Communities sought to host Pakistani visitors

The MMA is seeking communities to host 30 government officials from Pakistan who will be visiting Massachusetts this fall under a grant from the U.S. Department of State.

The visit will take place from Oct. 6 through Nov. 9 and will include four weeks of professional attachments, meaning a community would host two Pakistani officials for a total of two weeks.

During the professional attachments, participants will reside in local hotels and spend each day with a town or city department or at a relevant event. Hosts will be asked to place the participants in a variety of municipal offices so they can gain an understanding of how professional services are coordinated and delivered.

In addition to building their professional capacities, the goal is to have the Pakistani government professionals build professional and personal relationships with their American counterparts.

In preparation for the professional attachments, the MMA and the ITD, a nonprofit based in Amherst (www.itd-amherst.org), will provide host communities with detailed suggestions. Support will be offered throughout the placements, and a hosting stipend will be awarded to offset expenses of the community and the local coordinator assigned to the Pakistani guests.

The first week of the entire six-week program will feature an orientation to U.S. public administration, including lectures from practitioners and academics and site visits to local organizations and government offices. The last week will begin with individual and group reflection on the professional attachments and preparation of action plan projects that the participants are expected to implement on their return home.

Lastly, the participants will travel to Washington, D.C., for more site visits and a debriefing at the Department of State.

The Pakistani participants were recruited by the Fulbright Commission in Pakistan. The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad will vet the participants, including thorough background checks, and will assist them in obtaining U.S. visas.

The project’s objectives are to assure that:

• The Pakistanis gain knowledge of the U.S. public administration system and approaches.

• Pakistani and U.S. public administrators discuss a number of strategies for countering corruption and minimizing bureaucratic entanglements.

• Pakistani participants develop professional and personal relationships with U.S. counterparts that may last beyond the exchange programs.

• Pakistani participants develop and carry out plans to introduce new projects or methods in their home communities.

All expenses for the Pakistani participants are covered by the grant, including travel, accommodations, meals and materials.

The project is funded by the Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State and is supported by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.

Local officials who are interested in participating in this program should contact Paul Bockelman at 617-426-7272, ext. 111, or pbockelman@mma.org.