The J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (Stevens Initiative) is a multilateral private-public partnership designed to increase people-to-people exchange between youth in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa, as a lasting tribute to the legacy of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.

The Stevens Initiative has launched an award competition to fund virtual exchanges that equip young people in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa to communicate with respect and understanding across diverse cultures and perspectives. The competition is open to U.S. organizations that work with young people, primarily but not limited to those enrolled in secondary through post-secondary education, and that either have operated or are interested in operating cross-cultural exchanges.