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Artificial Intelligence: Policy, Innovation, and Security | Germany & Sweden

From September 23-27, 2025, Global Ties San Francisco hosted nine senior government officials, policy advisors, researchers, and cybersecurity leaders from Germany and Sweden for a U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) project on artificial intelligence (AI) policy, innovation and security.

Throughout the program, the participants and their U.S. interlocutors were united by expertise in AI and digital governance, cybersecurity, and the responsible use of data and emerging technologies to strengthen democratic institutions, public sector innovation, and resilience against malign influence. Building on this shared foundation, the program strengthened transatlantic collaboration on a responsible and innovative AI ecosystem by examining U.S. approaches to innovation and risk-based regulation and aligning strategies for secure digital infrastructure.

Starting in Washington, DC, the group traveled to Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Sacramento, engaging with local leaders and innovators to examine how these issues vary across the nation. The program concluded in the San Francisco Bay Area, the world’s premier hub for innovation, where participants focused on the region’s startup ecosystem and its role in advancing next-generation AI systems. Our local city stop also highlighted the development of sustainable and ethical AI models, human-centered design practices, and strategies for fostering economic growth through early-stage investment.

Key Conversations

World Economic Forum – Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR)

Under the fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge, the group met with the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), a platform for “multistakeholder dialogue and concrete cooperation on governance challenges and opportunities presented by advanced technologies.” Here, WEF stays closely connected to the Bay Area’s influential ecosystem of startups, investors, and tech giants that steer the global economy’s most important innovations and decisions. Meeting with AI and data governance leaders, the visitors examined how C4IR advances public-private cooperation on emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), AI, and blockchain, with a focus on developing policy frameworks that enable responsible and widespread use. They outlined key WEF initiatives such as those focused on AI agents and AGI, offering insights the visitors could bring back with them from a region that has long set the pace in cutting-edge technology.

Plug and Play Tech Center

At the entrance to Plug and Play Tech Center, a large Persian carpet — a nod to the founders’ beginnings — set the stage for the group’s second meeting of the day. The delegation toured the tech center, examining its origin story and mission as a leading Silicon Valley startup accelerator and corporate innovation platform that connects tech-focused startups with global corporations, investors, and public sector partners. The visitors also met with enterprise and AI ventures leaders to discuss the dynamics of the Silicon Valley startup landscape, and how Plug and Play helps startups scale by facilitating strategic connections, mentorship, and investment. The conversation touched on access to venture capital, mentorship networks, and the key factors that influence startup growth in one of the world’s most competitive markets.

Stanford University – Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI)

The delegation started the next morning at Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), a global leader in interdisciplinary research focused on ensuring that AI is developed and used in ways that benefit humanity. Grounded in the belief that AI should be collaborative, augmentative, and aligned with human values, HAI explores the societal impact of AI across three core areas: human impact, augment human capabilities, and intelligence. A discussion on HAI’s vision for the future allowed the visitors to examine how artificial intelligence interacts with individuals and key institutions, and to reflect on policy and governance strategies that support responsible and human-centered AI development.

500 Global

The group rounded out the Silicon Valley tour at 500 Global, which backs founders of high-growth technology companies around the world and helps startups scale. Here, discussion centered on how 500 Global cultivates startup ecosystems, drives AI-enabled innovation, and fosters cross-border collaboration among entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers.

Tying it All Together: Facilitated Synthesis Session

We also incorporated one of our signature offerings: a Reflection and Synthesis Session led by an award-winning commercial attorney, mediator, and facilitator, as well as a non-profit leader, entrepreneur, and change agent, with a strong focus on responsible AI. The session provided structured time for participants to reflect on their three-week IVLP experience, distill key insights, and map out concrete next steps.

Through facilitated exercises, the visitors identified and shared core takeaways from the project, explored how U.S. approaches and best practices could be adapted to their own professional contexts, and assessed related challenges and opportunities. The session concluded with dedicated time for participants to begin outlining actionable plans to implement upon their return home.

Exploring the Bay Area Beyond AI

With days fluctuating between classic San Francisco fog and sunny afternoons with crystal-clear views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the visitors thoroughly enjoyed their free time. They explored Fisherman’s Wharf, took a Bay cruise, attended a hockey game, and had lunch in the charming waterfront town of Sausalito.

