The Mississippi Consortium of International Development’s Washington, DC office (MCID Washington) is a National Programming Agency (NPA) that partners with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to design and implement the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). The program, designed to enhance mutual understanding through professional and cultural exchange, brings approximately 5,000 current and emerging leaders in government, civil society, business, media, education, the arts, sciences, and other fields to the U.S. each year. MCID Washington works closely with member nonprofit organizations of Global Ties U.S. as well as local companies, nonprofits and government agencies to capture the essence of communities across the United States through professional programming, tours that highlight regional history and geography, and hospitality hosted by local families.