About Us

Understanding our evolving world is the first step toward changing it.

Founded in 1963, Cultural Vistas is a nonprofit exchange organization promoting global understanding and collaboration among individuals and institutions. We develop international professional experiences that create more informed, skilled, and engaged citizens. Our programs empower people to drive positive change in themselves, their organizations, and society.

We believe that sustained immersion in a country and language and professional experience, even more than travel or study abroad, promotes confidence and skills that create successful careers and nurture leaders, whether they are community activists or change agents at a global level.

Every year our 30-plus unique exchange programs reach thousands of individuals and organizations in the United States and more than 130 countries around the world. We invite you to join us as we work together to reach thousands more.

By the Numbers

By the Numbers Infographic - Over 50 years of experience, over 5,000 students & professionals annually, over 135 countries, over 1,000 host organizations. over 30 exchange programs, and over 100,000 alumni

Our Mission

Cultural Vistas equips the next generation of global leaders to solve complex challenges by connecting lives to exchange knowledge, values and perspectives.

Our Vision

We envision a world where experiential skill-building opportunities are a widespread means of fostering a shared understanding and appreciation of diverse peoples, values, cultures, and aspirations, thus bringing the world closer together.

Our History

Cultural Vistas was officially incorporated as a nonprofit in 1963, and since then has grown into the leading exchange organization of its kind – with a focus on providing professional experience – now helping more than 6,000 students, professionals, and emerging world leaders to make the world a better, more peaceful, and collaborative place each year.

We have come a long way over the last 50-plus years from what began in the 1950s as part of an international cooperative undertaking to rebuild war-torn Europe.

Since that time we have:

  • Produced 150,000 alumni and counting, including prominent leaders in governments, Fortune 500 companies, international media outlets, NGOs, tech startups, human rights organizations, among others.
  • Welcomed international interns, teachers, and trainees from more than 150 countries into thousands of U.S. businesses, NGOs, and classrooms, through our role as a J-1 Visa sponsor.
  • Expanded our diverse portfolio of international programs to include the:
  • Grown from a handful of staff to over 60 full-time employees who collectively speak more than 20 different languages with offices in Washington, D.C. and Berlin.