Who We Are/What We Do

The Springfield Commission on International Visitors (SCIV), under the umbrella of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, is a programming and hosting agency for visitors from around the world.

Commission visitors are sent to Springfield via the U.S. Department of State's, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, as well as by a variety of other private and public agencies charged with developing professional programming visits for guests to the U.S. The programs are designed to foster mutual understanding through communication….between peoples from around the globe.

The U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Program brings visitors to the U.S. who are current or potential leaders in their respective countries. They include politicians, bureaucrats, journalists, educators, doctors, lawyers and social service providers and are selected by American Foreign Service Officers overseas. Currently 47 Heads of Government and Chiefs of State Worldwide are alumni of the International Visitors Program, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

Local commissions, like SCIV, working under the guidance of the National Commission on International Visitors (NCIV), then plan and execute programs within the local communities, based on the needs of the visitors and the resources within the community.

For more information on the Commission on International Visitors, please contact Alicia Erickson, International Program Manager, at alicia.erickson@springfield.il.us, 1-800-545-7300, or 217-789-2360 ext. 142.