Final Reflections

By demonstrating the U.S. approach toward innovation and AI legislation, this project sought to leverage AI’s promise in both Germany and the United States while also addressing possible dangers. In reflecting on their journey, delegates recognized that each encounter revealed not just how the U.S. leads in innovation, but how that leadership thrives through openness, collaboration, and the courage to experiment. The experience inspired them to translate those lessons into their own national contexts, strengthening transatlantic ties, and shaping a more connected, human-centered approach to AI and technology.

Authors: Giovanna Basso & Alannah Crandall

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Our 2025 Exchange Programs Portfolio

International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP)

  1. Approaches to Urban Search and Rescue in the United States | Republic of Türkiye (4 visitors) – January 23-28
  2. Global Government-to-Government Partnership (G3P): R.T. | Japan (1 visitor) – February 12-18
  3. Rural Economic Opportunity Through Binational Tourism | Japan (7 visitors) – March 25-29
  4. Media Management | Fiji (8 visitors) – April 12-16
    Visual Arts for Community Impact | Multi-Regional Project (26 visitors) – April 15-19 (CANCELED)
  5. Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management | Morocco (6 visitors) – April 17-20
  6. Trafficking in Persons: Prevention and Mitigation I | Multi-Regional Project (22 visitors) – April 30 – May 3
  7. Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management | Multi-Regional Project (24 visitors) – May 8-14
  8. Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Response | Taiwan (9 visitors) – May 10-14
  9. Religious Freedom Enhanced by Interfaith Understanding | Kazakhstan (6 visitors) – May 17-22
  10. Promoting Strategic Artificial Intelligence Engagement | Kazakhstan (6 visitors) – June 14-18
  11. Foreign Policy, Economic Security, and China | Eurasia (25 visitors) – June 19-25
  12. Tackling Waterborne and Vector-borne Diseases to Strengthen Health Sector Resilience | Africa (9 visitors) – June 24
  13. Combating Coercive Violence II | Africa (8 visitors) – June 27-29
  14. Community-based Models for Addressing Mental Health Challenges | Poland (9 visitors) – July 9-13
  15. Cybersecurity in Critical Telecom Infrastructure | Türkiye (6 visitors) – July 18-23
  16. Community Engagement in the Political Process | Switzerland (6 visitors) – July 19-24
  17. Energy Security | Israel (6 visitors) – July 23-28 (RESCHEDULED FROM FEBRUARY)
  18. The Role of Think Tanks in Public Policy | Kazakhstan (7 visitors) – July 26
  19. Advanced Battery Chemistries | India (5 visitors) – July 30 – August 2
  20. Economic Development and the Bioeconomy | Multi-Regional (7 visitors) – July 31 – August 2
  21. Women in Politics and Civil Society | Multi-Regional Project (6 visitors) – August 23
  22. Partnering on a Quantum Future | Slovenia (12 visitors) – August 27-30
  23. U.S. Innovation in Water Resource Management | Pakistan (10 visitors) – September 1
  24. Project Management and Strategic Communications | Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat (9 visitors) – September 6-9
  25. Media Innovation for Telugu Media Professionals | India (4 visitors) – September 12-13
  26. Performing Arts and Cultural Centers in the United States | The People’s Republic of China (11 visitors) – September 20
  27. Artificial Intelligence: Policy, Innovation, and Security | Germany & Sweden (10 visitors) – September 23-27
  28. Combating Money Laundering and Recovering Stolen Assets | Kazakhstan (6 visitors) – September 25-30
  29. ASEAN: Maritime Policy and Security Coordination in the South China Sea | East Asia and Pacific (9 visitors) – September 30 – October 4 (RESCHEDULED FROM JULY)
  30. Advancing Digital Security and Development – ASEAN/Quad | Inter-Regional Project (12 visitors) – October 4-8
  31. Law Enforcement Approaches to Countering CCP Influence | Italy (8 visitors) – October 8-12
  32. Energy as an Economic Driver | Multi-Regional (16 visitors) – October 15-18 (RESCHEDULED FROM MARCH)
  33. Research Security and Innovation | Portugal & Spain (11 visitors) – October 22-25
  34. Strategies for Stability and Economic Resilience | Western Hemisphere (9 visitors) – October 24-25
  35. Strategies to Counter Terrorism | Europe (10 visitors) – October 31 – November 1 (CANCELED)
  36. Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists: Investigative Reporting | Africa (15 visitors) – November 1-5 (CANCELED)
  37. Advancing U.S.-Philippine Relations for American Semiconductor Supply Chains | Philippines (10 visitors) – November 2-5
  38. Technology Innovators: Artificial Intelligence – Harnessing the Power of Technology | Multi-Regional (24 visitors) – November 4-8 (CANCELED)
  39. Biotech Investment and Trade in the United States | France (4 visitors) – December 3-7
  40. Advancing Science-based U.S.-Thailand Trade Cooperation | Thailand (5 visitors) – December 10-12
  41. Mega Sporting Events and Economic Prosperity III | Multi-Regional (22 visitors) – December 11-16
    • Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Zimbabwe
  42. Global Government-to-Government Partnership (G3P): K.N. | Japan (1 visitor) – December 13-17
  43. Global Government-to-Government Partnership (G3P): Y.Y. | Japan (1 visitor) – December 13-17
  44. Promoting Cybersecurity | Western Hemisphere (12 visitors) – December 16-20
    • Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay
  45. Best Practices in Foreign Investment Screening | Japan & Korea (8 visitors) – December 17-20 (RESCHEDULED FROM NOVEMBER)

