Bill Yarnall of the Albuquerque Council for International Visitors Receives
NCIV Citizen Diplomat Pillar Award
Will travel to Washington, DC to Accept Award at NCIV 50th Anniversary Gala
[Albuquerque, NM Feb. 9] – Bill Yarnall, Executive Committee Member, Albuquerque Council for International Visitors (ACIV) received the NCIV Citizen Diplomat Pillar Award from the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV) at a special event in Washington, DC on February 16. Yarnall is being recognized for his extraordinary effort and visionary leadership in advancing citizen diplomacy – the concept that individual citizens have the right to help shape U.S. foreign relations “one handshake at a time.”
As part of its 50th Anniversary observance, NCIV is presenting special Citizen Diplomat Awards in four categories: Corporate, Media, Pillar, and Bridge. The Pillar Awards recognize individuals who have contributed significant leadership and support to the NCIV network at the local and national level, and have helped the NCIV network survive and thrive during its first 50 years. The Awards were presented at NCIV’s 50th Anniversary Gala, a special event emceed by CNN Senior Political Analyst Gloria Borger and attended by more than 600 guests, including NCIV members from across the United States, Members of Congress, the diplomatic corps, representatives from the U.S. Department of State, and citizen diplomats from around the globe.
Yarnall has contributed to the work of ACIV, an NCIV member organization, for many years.
He has been an invaluable member of ACIV since 1992. He has served as 2nd vice president in 1996 and 1997 and as president in 1998. He is currently a member of the Executive Committee. Together with his wife, Carol, he has provided home hospitality for 42 participant groups in the IVLP program. He and Carol hosted and cooked for the annual ACIV Christmas party for the last 14 years. Three Annual Meetings have been held at his home and he has hosted numerous lawn parties and special events. When ACIV has a need and we call on Bill, he always responds positively. Susan Severt, Immediate Past President of ACIV said, “His commitment and passion for international visitors and citizen diplomacy is exhibited every day as he volunteers his time, talent and treasure. It is no exaggeration to say that ACIV enjoys success in great measure because of the contributions of Bill Yarnall.”
Sherry L. Mueller, president of NCIV, said, “A 50th anniversary is a monumental milestone—a time to pause and reflect on the people and principles that made a half century of accomplishment possible. The NCIV Citizen Diplomat Pillar Awards recognize the far-sighted leaders throughout the country who helped build NCIV into the unparalleled national network that it is today.”
[Yarnall commented: “I feel so privileged to be able to share a dinner with foreign visitors in our home where I tell them about New Mexico and the United States and they share insights about their country. I have made so many friends from around the world through ACIV.”)
Yarnall will also participate in the 2011 NCIV National Meeting, February 17-19, which provides an opportunity to share best practices and strengthen leadership skills in citizen diplomacy and to promote Albuquerque and New Mexico as a destination for emerging leaders from around the world traveling to the United States as guests of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
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About the Albuquerque Council for International Visitors
ACIV was founded in 1984 and is part of the public-private partnership with the U.S. Department of State to administer the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP). The organization annually provides professional appointments, cultural activities and home hospitality for more than 120 emerging leaders from around the world. Professional programs include topics like civic activism, labor issues, cultural preservation, economic development, community empowerment, and programs for at-risk youth, civil society, and more.
Working with an all-volunteer organization, ACIV promotes citizen diplomacy, the concept that, in a vibrant democracy, the individual has the right, even the responsibility, to help shape U.S. foreign relations, “one handshake at a time.”
ACIV works closely with business leaders, community organizations, educators and other experts in the community to provide exceptional experiences for foreign leaders.
About the National Council for International Visitors
NCIV is a non-profit membership association currently marking 50 years of leadership in citizen diplomacy – the concept that in a vibrant democracy, the individual citizen has the right, even the responsibility, to help shape foreign relations “one handshake at a time.” NCIVs membership includes individuals, program agencies, and more than 90 organizations in communities throughout the United States who design and implement professional programs, provide cultural activities, and offer home hospitality opportunities for foreign leaders and specialists participating in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and other exchange programs. With leadership and training provided by NCIV, member organizations are expert at matching the resources of their communities with the needs of international visitors. Each year the aggregate efforts of NCIV members involve more than 80,000 volunteers. More information is available at www.nciv.org.
