Each year IVCLA members gather to elect new directors to the board and directors returning for their second three-year term. We also present the year’s Outstanding Citizen Diplomat and Outstanding Professional Resource Awards. Guests enjoy a buffet dinner and international wine bar, provided by Consuls General. It is also an opportunity to raise funds for IVCLA by bidding on exciting Silent Auction items and purchasing a ticket (or ten!) for our Annual International Year of Dining Drawing, featuring cuisine from around the world donated by restaurants throughout the Los Angeles Area.

The 2008 Citizen Diplomacy Celebration was held at the Wilson Harding Clubhouse in beautiful Griffith Park. We would like to thank them for their gracious hospitality.

IVCLA presented the 2008 Outstanding Citizen Diplomat Award to Michael Alexander. IVCLA was proud to recognize Michael for his dedication and commitment to international understanding and cooperation. Michael is the Artistic Director and Executive Director of Grand Performances, a non-profit institution which presents free performing artts in Downtown Los Angeles that reflect the best of global culture. Michael served on the IVCLA Board of Directors from 1993-1999. He continues to be IVCLA's first point of contact when arranging meetings for our international visitors on the topic of performing arts, and he generously volunteers his time to meet with IVCLA's U.S. Department of State sponsored emerging international leaders. We salute Michael Alexander as our Outstanding Citizen Diplomat for his dedication to bringing Los Angeles and the rest of the world closer together through the beauty of art, music and dance.

IVCLA recognized the Honorable Diane E. Watson, Congresswoman for the 33rd District as our Outstanding Resource for 2008 for her dedication to IVCLA and the time her office has spent meeting with International Visitors from all over the world:

The Honorable Diane E. Watson is a member of the House of Foreign Affairs Committee and seves on the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health and the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Environment. She is also a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Congresswoman Watson is Chair of the Congressional Entertainment Industries Caucus and co-chairs the Congressional Korea Caucus and the U.S. - U.K. Caucus. Congresswoman Watson and her Los Angeles staff have been generous in providing time to meet with U.S. Department of State sponsored emerging leaders from other nations to discuss such issues as intellectual property rights and the Entertainment Caucus.

Previous Outstanding Resources are listed on the Professional Resources page.

IVCLA is honored to welcome five new Board Members who were elected to their 1st term:

    • Sandra Jones Anderson
    • William H. Collier, Jr.
    • Lanie Denslow
    • W. Guy Fox
    • Gary Rhodes, Ph.D

And IVCLA will miss two Board Members who retired from the board:

    • Cecile Munoz
    • Rodney Punt

The Citizen Diplomacy Celebration would not be possible without the generous support of local businesses and restaurants who participate in our Silent Auction and International Year of Dining Drawing. We thank the generous participation of the individuals, companies and restaurants listed to the right.

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