Exploring Global Economies in Washington, DC

A group of 2022 Scholars, Mentors and Fellows, whose theme for the Scientific Cycle is “Global Economies”, started the year off with a trip to Washington, DC, to meet with representatives of key institutions that influence global and regional economic policies. The trip was organized by Monique Smith (2022 Mentor). 

On Sunday January 7th, participants were offered a guided tour of the US capital which included stops at the Capitol, the Supreme Court, the White House and other monuments commemorating American history.  One of the 2022 Fellows hosted a dinner for the group which set the stage for the following days.

On Monday, the day began with a visit to the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes to meet the Vice-President of the World Bank and Secretary General of ICSID, a Canadian who has led ICSID for almost 15 years. The conversation was followed by a meeting with the Executive Director for Canada, Ireland, and the Caribbean of the World Bank, who spoke specifically about Canada's role at the Bank and together with her staff entertained a wide variety of questions from the Scholars.

Later in the afternoon, a visit to the Canadian Embassy in Washington provided an opportunity for exchanges with representatives from various departments of Global Affairs Canada, as well as a meeting with the Canadian Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS) who provided insight into Canada’s relationship with the Americas.

Participants spent Tuesday morning at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a world-renowned apolitical think tank, where they met specialists from various groups, notably ones working on maternal and women's health, the European Union, congressional relations and the Canada Institute. Several presenters joined the cohort for lunch to foster networking and exchange.  The group then went to Capitol Hill for a productive meeting with a Senator's senior policy director. At dinner, the cohort had the privilege of welcoming the Director of ICSID and the Head of International Government Relations at Ford Motor Company, both Canadians. It was a welcome opportunity to discuss responsible investment, corporate responsibility, and the impact of international trade on human rights and democracy. 

To round off their trip, the group began their final day by meeting virtually with the Secretary for Hemispheric Affairs of the Organization of American States for an enriching discussion on current issues in South America, followed by a closing lunch during which the members of the 2022 cohort were able to reflect on their experience and what they had learned from this trip and set some groundwork for their next Institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina.