Welcome to the Atlanta Mayor's Office of International Affairs Newsletter! Since March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mayor's Office of International Affairs has pivoted and redirected our office's activities to a virtual format. While we're not physically together, our office remains committed, now more than ever, to working with the international community to continue furthering economic, cultural, diplomatic, and educational ties, as well as providing COVID-19 related updates and resources to all those impacted. We look forward to connecting with you soon.
To learn more about our office and activities, check out our website:
www.atlinternationalaffairs.com. The Atlanta MOIA team Vanessa, Cesar, Paulina, Meredith & Lucas |
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To date, the Mayor's Office of International Affairs has hosted and organized 12 virtual events: a virtual roundtable discussion in partnership with the USC Center on Public Diplomacy and several international affairs offices across the U.S.; a Women + Trade event in partnership with Invest Atlanta, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and the Export-Import Bank of the United States; the Sister Cities Diplomacy Virtual Summit with 11 of our sister cities; a series of events honoring Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in partnership with the Office Of Immigrant Affairs (Welcoming Atlanta), the Confucius Institute at Georgia State University, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, and the Japan-America Society of Georgia; and a Digital Marketplace webinar that included a panel of industry experts from Georgia State University, Amazon, Pain Care Labs, Metro Atlanta Chamber and the United States Export Assistance Center in Atlanta. Even in this "new normal" our office has remained busy, so read on to learn more! |
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Atlanta hosts first virtual Sister Cities International Summit to discuss how cities are navigating the COVID-19 pandemic |
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In an effort to stay connected with sister city partners and share best practices and challenges of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, MOIA organized the first virtual summit “Sister City Diplomacy & COVID-19: Looking Ahead to the New Normal”. Representatives of over 10 cities were in attendance including, Toulouse, France; Nuremberg, Germany; Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan); Daegu, South Korea; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Lagos, Nigeria; Ra’anana, Israel; Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom; and Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The event was moderated by Paulina Guzman, Global Engagement Officer, who also serves as the liaison to the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission (ASCC) and its 17 sister cities. ----- Follow the link below to read more of the article written by Lucas de Souza Martins, MOIA intern |
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Clockwise from top left: Paulina Guzman, MOIA Global Engagement Officer; Leroy Allala, President, Sister Cities International; Matt Ohm, Chair, Atlanta Sister Cities Commission; Teri Simmons, Georgia State Sister Cities Commission Coordinator; and Vanessa Ibarra, MOIA Director |
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Women + Trade: Highlighting Atlanta Women Exporters |
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As part of MOIA's trade promotion initiative and to celebrate women entrepreneurs, on April 30th MOIA hosted "Women + Trade," a virtual panel highlighting women exporters based in Atlanta, their impact on the global economy, and how they are managing and dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. The Women + Trade virtual conversation was moderated by Cesar Vence, MOIA's Deputy Director, who leads the initiative. In addition to the panel of exporters, Kimberly Reed, President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, provided remarks about credit insurance programs and initiatives implemented by the agency that support current and prospective exporters in their businesses. Representatives from the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Invest Atlanta, and Metro Atlanta Chamber, were also in attendance to highlight their resources to support small businesses and exporters during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. ----- Follow the link below to read more of the article written by Lucas de Souza Martins, MOIA intern |
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From top left to right: Cesar Vence, MOIA Deputy Director; Vanessa Ibarra, MOIA Director; Amy Barbieri, President & Co-Founder of Vital4; Nathan Regan, Senior Vice President of Economic Development for Invest Atlanta; Andal Balu, Founder of Cocoatown; Annie Eaton, CEO of Futurus; Doll Avant, Founder & CEO of Aquagenuity |
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Georgia World Language Leadership Meeting |
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MOIA Director, Vanessa Ibarra, joined the Georgia Department of Education World Languages and Global Workforce Initiative's virtual “World Language Leadership Institute” meeting. In attendance were university and college level world language program leaders. Participants included representatives included the Center for Urban Language Teaching and Research (CULTR), the Atlanta Global Studies Center (AGSC), and representatives from 13 schools districts including Atlanta Public Schools. During her remarks, Vanessa expressed our office’s commitment to supporting foreign language acquisition, cultural competency training, and the development of virtual educational exchanges during these unprecedented times. |
