Wednesday, August 9, 2017
For Immediate Release
Canadian experts in environmental policy and conservation will visit Washington, D.C., and other U.S. cities from August 14 to 23 as participants in an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on the oceans and their economic viability. The participants will explore the challenge of sustainably growing the “blue economy.” They will engage with American experts and innovators in the field. The program is organized by the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Participants will explore the role of government and non-governmental organizations in water conservation and management, and will observe water conservation practices in the United States. The program will strengthen Canadian-American partnerships by connecting participants with researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to discuss future legislation, business models, and platforms for collaboration that affect the oceans and the economies the oceans sustain.
Participants in this program are:
- Jas Aulakh, Senior Advisor, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Vancouver
- Katherine Balpataky, Senior Editor, Water Canada and Program Chair, Canadian Water Summit, Toronto
- Noémie Giguere, Executive Director, Technopole maritime du Québec, Rimouski
- Haley Guest, Ocean School Program Coordinator, Dalhousie University, Halifax
The IVLP enables Canadians who are emerging leaders in their professional field to observe U.S. institutions, practices, and culture first-hand, and to meet with professional counterparts to explore issues of common interest. Founded in 1940, the IVLP has given hundreds of thousands of emerging leaders — including hundreds of Canadians — the opportunity to observe and interact with American culture and society on a personal level. For more information, visit http://eca.state.gov/ivlp.
Participants are available for interviews before and after the program upon request.
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