Speaks at Open World's 25th Anniversary Dinner

CIP President Lisa Purdy Speaks at
Open World's 25th Anniversary Dinner

The Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL) celebrated 25 years of advancing democracy and fostering international collaboration earlier this month with a dinner in Washington D.C.  Lisa was invited to speak to the attendees about the impact of Open World programming on the community leaders, professionals, educators, host families, and supporters of our programs in Cleveland and across all of our network offices that host programs locally.

The team at COIL shared: "Our anniversary dinner was a remarkable gathering of leaders and changemakers. Distinguished speakers included Senator Ben Nelson, Ambassador James Collins, Ambassador Richard Buangan, Ms. Myroslava Gongadze, and Ms. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who shared their invaluable insights.

"A highlight of the evening was reflecting on one of our most impactful programs—the Ukraine-U.S. Veteran’s Affairs partnership. General Henry Huntley and Dr. Steven Lieberman, senior U.S. veteran’s affairs officials, spoke about its success. Colonel Roman Kostenko of Ukraine's parliament and an Open World alumnus followed up by sharing his own insights on the impact of Ukraine-COIL collaboration.

"Secretary of State Elaine Marshall of North Carolina reminded us of the profound role state-to-state partnerships play in building bridges. The sister-city connection between North Carolina and Moldova was exemplified by the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Popșoi and Speaker of the Parliament Igor Grosu, whose participation made the evening even more special.

"We also celebrated the dedication of local hosts who make the Open World program a reality, ensuring its continued success."

CIP is proud to be a partner and host to these critical exchanges here in Cleveland and across our dedicated network offices.