Power of Global Connection

Amit Kumar Sah 

In a world where we increasingly talk past each other, where social media feeds us only what we already believe and borders feel more like walls than doorways, international exchange programs do something simple but powerful: they put real people in rooms together. My recent time in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) reminded me of something we all know but often forget: the best learning happens when you sit across from someone who sees the world completely differently than you do.

Beyond Tourism: The Real Value of Cultural Exchange

Too often, people write off international programs as expensive trips or fancy diplomatic theater. They're missing the point entirely. The IVLP showed me that real cross-cultural exchange isn't about the official presentations or guided tours. The good stuff happens when you're sharing a meal with someone, walking through their neighborhood, or staying up late talking about problems you both care about but approach in totally different ways.

One of the highlights of this experience was the chance to meet and connect with talented participants from around the world. Sharing our unique perspectives and learning from one another was enriching both professionally and personally. Each conversation became a masterclass in problem-solving, as participants from different continents revealed how they approached similar challenges in their home communities. A youth empowerment strategy that works in rural Nepal might inspire an urban initiative in Nigeria. A climate action model from New Mexico could spark innovation in Southeast Asia.

Learning From Each Other's Playbooks

What hit me hardest was how meeting people from different places expanded everyone's toolkit for getting things done. When you're stuck in your own bubble, working with the same approaches year after year, it's easy to think your way is the only way that works. But spend time with leaders from other countries, and suddenly you see dozens of different ways to tackle the same problems.

The young policy advocate from Jordan showed us how to navigate bureaucracy with patience and strategic relationship-building. The environmental activist from Brazil demonstrated the power of grassroots organizing in the face of seemingly impossible odds. The education reformer from Ghana revealed innovative ways to engage communities in supporting literacy initiatives. Each participant became both teacher and student, sharing hard-won wisdom while absorbing new strategies to take home.

Building Real Relationships, Not Just LinkedIn Connections

Some people say that with video calls and social media, we don't need these face-to-face programs anymore. They're wrong. There's something irreplaceable about spending actual time with someone - eating together, laughing together, maybe even arguing together about ideas that matter to both of you. The relationships forged during intensive exchange programs create networks that endure long after participants return home.

These aren't networking contacts - they're actual friendships with people who get what you're trying to do. When I hit a wall with a project back home, I now have friends around the world I can call for advice. When I see an opportunity for collaboration, I have people I trust who might want to work together. When the work gets discouraging, I have friends who understand exactly what that feels like.

Why We Need More of This, Not Less

Right now, many organizations are cutting funding for international exchange programs. They say it's too expensive or question whether it's worth it. This is exactly the wrong move. The payoff isn't immediate or easy to measure, but it's real: you get leaders who think bigger while staying rooted in their own communities.

Every person who goes home from these programs carries back new ideas, new friends, and a bigger sense of what's possible. They become living proof that people from different places can work together on hard problems. They show others that learning from someone different isn't threatening - it's smart.

Making These Programs Work for Everyone

Going forward, exchange programs need to be more open and accessible. Too often, these opportunities go to people who already have connections or advantages. We need programs that actively look for emerging leaders from small towns, marginalized communities, and places that usually get overlooked.

We also need to keep these relationships alive after people go home. The learning shouldn't stop when you catch your flight back. Online meetings, reunion events, and chances to work on projects together can help maintain the friendships that start during these programs.

Why This Matters Right Now

At a time when countries are turning inward and people are building walls instead of bridges, international exchange programs bet on something simple: that people are fundamentally good and want to work together. They invest in the idea that despite speaking different languages and living under different governments, we face similar challenges that we can solve better together.

The talented people I met during my IVLP experience went back to their communities with more than just new information - they went back believing that change is possible and having concrete ideas about how to make it happen. This is the kind of quiet diplomacy that actually builds lasting peace and prosperity.

As problems like climate change and economic inequality demand coordinated responses, we need leaders who can see beyond their own backyards while still caring deeply about their own communities. Exchange programs don't just create these leaders - they create networks of them, working together across continents to build a better world.

The question isn't whether we can afford to invest in these programs. The question is whether we can afford not to invest in bringing people together.

(Writer Sah is a Ward Member of Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City)