HOW TO REQUEST A SPEAKER FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK AND YEAR-ROUND

Schools, universities, community groups, and professional organizations interested in requesting a speaker during International Education Week or at other times during the year may contact the following organizations:

National Peace Corps Association
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) speak at many events and in classrooms year-round both about the countries in which they've lived and the Peace Corps experience in general. To locate an RPCV in your community, educators can register on the Peace Match Online Speakers Bureau,
www.PeaceMatch.org, a website linking RPCVs with classrooms. Peace Match was developed by the National Peace Corps Association through a
cooperative agreement with Peace Corps. Once teachers register, they are able to return to the website over and over again to find returned Peace
Corps Volunteer speakers. Teachers can also visit the National Peace Corps Association's website at www.rpcv.org and go directly to NPCA
Affiliate Groups, many of which have their own Speakers Bureaus. For further assistance, email teachnet@rpcv.org or peacematch@rpcv.org.

Department of State (Washington, DC area only)
The Bureau of Public Affairs can make arrangements for speakers from the Department of State. Interested groups should call (202) 647-7129.

Department of State (in other U.S. cities)
The Department runs two programs, which send diplomats into schools, universities, and community organizations:

Hometown Diplomats: Department employees volunteer their time on scheduled trips back to their hometowns to talk to local organizations, elementary and high schools, college alma maters, meet with state and local elected officials, and to participate in media interviews. For more information, contact:

Office of Public Liaison
Room 2206
Bureau of Public Affairs
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC 20520-2204
(202) 647-8411

Diplomats-in-Residence: Diplomats-in-Residence (DIRs) are experienced diplomats on assignment at selected universities in the U.S. DIRs share information about Department of State career opportunities not only with students and faculty at their host universities but beyond the campus through outreach to the military, professional organizations, and others in the local community. More at www.careers.state.gov/diplomats.html#list

International Visitors
The Department of State and other organizations sponsor programs which bring international professionals to the U.S. Programs are coordinated by international visitor councils across the country. If you are interested in inviting international visitors into your classroom or hosting them for a home-cooked dinner in a real American home, contact your local affiliate with the National Council for International Visitors. More at www.nciv.org.

Association for International Practical Training
The Association for International Practical Training (AIPT), a non-profit cultural organization, hosts over 5,000 trainees from more than 90 countries in businesses and institutions throughout the U.S. AIPT can provide international exchange participants and their host employers along with AIPT staff as speakers. They can speak on the cross-cultural experience, specific career options, and globalization. Speakers are available nationwide and can be arranged year round with at least four weeks lead time to organize the event. Requests should be sent to govrel@aipt.org. More at www.aipt.org.