Open World
The Open World Program, established by the U.S. Congress in 1999, invites emerging political and civic leaders from European and Asian countries to the United States for short-term professional visits.
Each delegation’s visit is focused on a specific topic, during which leaders share ideas and knowledge with people who work in a similar professional area in the United States.
The Open World Program targets public policy decision-makers for participation, as well as those who influence the policy area and public opinion. Open World aims to reach leaders from all levels of governmental (national, regional, and local) and from nonprofits and other organizations that promote the public interest. The most appropriate nominees are talented leaders who are relatively young but have already demonstrated significant leadership skills.
A visit under the Open World Program lasts 10 days. The first two days delegates spend in Washington, D.C., where they meet with Representatives of the Congressional Office for International Leadership. The next part of the visit takes place in local communities, where delegates attend numerous training courses and meetings that correspond to their professional interests. The local organization provides accommodation in volunteers’ homes, meals, and transport.
Knowledge of English is not required for participation in the program, and preference is given to those who have never visited the United States.
All Open World Program nominations and applications are reviewed by the Congressional Office for International Leadership and the U.S. Embassy Selection Committees.
Since its launch in 1999, nearly 29,000 individuals from a wide variety of professional fields have traveled to all 50 states to meet and share knowledge with their professional colleagues, and to learn about life in America.
A wide variety of political, civic, and economic leaders have successfully participated in the Open World Program.
Open World Latvia: Alumni Experience
“The Open World experience introduced me to new ways of thinking and broadened my daily approach to working with civil society through an American perspective. It reaffirmed how liberal democracy and critical thinking serve not only as tools and assets, but also as essential defenses in an era increasingly challenged by “flat-earth” thinking.
One of the most valuable outcomes was meeting experts who later became integral to the Nordic Resilience Summit 2025, which I organized in Riga eight months later. Robert Ezelle’s participation resulted directly from connections made during the program in Olympia, WA, including discussions with the American Red Cross on regional emergency preparedness. These new connections, combined with shared expertise, create opportunities for bilateral collaboration, and support our organisation - Civilian Resilience Nordic (CIREN)- in our mission to build resilience and crisis preparedness in communities and organisations of North European countries.”
— Jānis Vanags, Open World Alum 2025, CIREN Board Member
Theme: Civil Society/ NGO Development
Location: Washington, D.C., Olympia, Washington
“The Open World experience was truly transformative – I gained fresh perspectives, a deeper understanding of the innovation ecosystem, and valuable AI industry connections in the USA, Europe, and beyond.
I appreciated that while we were in Washington, D.C., the program provided an opportunity to learn more about the U.S. federal system, and we also met AI field experts from other countries participating in the Open World program.
The second part of the trip was my absolute highlight – we had the opportunity to meet professionals working at the intersection of public, private, and scientific sectors in AI. The conversations with our counterparts and the experience within local communities showed how practical collaboration and open communication can accelerate safe and responsible AI development. This experience broadened my perspective on how Latvia can strengthen its AI initiatives and build truly effective cross-sector partnerships. During the visits, we had access to exceptionally innovative and renowned organizations and professionals from Verizon Innovation Lab, Boston Dynamics, UMass Boston, MIT CSAIL, Tufts University, FabTech, the City of Boston Mayor’s Office, and others.”
— Agate Ambulte, Open World Alumna 2025, Head of AI for Digital Transformation at Riga Stradins University, Board Member at NGO “Digtialo inovaciju parks”
Theme: Business Development/ Artificial Intelligence, Washington, D.C.
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
“The United States is a global space superpower, and Huntsville is one of the key centres of American space development. During the Open World Program, I had the opportunity to see firsthand how this ecosystem operates. Our meeting with Mayor Tommy Battle was especially valuable — he highlighted that Huntsville Research Park is the second largest in the United States and the fourth largest in the world, and that the city has the highest number of engineers per capita. This unique concentration of talent demonstrates that attracting and retaining highly qualified specialists is essential for drawing high-tech and aerospace companies — an insight highly relevant for Latvia’s future space strategy.
These discussions and visits, including exchanges with the Huntsville companies and universities, broadened my perspective on practical ways to advance Latvia’s emerging space capabilities. The experience underscored the importance of the knowledge triangle — strong regional ecosystems where research institutions, industry, and public authorities work closely together. This integration, supported by international partnerships, accelerates innovation, strengthens competitiveness, and provides a valuable model for Latvia as we continue to develop our own space sector.”
— Kaspars Karolis, Open World Alum 2025, Space Policy Expert, Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia, Head of Latvian Delegation to the European Space Agency
Theme: Commercial Uses of Space Technology and Research Commercialization
Location: Washington, D.C., Huntsville, Alabama
Program Information
Funded by:
The United States Congress
Managed by:
The Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL)
Administrated in Latvia by:
American Councils for International Education Latvia
Funding:
The program is fully funded, it covers the visa fee, international travel, health insurance, food, housing, and transportation within the U.S.
Participants:
Promising professionals in different fields
Contact information in Latvia:
atrofimova@americancouncils.org
Webpage: Open World
Facebook: Open World
