Washington International Center
A
t the end of World War II, the United States was truly a global power and found itself in a position to help facilitate international understanding and peace.
Responding to this impulse, the U.S. Department of State greatly expanded its
international exchange programming, with a focus on inviting citizens from Germany and Japan to visit
the U.S. and learn about American culture and democracy. As the number of international visitors to the country grew, the American Council on Education—a nonprofit higher education association behind
the creation of such initiatives as the Fulbright scholarship program and UNESCO—recommended in
1949 that these visitors should receive a brief cultural orientation to American customs and institutions
Preceding spread
welcome to washington Meridian President and CEO Ambassador Stuart Holliday gives remarks at the September 2017 Welcome to Washington reception, a Meridian event that occurs two to three times a year to honor newly appointed ambassadors to the United States. Photo by Stephen Bobb.
at the beginning of their travels in the country. They argued that “a foreign visitor’s understanding of the
Facing
arrival.”1 The State Department accepted this proposal, and thus the Washington International Center
A group of African visitors mingle with American tourists on the steps of the National Archives building. These visitors were enrolled at Washington International Center for an orientation course as preparation for attending colleges and universities in various parts of the United States.
setting to which he comes is powerfully aided if a guided and welcoming hand is extended to him on his was born.
From the beginning, the Washington International Center’s core function was educational. Believing
that understanding other cultures and adjusting to new environments are educational processes,2 the Cen-
ter developed privately administered orientation programs and similar services for international visitors
invited by the U.S. government. Most were grantees under the International Cooperation Administration’s Technical Cooperation program and selected visitors under the International Educational Exchange Service program. All participants were adults, as no youth programs had been designed yet. They pursued
introduction to the united states
short-term, focused programs of study, training and observation that would grow their professional skill-
sets in order to contribute to their country’s development. At the beginning of these programs, the Washington International Center, then based at 1720 Rhode Island Avenue Northwest, would extend a warm
welcome to the visitors with a series of educational and cultural opportunities that allowed them to engage directly with American life and society.
The Center’s early services to visitors included regular weekly programming, such as an overview
called “Introduction to the United States,” a five-day program of high-level lectures, discussions, films and tours that covered topics such as government and politics, the economy, health and welfare issues and civil
liberties and race relations. Experts from the government, universities and the private sector led the discus-
sions, and to complement these informative seminars, the Center maintained a library collection of notable books and articles on the American cultural and political landscape.3
In addition to these formal programs, the Washington International Center also became known for its
citizen-to-citizen approach to cross-cultural learning. Every Tuesday featured an “Open House” program,
“Those who participate in ‘citizen diplomacy’ will gain the real satisfaction of helping to mold a little of the cement which may eventually make the foundations of the world order firm and enduring.” —Robert B. Knapp, Assistant Director for Educational Programs, Washington International Center
WHERE WASHINGTON MEETS THE WORLD
'
137
