The International Center is a catalyst to inform, convene and connect public, private and civic global objectives in Indiana.

On Monday, June 25th, The International Center hosted a rooftop luncheon welcoming 25 young, accomplished leaders of the Mandela Washington Fellows to Indianapolis. The Fellows exchange program is part of the Young African Leaders Initiative which identifies promising young leaders and their efforts to spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa. This year’s Fellows cohort represents 21 countries of sub-Saharan Africa, and the visitors’ professional experience includes: women’s health, human rights advocacy, battling corruption, and sport for development and peace. Their success has guided them to this program which engages them in academic coursework and leadership training and creates unique opportunities in their home communities for Fellows to put new skills to use.

The event brought together these leaders along with representatives from professional exchange programs and partners of The Center for a windy afternoon of mingling, networking, and some friendly cornhole competition.

Guests included representatives from Lilly Corporate Foundation, Office of Congressman Andre Carson, Office of U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly, the Mayor of Indianapolis - Office of International & Latino Affairs, Timmy Global Health, LUNA Language Services, Pacers Sports & Entertainment – Indiana Fever, Genesys, The Julian Center, Building Tomorrow Inc., and the Burmese American Community Institute. Special thanks to Center Board members Jordan Rodriguez and Brian Gildea for attending and speaking at this event, and to IUPUI’s Office of International Affairs and Eli Lilly and Company for including The Center in this remarkable project!

The International Affairs Budget of the U.S. government represents a mere 1% of the entire federal budget . But what an impact it carries throughout the world! The budget funds the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), along with a myriad of important programs including global health initiatives, disaster relief, food security, and our favorite: cultural and academic exchange programs such as the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).



Through the IVLP program, The International Center, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and Global Ties U.S., welcomes emerging leaders and professionals from around the world to Indiana to meet with their industry peers and local leaders. The IVLP program is one of many important tools of U.S. foreign policy, and The International Center knows how vital it is to support the federal budget for these programs. That’s why The Center is proud to be represented in the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s bi-partisan Indiana Advisory Committee, and it is the reason Martin Baier, The Center’s CEO and Ashley Eason, VP of Programs and Services, traveled this past month to Washington, D.C. to participate in their annual State Leaders Summit and Capitol Hill Day. 

We valued the opportunity to meet with our congressional leadership and their staff, including meetings with Senator Joe Donnelly and Representative Pete Visclosky, to thank them for their support of the International Affairs Budget and let them know how important these investments are to our organization, our city, and our state. Our own Senator Todd Young spoke to the entire Summit at the Hill Day Breakfast about his perspective on international development and diplomacy.

When Indiana leaders take time to share their expertise with IVLP delegations and our many international visitors, Hoosier hospitality makes a lasting impression on our world’s future statesmen, business executives, and humanitarians. We are convinced that citizen diplomacy is an important tool of US foreign policy, and we are grateful for the opportunity to facilitate that experience so many people here in Indiana.

The International Center is pleased to announce that it has formed an alliance with the Indiana Latino Expo. This new relationship will provide opportunities for the two organizations to support each other’s mission and to collaborate on programs and events intended to nurture effective intercultural communication within the community.

Gloria Jimenez, Executive Director of the Indiana Latino Expo, will maintain a presence within The International Center’s offices on the 20 ^th floor of the Regions Bank Tower in downtown Indianapolis. From that office, Indiana Latino Expo will serve as a resource as needed on International Center programs and initiatives that are targeted to the Hispanic population. The Center also will be visible at the Indiana Latino Expo’s major events throughout the year, and the two together will pursue opportunities for programmatic and social collaborations.



The next time you visit The Center’s offices, plan to stop by and introduce yourself to Gloria!

The International Center is proud to have been named first-place winner of the 4th annual Apex Monumental Challenge in the Small Business category! This Challenge is comprised of three friendly competitive races against other Indianapolis companies. Indianapolis companies can participate in the Monumental Mile, half marathon and marathon to be eligible to win.

According to Martin Baier, The Center's CEO and a runner himself, "We will display the trophy with pride, although winning was never the main motivation for participation in the Monumental Challenge.

"The Center believes getting involved in fun community activities helps Indianapolis continue to grow and keeps our staff engaged with each other and the community," he added.

The Center had many employees, friends and family excited to get involved in this event. Ashley Eason, VP of Programs and Services at The Center, stated, "While I am not a runner, I really enjoyed supporting others who love it. It was fun to see many people connected with The Center, including my husband Andy, participate this year."