IVLP Alumni urged to drive change through networking

The International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) alumni has urged its members to use their networking capabilities to help address Nigeria’s challenges.

Dr Baraka Sani, President of IVLP, made the call at an event marking the 2024 Alumni Connect in Abuja on Saturday, themed “Love as a Foundation for Peace and Security”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that IVLP is the US Department of State’s premier professional exchange programme, aimed at strengthening relationships and fostering mutual understanding between the United States and other countries.

The president urged members to come together to exchange knowledge, skills, and experiences in addressing Nigeria’s challenges.

“Sustainable change requires people from different backgrounds and perspectives.

“Now, we are all leaders in our various fields. Therefore, in the face of the current social and numerous challenges facing the world, and our country in particular, in our capacity as IVLP Ambassadors, it is important we remedy these challenges.

“Let us use our experiences, knowledge and strategies, including collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to make our contribution towards the resolution of these challenges.

“By giving foreign leaders, including professionals, a chance to experience American culture and politics, it is with the hope of administering these experiences for the betterment of humanity, accordingly.

“IVLP is an avenue for global understanding and collaboration. In this process, it promotes peace and mutual understanding through networking. We all got that privilege, and now, here we are back home,”she stressed.

She said that IVLP (Eculpaa) alumni in Nigeria, under her leadership as president, is set to achieve the association’s goals through various programmes, webinars, community outreaches, policy advocacy, and other initiatives.

Sani noted that IVLP Alumni Connect is a great opportunity for members to build long-term influence through networking.

The president stated that IVLP Connect is designed to provide members with a platform to exchange ideas and explore how best to fulfil their roles as ambassadors of this meaningful initiative of the United States government.

Dr Joseph Ochogwu, Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), who spoke extensively on the theme of the programme, said that love is a catalyst for fostering peace in every community.

According to him, love facilitates healing in relationships by promoting forgiveness.

He stated that when individuals choose love over resentment, they are more likely to resolve conflicts effectively, leading to lasting peace.

“Cultivating love within oneself leads to inner tranquillity, which is essential for extending peace to others.

“As individuals experience personal peace, they are more likely to contribute positively to the communities they belong to,” he said.

He, however, called on Nigerians to collectively commit to entrenching a culture of love and peace among people and communities.