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History |
| The original idea for the International Visitors Center came about in a meeting in September, 1963 called by Cincinnati Mayor Walton Bachrach at the suggestion of Mr. Robert D. Stern, Chairman of the Council on World Affairs and Mr. H. F. Verity, retired from the Procter & Gamble Company. The meeting served to discuss the coordination of the many committees and agencies serving and assisting foreign visitors including representatives of foreign governments and businesses, students and medical personnel. As a result, the IVC was organized as a non-profit organization under an Ohio charter and acquired tax-exempt status in 1963. The Board of Trustees was voted upon in 1964 and began work on the Code of Regulations. Mr. Herbert F. Verity was appointed the IVC's first Executive Director and the IVC's first office was established in Room 225 of the Sheraton Gibson Hotel. The IVC, staffed by volunteers, began to program activities for short-term visitors with volunteer committees formed for Hospitality, Students, Program Resources, and Organization. In 1966, the IVC became affiliated with National Association of Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA) and Co-Serve (now the National Council of International Visitors NCIV). Programs of the IVC in these early years included the involvement of International Wives and a Student Host Program that placed international students with host families. In addition, hundreds of international visitors came to Cincinnati courtesy of the International Visitor Program. During the 1970s and 1980s the IVC seemed to bounce from one office tower to another with frequent moves. International visitor activity continued as did the IVC's service to international constituencies in Greater Cincinnati. In 1976, the IVC even created a popular international cookbook entitled World's Fare. In March 1987 IVC had a booth at the World Figure Skating Competition and provided home hospitality to the 30 Russians attending. In the 1990s, as programming needs changed, the IVC began the shift from a mostly volunteer organization to an increasingly professional staff. In 1991, the IVC moved into Carew Tower in downtown Cincinnati, which it still calls home today. The same year, the IVC published its first Guide to Cincinnati in five languages. In 1993, at the NCIV triennial conference in Washington, DC the IVC was presented the award for excellence in programming. The IVC was chosen as a pilot program host of the Business for Russia (BFR) program in 1994, a new United States Information Agency initiative, funded under the auspices of the Freedom Support Act. BFR brought twenty-four Russians to Cincinnati for four weeks in May consisting of homestays and internships. Two full time Program Manager positions were created in 1994 and a second BFR program was hosted in the spring. In 1995, after lengthy debate, the IVC changed its name to International Visitors Council of Greater Cincinnati, a change that better reflected the mission of the organization. Soon afterwards, the IVC relaunched the International Friendship Program, working with the University of Cincinnati to match international students with friendship families and launched Passport to the World, a K-8 schools program, funded in part by a grant from NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The IVC also partnered with the Cincinnati Enquirer in 1999 to develop a Newspapers in Education program on Exploring Diversity that reached over 800 schools. Business for Russia expanded in 1996 and was renamed Community Connections to include programming in Ukraine and Moldova. Since then, the program has expanded further to include the other former Soviet Republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. IVC changed along with the program and hosted its first Community Connections program from the Republic of Georgia in 1998. The IVC celebrated the completion of its 22nd Community Connections Program in the Spring of 2001. The IVC celebrated its 35th birthday in style in 1999, proud of its accomplishments and looking forward to the challenges of the future. With the launch of its new website in 2001, the IVC sought to create new ways to link Cincinnati with the world. |
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