As it has at every Democratic National Convention since 1984, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) welcomed hundreds of international visitors to its International Leaders Forum (ILF), this year in Denver, to observe the convention and witness first hand the nomination process for president and vice president of the United States.

The more than 500 international visitors from over 100 countries included current and former heads of state, speakers of parliament, elected officials, cabinet ministers, political party leaders and ambassadors from the Washington based diplomatic corps.

“The International Leaders Forum gives political leaders from around the world a unique opportunity to observe American democracy firsthand while hearing from a wide range of experts from the U.S. and abroad,” said Madeleine K. Albright, the chairman of NDI. “Our goal is to highlight the best of our democratic tradition, provide our guests with a better understanding of America's political process and encourage dynamic discussion about the future of democracy across the globe."

During the five-day ILF program, participants are involved in a wide range of substan­tive and social activities. Participants will observe the convention proceedings and take part in a series of bipartisan panel discussions on the U.S. political process, foreign and domestic policy issues, and media coverage of the presidential race. They also have a rare opportunity to exchange ideas in­formally with their counterparts from around the world while getting a unique perspective on an American national political convention.

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» Read answers to frequently asked questions about the International Leaders Forum