Custom Fee-For-Service

  1. Tackling Cybercrimes – A Key to Modern Trade International Exchange and Leadership Program (IELP) | Pakistan (8 participants) – February 13-19
  2. Friends, Partners, and Allies Program for Journalists | Japan, Philippines (10 participants) – June 4-10
  3. Road to 250 – A Program for Filipino Creators | Philippines (4 participants) – November 12-15

Interested in serving as a Professional Resource or Home Hospitality host for our international visitors?

Express Interest Today!

Final Update: November 18, 2025

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Celebrating Muir Woods on International Day of Forests

International Visitors enjoying Muir Woods National Monument

The United Nations International Day of Forests is recognized on the 21st of March to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. The 2025 theme, Forests and Foods, highlights the vital role of forests in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods. Beyond providing sustenance and income, forests support ecosystems, protect water and soil, and offer habitats for biodiversity, among other benefits.

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, Muir Woods National Monument — proclaimed a National Monument in 1908 to protect and preserve the land — is one of the last remaining forested areas of coast Redwood trees. These giant evergreens can stand up to 79 meters tall and average between 600 and 800 years old, with the oldest being at least 1,200 years old. The park is home to 380 different plants and animals, ranging from bats that find refuge in tree cavities to Coho salmon and steelhead trout that swim in the clear waters of Redwood Creek.

Known for its towering stand of old-growth coast Redwood trees, Muir Woods attracts visitors from all over the world to experience this unique breathtaking ecosystem. Beyond its natural beauty, Muir Woods is also a site of profound historical significance, where nature, diplomacy, and the pursuit of peace intersect.

Did you know San Francisco is the birthplace of the United Nations, and Muir Woods played a symbolic role in its founding?

During a pivotal time in history, as World War II neared its end, world leaders convened in San Francisco for the United Nations Conference on International Organization (UNCIO) from April 25 to June 26, 1945, to draft and sign the UN Charter. Relatively equidistant between Asia, Europe, and Latin America, picturesque San Francisco was well positioned for a global gathering.

As preparations for the San Francisco Conference were underway, it was proposed that the delegates visit the serenity of Muir Woods to reflect in “a ‘temple of peace’ [where] the delegates would gain a perspective and sense of time that could be obtained nowhere in America better than in a forest.” U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes described Muir Woods as a natural cathedral, where trees older than the Magna Carta stood as enduring witnesses to history.

When U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt — who had championed the creation of a new international system to maintain peace — passed away two weeks before the conference began, the retreat to Muir Woods took on additional significance.

In tribute to his legacy, over 500 delegates from 46 nations gathered in Muir Woods Cathedral Grove on May 19, 1945, to honor the late president and reaffirm their commitment to building a more peaceful world. This commemoration cemented Muir Woods’ place in global history, making it not only a site of natural wonder but also a symbol of international cooperation, diplomacy, and the enduring pursuit of peace.

Today, as we celebrate the UN International Day of Forests, we are reminded that forests are even more than ecological treasures — they are also places of inspiration and unity, where people from different nations come together, as they did in 1945, to contemplate a shared future.

