The mission of VINN is to promote international involvement and understanding throughout the state of Vermont. VINN develops support for and public awareness of Vermont-based global civil society activities.

Vermont’s International Involvement
As one of the smallest and least populated states, Vermont occupies a unique position as an image-maker for the United States. Our varied landscape, human scaled communities, trend setting businesses, and international reputation for being progressive and independent attract foreign attention. These same characteristics nurture and attract international organizations that use Vermont as an operational base that models a sustainable lifestyle for the rest of the world. By being engaged with communities around the world, Vermont's international nonprofit organizations serve as a bridge between local and global activities.

The Purposes and Role of VINN

Many Vermonters are interested in global issues. These include global warming, health issues, population growth, refugee assistance, environmental protection, national security and its connection with international relations, exchange and educational programs, and opportunities for volunteering that promote international understanding and respect for diverse cultures. Internationally focused NGOs (Non-Governmental, Nonprofit Organizations) are a significant part of the nonprofit sector in Vermont, and are widely dispersed throughout the state. VINN participants represent a variety of internationally active Vermont-based NGOs, and work together in order to:

1. combine efforts to promote international involvement and understanding;
2. cooperate in a variety of ways to raise public awareness of Vermont-based international activities and opportunities, such as organizing events, and creating a brochure, directory and web page of Vermont international nonprofits;
3. provide a contact point for Vermonters who want to become more internationally engaged by supporting, joining, working with, or volunteering for international organizations;
4. share resources and contacts.

• Animals Asia Foundation Burlington Vermont
• ECOLOGIA Middlebury Vermont
• Global Community Initiatives Montpelier, Vermont
• Global Health Council, White River Junction, Vermont
• Green Across the Pacific Shoreham, Vermont
• Grounds for Health, Burlington Vermont
• Institute for Sustainable Communities Montpelier Vermont
• Population Media Center Shelburne Vermont
• Rohatyn Center for International Affairs, Middlebury College Middlebury Vermont
• Peter Ames Nonprofit Consulting Woodstock, Vermont
• Project Harmony Waitsfield Vermont
• Salzburg Seminar Middlebury Vermont
• Vermont Council on World Affairs St. Michael's College, Colchester Vermont
• Vermont Institute on the Caribbean, Burlington Vermont
• Vermont Intercultural Semesters Brookfield Vermont
• Vermont Refugeee Resettlement Program Barre Vermont and Colchester Vermont
• Vermont Teacher Diversity Scholarship Program Waterbury Vermont
• Volunteers for Peace Belmont Vermont
• World Learning / School for International Training Brattleboro, Vermont

Meetings

VINN meetings are usually held quarterly. (We took a break during 2007, and are resuming in September 2008.) Any organization which is interested is encouraged to contact Carolyn Schmidt from ECOLOGIA for additional information: cschmidt@ecologia.org

Upcoming Meeting January 2009, hosted by Vermont Council on World Affairs, Burlington - more details shortly

Minutes of Past Meetings

• September 2008, at Vermont Institute on the Caribbean, Burlington
• November 2006, at Salzburg Seminar, Middlebury
• July 2006, at Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program, Colchester
• April 2006 at School for International Training, Brattleboro
• February, 2006 at Vermont Teacher Diversity Scholarship Program, Waterbury
• December 2005 at Rohatyn Center, Middlebury College
• November 2005, at Rohatyn Center, Middlebury College
• September 2005, at Institute for Sustainable Communities, Montpelier
• August 2005, at Salzburg Seminar, Middlebury
• July 2005, at ECOLOGIA, Whiting
• June 2005, at The Gailer School, Shelburne
• May 2005, at Institute for Sustainable Communities, Montpelier (working meeting, event planning)
• April 2005, at Institute for Sustainable Communities, Montpelier
• March 2005, at Animals Asia, Burlington (Event Planning Committee Meeting)
• January 2005, at Institute for Sustainable Communities, Montpelier
• November 2004, at Rohatyn Center, Middlebury College, Middlebury
• August 2004, at Green Across the Pacific, Shoreham
• April 2004, at the Vermont Teacher Diversity Scholarship Program offices, in Waterbury
• January 2004, at the Population Media Center in Shelburne.
• October 2003, at the Global Health Council in White River Junction
• July 2003, at the Institute for Sustainable Communities in Montpelier
• April 2003, at the Salzburg Seminar offices in Middlebury
  
• January 2003, in the conference room of the Burlington Water Treatment Facility
  
• August 2002, at the offices of the Institute for Sustainable Communities, in Montpelier
• May 2002, at the offices of the Salzburg Seminar in Middlebury
  
• February 2002, at the offices of ECOLOGIA in Middlebury
  

VINN Global Citizen Group Awards, 2006

VINN congratulates the recipients of its Global Citizen Group Awards:

• Magicians Without Borders, Lincoln www.magicianswithoutborders.org
• Village Harmony, Marshfield www.villageharmony.org
• Change the World Kids, Woodstock www.changetheworldkids.com

VINN Global Citizen Awards, 2005

VINN presented its first individual "Global Citizen Awards" to Matthew Messier of Burlington (adult), and Michaela Powers (youth). The Global Citizen Awards honor Vermonters who volunteer their particular talents for the betterment of the global community, and who involve and inform other Vermonters in their activities. Congratulations to Matthew and Michaela. The awards were presented by former Governor of Vermont Madeleine Kunin, and VINN representative Randy Kritkausky, on Wednesday October 5, 2005 at St. Michael's College, Colchester.