Interview with Daniel
October 12, 2023
CIP Chicago Host Delegation from Estonia to Illinois
In 2024, from June 7 until June 15, CIP Chicago hosted a delegation from Estonia. These delegates participated in the Open World program, as have more than 30,000 other leaders world-wide. Delegations are vetted and are made up of government and civic leaders who have grown up in the post-Soviet era.
The delegation from Estonia consisted of five professionals and a bicultural/lingual facilitator, who is a staff member from the U.S. Embassy in Estonia.
Leaders of the Delegation
Maris Magi
Eco-Schools National Operator, Tartu Environmental Education Center
Theme for Delegation: Environmental Sustainability
Each delegation in the Open World program participates in curated exchanges that are favorable to Congress and impactful across nations with a particular theme.
Ivo Arro explains that the capital of Estonia,
"Tallinn was [the] European Green Capital for 2023 and the city has a lot of experience in green solutions.”
This experience made the Estonian delegation an ideal group to discuss environmental sustainability and green solutions with various leaders of institutions and sustainability experts in Illinois, such as Collective Resource Compost Cooperative and Donco Recycling Solutions.
Purpose of Open World Program
Congress created the Open World program in 1999 as a way to build direct contact between American and Eurasian leaders.
The program’s goal is to demonstrate the importance of democracy and how it works in action. It can be described as, “demonstrably a cost effective tool of public diplomacy and Congress.”
CIP Chicago plays a crucial role in Open World program
CIP Chicago works closely with the Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL) as part of the Open World program.
The nonprofit finds host families for the delegations. It also researches and reaches out to organizations that correspond with the theme for the trip. CIP Chicago then organizes a schedule for the delegations to follow.
