“We find the defendant not guilty of negligence…” This was the final pronouncement of the jury at a mock trial at a local law school.  As a member of this jury, I was not surprised by the verdict, but was impressed by the process of how we got to that point.  All the testimony, all the diagrams, all the lawyers’ arguments, all the internal jury debate and, in the end, it all came down to the presentation of the evidence and, ultimately, the law itself.  What was the law?  What did it mean?  And how w

After spending a week studying State Legislatures in Salt Lake City, UT, we discovered some suprising reasons this Russian delegation loved the time they spent in the state.

Is yours?

In the last day and a half I’ve spent with an Open World delegation from Tajikistan, I have heard this question more than once.  Although it is raised half jokingly, it highlights the massive differences between the criminal justice system in the United States and that in Tajikistan.  Delegates have been amazed by the great care taken to protect the ri

Our Moldovan Open World delegation has spent the week in Madison, Wisconsin, learning about accountable governance, from the perspective of state budgeting and financing.  I’ve learned so much from this delegation and have really enjoyed my time with them.  Through them, I’ve come to know my own country better!  And while that’s one of the purposes of the program, I guess I never r

Time flies when you’re having fun.  It’s cliché, I know, but it really describes how I’ve been feeling over the last few weeks.  It’s hard to believe that our first fall delegation (Bethesda, MD) has already completed its program and all members have returned home.  And our second delegation, in Madison, Wisconsin, is more than halfway over.

If you were the mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, what would you do?

This question was posed to our Moldovan delegation near the end of their stay in Madison.  Throughout the week, they had visited many government offices and agencies and participated in numerous discussions on the roles and responsibilities of government officials.  They had talked about how the government manages its funds, raises more, and provides services to its constituency.  They had heard how elected officials at all levels of government interact with citizens.  And then they’d seen it all in action at the Dane County Board of Supervisors meeting.

I have to admit that welcoming incoming delegations is probably my favorite part of my job.  I love going to the orientation sessions: meeting with the participants; learning about their homes, families, goals for the program, expectations, and aspirations.  The group I met with on Friday is from Ukraine and will be staying in Kensington, Maryland for the next week as they learn about the development of civil society and nongovernmental organizations (NGO) in America.  They will also share their experiences in

Did you know that Friday is World Water Monitoring Day?  Had you ever heard of it before?