“Getting to know you” is a lyrical description of the premier event that took place in Chicago this past weekend.  Partners of the Americas (POA), one of the largest volunteer organizations in the Western Hemisphere, hosted the first Midwest Regional Conference on volunteerism that featured the power of citizen diplomacy, the primary force in bringing together the two great continents of the Americas and Central America. 

Wisconsin-Nicaragua, Iowa-Mexico, Illinois-Sao Paulo, Brazil, Indiana-Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil, Kansas-Paraguay, Michigan-Belize, Minnesota-Uruguay, Missouri-Para, Brazil, Nebraska-Piaul/Matto Grosso do Sul, Brazil, Ohio-Parana, Brazil, and Honduras-Vermont, represented the breadth of international affiliates that presented the best of the best in intercultural communication with the singular purpose of bringing people and ideas into a closer working relationship for the good of our hemisphere and the global community.

Person to person diplomacy is nothing new but is easily subordinated or forgotten when the events of central government dominate the news.  The enthusiasm for getting to know others through understanding one another’s culture and offering cooperative opportunities to meet each other’s needs was the big “take home” reward for attending this unique and life changing conference. The 62 attendees discovered that working together in their own communities and through international exchanges everyone benefits and a higher quality of life is achieved.  In the face of such daunting projects and need, the question was raised as to what impact one could make. 

The response?  “If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.”

Partners of the Americas began in 1964 as the people-to-people component of President John F. Kennedy’s Alliance for Progress, and has since evolved into a private nonprofit organization, with more than 95 chapters throughout the United States.  Areas of work include education, cultural exchanges, healthcare, and the environment  To learn more or join a chapter, visit www.partners.net.