Friendship Force International was founded on March 1, 1977 by its first president, Wayne Smith and was announced by President Jimmy Carter at a White House gathering of state governors. The founders envisioned that friendship among people of different nations and cultures not only would be personally enriching for participants, but could contribute to world peace on a broad scale.

A 1992 nominee for The Nobel Peace Prize, Friendship Force International began by organizing the travel of goodwill Ambassadors who share the lives of a Host family in another country for one to two weeks. Since the program began in 1977, nearly half-million volunteer Ambassadors and Hosts have participated through 3,300 exchanges, touching the lives of more than two million people, and the means for accomplishing its mission has expanded considerably, as new relationships uncovered new possibilities.

Their idea has proved its merit as Friendship Force programs have created tens of thousands of enduring friendships and helped to establish ties among businesses, institutions and communities throughout the world.

Since the beginning of the program in 1977, more than 175,000 ambassadors and 525,000 hosts have participated in 5,000 exchanges thereby touching the lives of 2 million people while spreading the motto of  The Friendship Force.  "A WORLD OF FRIENDS IS A WORLD OF PEACE."

There are now more than 367 clubs in 55 countries with 39 US states having 105 clubs. The Head Office of Friendship Force International is located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA and operated with minimal professional staff. 

WHAT IS AN EXCHANGE?