Panelists, from left: Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, M.D., M.P.H., Director of Health; Karla Bruce, Deputy Director, Department of Neighborhood & Community Services; Dawn Hyman, Community Capacity Building Coordinator, Department of Neighborhood & Community Services; Christine Morin, Chief of Staff, Mount Vernon District; Tom Barnett, Program Manager, Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. Photo contributed
On June 8, a delegation of government officials and non-profit representatives from the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan met with representatives of the Fairfax County government to discuss human rights and health and human service related issues. These countries are currently going through intense reforms and have indicated that the United States’ experience, and in particular Fairfax County government’s experience, is invaluable to facilitate and incite these reforms. The visit, hosted at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, was organized by the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and was sponsored by USAID.
Fairfax County government representatives, including Dr. Gloria Addo-Ayensu, M.D., M.P.H., Director of Health, discussed the role of nonprofits in social and economic life in the United States with the 23-person delegation. They shared information regarding relationships and mechanisms of cooperation between governments and non-profits, as well as how governments work with nonprofits to address various social and economic issues in the County. The roundtable discussion was followed by a question and answer session, allowing the delegates to ask specific questions to gain a more in depth understanding of the social and humanitarian issues they are facing.
Supervisor Dan Storck (D-Mt. Vernon) met with the Central Asian delegation and said, “As a leader in human service issues, we are pleased to be invited to participate in international discussions that advance humanitarian causes. Hosting this event at the home of our first President and one of our great humanitarians was particularly poignant.”