Through our work with the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and other custom exchanges, Global Ties San Francisco continues this tradition by bringing international visitors to experience the majesty of Muir Woods. In doing so, we reinforce San Francisco’s role as a center for global engagement, fostering the same spirit of global exchange and mutual understanding that underlined the founding of the United Nations nearly 80 years ago.

#ForestDay

Author: Song Held
Editor: Alannah Crandall

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IVLP Highlight: American Foreign Policy Delegation from Germany

From December 7-11, 2024, Global Ties San Francisco hosted the American Foreign Policy, Economic Security, and the People’s Republic of China delegation from Germany on behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and in partnership with World Learning.

During their stay in the San Francisco Bay Area, thirteen German academics, policy experts, journalists, and business representatives met with local Bay Area organizations to better understand American foreign policy and factors that shape economic security, to gain a West Coast perspective on U.S.-China trade relations, to engage with the local Chinese diaspora, and to ultimately bring back valuable insights to their respective regions in Germany.

Professional Highlights

A standout experience for the international visitors was their meeting with Mr. Ron Brown, a Maritime Marketing and Commodities representative at the Port of Oakland. Drawing upon Mr. Brown’s in-depth knowledge of local trade and commerce channels, our visitors explored how the Port of Oakland contributes to the economic viability and strength of the region by serving as one of California’s largest container ports and a critical export gateway for agricultural and refrigerated products from the region.

Visitors explore the Port of Oakland with Ron Brown

The discussion inspired insightful questions from the visitors, such as how the pandemic affected the Port’s operations, global trade partner relations, and the Port’s efforts to make operations more sustainable.

The visitors also enjoyed a tour and first-hand look at the Port’s efforts to become a zero-emissions seaport, with notable sights including state-of-the-art hybrid electric cranes.

Another professional meeting was the group’s discussion with Mr. Douglas Wallace, Director of the U.S. Export Assistance Center at the U.S. Commercial Service – San Francisco Office. The meeting examined the role of the U.S. Commercial Service in supporting local businesses’ efforts to expand internationally, particularly in the areas of economic development and security. Additionally, participants gained exposure to the greater U.S. Commercial Service ecosystem, which includes more than 100 U.S. Commercial Service offices nationwide and more than 70 international offices. Overall, the meeting helped contextualize economic services provided by the U.S federal government on the local level in California.

Other professional highlights included connecting the international visitors with the local Chinese diaspora and Asian American community artists through a visit to a cultural center, a meeting with notable scholars from the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and a discussion with SEMI—a global microelectronics industry association.

Cultural Experiences

Beyond professional appointments, the visitors further enriched their understanding of the U.S. by sharing a meal with San Franciscans through Global Ties San Francisco’s Home Hospitality program.
“An unforgettable experience!”

In addition, the visitors also attended a Guided City Tour of San Francisco, exploring the beauty and most iconic sites that make San Francisco the famous “City by the Bay!”

Supporting People-to-People Diplomacy

Through successful IVLP programming like this project for Germany, Global Ties San Francisco aims to fulfill the mission of the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program by connecting emerging foreign leaders to the United States to engage in people-to-people diplomacy, foster professional international relationships, and inspire strong global partnerships.

Authors: Karin Krisdiva, Fall 2024 Intern; Oli Vorster, International Program Coordinator

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Our 2024 Exchange Program Portfolio

Review all our 2024 international exchange delegations and highlights.

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Event Highlight: Global Social Hour (Sept. 2024)

On September 24, 2024, Global Ties San Francisco hosted a free community social hour and networking event with meaningful conversations over delicious food!

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Recent Intern Leila Shawrieh Selected for Global Ties U.S. 2025 Emerging Leaders Cohort

Global Ties San Francisco is thrilled to announce that our summer 2024 intern Leila Shawrieh has been selected for the 2025 cohort of the Global Ties U.S. Emerging Leaders Program due to her outstanding potential to lead and shape the future of public diplomacy and international exchange!

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Global Ties San Francisco Meets with Rep. Barbara Lee’s Office on the Community Impact of International Exchange Programs

This past summer, Global Ties San Francisco proudly served as a community lead for the Alliance for International Exchange’s Summer of Action initiative to raise awareness of the benefits that international exchange programs bring to Americans and their local communities.

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