For 11 consecutive years, in late February/early March, Alliance members have descended on Washington, DC, to engage their Senators, Representatives, and their staff members on behalf of international exchange. For international exchange programs to continue to flourish, policymakers in Washington need to hear from their constituents about the value of exchanges in communities across the United States.

At right, 2011 Advocacy Day participant Karen Wrightsman, representing IREX, with Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana.

2012 Advocacy Day

Registration is now open for the Alliance's 12th annual Advocacy Day, February 29 and March 1, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Advocacy Day, the start of the Alliance’s annual advocacy cycle, is a prime opportunity to engage Congress at a critical time. We encourage all Alliance full member organizations to send as many staff members as possible to what is both an excellent professional development opportunity and an important activity for our field.

Learn more about this year's Advocacy Day and how to register here.

(Please note that participation in Advocacy Day is reserved for Alliance Full Members only.)
 

2011 Advocacy Day

With the 112th Congress embroiled in a bitter budget battle, the outcome of which could have a significant impact on international exchange programs, Alliance members came out in record numbers for our 11th annual Advocacy Day—96 participants from 26 Alliance member organizations, representing 30 states and the District of Columbia (all new Advocacy Day highs), participated in this yearly trip to Capitol Hill.
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2010 Advocacy Day

With a record number of participants—83—the Alliance held its 10th annual Advocacy Day on Thursday, March 4. Alliance members participating in this year’s Advocacy Day visited 104 House and Senate offices and represented a record 26 states, as well as the District of Columbia.
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2009 Advocacy Day

The Alliance held its ninth annual Advocacy Day on Thursday, February 26, 2009. Seventy-one Alliance members participated in this year’s Advocacy Day, visiting 73 House and Senate offices, and representing 18 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam.
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