“I could talk about it for much longer… but it was indeed a very rewarding experience, both professionally and personally. We made friends and we became much closer. Our organisations also became closer, benefiting the NTO. Learning occurred in three ways: we learned from the host, we learned from each other, and we thought and brainstormed about how the NTO can move forward and benefit from the work we are doing. It was very rewarding in all aspects.”

From 4 to 11 October 2023, the headquarters of the Inter-American Centre of Tax Administrations (CIAT) in Panama City, Panama, transformed into a dynamic hub of learning and collaboration for some of the Network of Tax Organisations (NTO) members. With the aim to facilitate peer learning among NTO member secretariats, David Borja, Project Manager at CIAT, conducted an immersive study visit for two overseas colleagues: Roman Bichevoy, Strategy and Institutional Development Manager of the Intra-European Organisation of Tax Administrations (IOTA) and Petero Maivucevuce, Training Coordinator and Office Administrator at the Pacific Islands Tax Administrators Association (PITAA).

Useful, successful, professional, personal, learning, friendship, growth opportunity are some of the terms pronounced when participants of the first NTO Study Visit were asked about their first thought that would come to their minds when asked about the time spent in Panama.

The Secretariat of the NTO held an exchange with David, Petero, and Roman to delve deeper in their experiences and explore the human connections and outcomes of the work shadowing programme.

Highlighting the particularity of the network, this exchange took place over three time zones, and across three continents. Throughout the talk, the atmosphere was one of fellowship, cooperation, positive energy, and friendship.

The full article was published by the NTO Secretariat

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