Akram R. Elias, 33°

The International Visitor Leadership Program offers Brethren many personal, patriotic, and Masonic opportunities.

Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) was the plenary speaker (left in photo) at a recent National Council for International Visitors (NCIV) Ambassadors Luncheon. He is being welcomed by Ambassador Walter Cutler of Meridian International Center and NCIV Board Member Akram Elias (right), the author of this article, at the NCIV National Meeting on March 13, 2003, in Washington, DC.

Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001,  and the subsequent war on terrorism, many Americans whose professions do not involve them directly in that war have been searching for ways to contribute to the national effort. How can Freemasons get more involved? What I call “Citizen Diplomacy” offers a great opportunity to serve. Let me explain.

In order to achieve a long-term and decisive victory in this war, our government is engaged on two fronts simultaneously: (1) destroying the terrorist networks and their bases of support through a strategy involving a complex mix of diplomatic, law enforcement, intelligence, and military efforts and (2) denying the terrorists safe havens among peoples across the globe who may despise America due to misperceptions of who we are and what we stand for. Winning the minds and hearts of people overseas is central to our government’s public diplomacy effort.

Public Diplomacy

In addition to strengthening and expanding U.S. media broadcast capabilities overseas, especially those targeting the Arab and Moslem counties, our government sponsors a variety of professional exchange programs aimed at promoting mutual understanding between Americans and the people of other nations. One of the programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is called International Visitor Leadership Program which brings participants to the United States from all over the world each year to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience the United States firsthand. The visitors, who are current or potential leaders in government, politics, the media, education, and other fields, are selected by American officials overseas. More than 200 current and former heads of state, 1,500 cabinet-level ministers, and many other distinguished world leaders in government and the private sector have participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program. The Department of State directs the program in cooperation with a wide range of non-profit organizations operating under cooperative agreements with the Department of State.

Citizen Diplomacy

The above-described program also relies on the commitment and skills of over 94 community-based organizations across the country. They represent a wide range of institutions and organizations from universities to World Affairs Councils to all-volunteer entities, like Freemasonry. They are known collectively as Councils for International Visitors (CIVs) and are associated under the umbrella organization of the National Council for International Visitors located in Washington, D.C. These CIVs offer Americans across the country an extraordinary opportunity to get involved in support of our nation’s public diplomacy efforts, what I call citizen diplomacy.

What Can Freemasons Do?

Reach Out

Go to the website of the NCIV network (www.nciv.org) and identify the member organization (CIV) that is closest to your area. Contact them and express your readiness to learn more about their activities and your willingness to become a Citizen Diplomat.

Professional and Volunteer Opportunities

CIVs organize professional meetings, cultural activities, and home or dinner hospitality for these International Visitors. You can participate in a number of ways, including the following:

• Contribute your professional expertise and/or refer the CIV to contacts that you may have that would enrich the visitor’s experience in your community
• Host an international visitor in your home or at a local restaurant as a show of American hospitality
• Volunteer to accompany the visitor to a local museum or cultural attraction
  Charitable Contributions

The overwhelming majority of the CIVs are non-profit organizations. Talk to your Scottish Rite Valley, your Blue Lodge, or another Masonic Body about considering your local CIV as one of your regular charities.

Why Should Freemasons Get Involved?

Our Ritual

Freemasons, especially Scottish Rite Masons, have a duty to fight ignorance, fanaticism, and tyranny. We have taken a number of oaths wherein we have sworn to be good citizens, patriotic and true to our nation, and to do our utmost to defend liberty, equality, and justice wherever we can. These exchange programs present a practical way to advance this noble cause.

Community Connection

By getting involved with this program, Freemasons can expand and solidify their connection to their local communities. If we live our Freemasonry only within the four walls of our Temples and Lodges, then we would not be living up to our main mission of being builders of better selves, better communities, and a better world.

Universal Appeal

In this age of globalization, with our country fighting a worldwide war against terror, every international bridge of understanding that we can build between Americans and other peoples contributes greatly to a safer and more peaceful world for all. Our Masonic Fraternity is universal in nature and is active in nearly all countries. We not only have an opportunity to serve but also a duty to do so.

Akram R. Elias is Past Wise Master of the Washington, D.C., Evangelist Chapter of Knights Rose Croix, the Senior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, and a recipient of the Valentine Reintzel Medal for outstanding service to Freemasonry. He is the founder of Capital Communications Group, Inc., an international consulting firm that works closely with the U.S. Department of State in the area of public diplomacy. Contacts: P.O. Box 28115, Washington, DC, 20038; fmbuilder@msn.com