GCIV administers the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program in Georgia. Launched in 1940, the IVLP seeks to build mutual understanding between the United States and other nations through carefully designed professional visits to the U.S. for current and emerging foreign leaders. U.S. ambassadors consistently rank the IVLP as most effective in a long list of public diplomacy tools at their disposal. In 2001 our national network was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to foster international understanding.