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MOIA Director, Vanessa Ibarra providing remarks during the virtual meeting. |
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City Diplomacy During COVID-19 |
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In partnership with the University of Southern California Center on Public Diplomacy, MOIA convened a meeting between the heads of international affairs offices from 10 cities across the United States to share experiences and practices in navigating the current crisis. The overarching themes of the meeting included, pivoting day-to-day job functions to support City essential departments, supporting the international community locally, maintaining diplomatic relations to learn how to address the impact of COVID-19, and identifying potential providers of PPE equipment and other related materials. |
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Left: City Diplomacy attendees; Right: MOIA Director, Vanessa Ibarra providing welcoming remarks during the virtual meeting. |
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Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month |
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For Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, MOIA partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (Welcoming Atlanta) to celebrate and honor the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community in Atlanta. As part of the month long celebration, we featured on a daily basis, members of the community that have contributed to the City in the areas of diplomacy, community engagement, business, and the arts. In partnership with the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, the Confucius Institute at Georgia State University, and the Japan-America Society of Georgia we hosted a series of virtual events including a musical performance, Tai Chi and yoga sessions, children activities, and cooking demonstrations. Did you miss an event? No worries! Click the links below to find all of our activities! Virtual Performance by Jennifer Chung STEM Tuesday: Bottle Rockets AAPI Wellness Wednesday: Chinese Tai Chi Art & Maker Wednesday: Chinese Dragon Craft AAPI Virtual Classroom: Traditional Chinese Medicine Webinar Literacy Thursday: Bee-Bim Bop! Health & Wellness Friday: Japanese Bento AAPI Yoga Breathwork + Poses with Rakhi Patel of Yoganesh |
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Entering the Global Economy Through a Digital Marketplace Webinar |
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In partnership with the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC), we hosted a conversation with subject matter experts on why eCommerce matters during COVID-19 times. The virtual discussion “Entering the Global Economy through a Digital Marketplace” covered topics like retailing in the age of eCommerce, setting up a marketplace, the importance of website optimization and SEOs, and available resources to get a business on a digital marketplace. The panel discussion was moderated by Cesar Vence, Deputy Director, who leads MOIA’s trade promotion initiative, and Michael Theisen-Jones, MAC’s Director of Global Business. Guest speakers included Dr. Evaristo Doria, Senior Lecturer/Co-Director Minor in International Business at Georgia State University; Nader Motazed, Global Product Marketing at Amazon, highlighted the global selling opportunities with the multinational technology company. The former recipient of the Atlanta Metro Export Challenge Grant, Dr. Amy Baxter, CEO of Pain Care Labs, and George Tracy, Director of the U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) in Atlanta also participated as speakers. -- Follow the link below to read more of the article written by Lucas de Souza Martins, MOIA intern |
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Missed the webinar? Watch the full recording below! |
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In 2019, MOIA welcomed more than 100 international delegations ranging from high ranking diplomats, businesses, and city representatives seeking to exchange best practices with city departments and City Council, to students interested in learning about our history and governance structure. We brought the world to our constituents by attracting five international events focused on airport areas development, smart cities, arts, and culture. We participated in five overseas trade missions to promote Atlanta’s key industries to potential investors and discussed potential partnerships with foreign organizations and government offices. As facilitators and connectors, MOIA has been able to connect the dots and grow Atlanta’s international brand. To our global partners, thank you for working with us and continuing to position the City of Atlanta as a global hub for commerce, innovation, education, sports, culture, and diplomacy. We welcome the opportunity to strengthen our partnerships further throughout 2020 and beyond. |
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Soccer in the Time of COVID-19 Virtual Conversation Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 9:00 AM EDT |
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Join us for a candid conversation with representatives from Atlanta United, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Clube de Regatas do Flamengo and the Atlanta Sports Council as they discuss how COVID-19 has affected the 2020 season, what the future of their respective leagues looks like, and how they are staying engaged with their fans as the world deals with this health crisis. |
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EU Consulates and EU Chambers of Commerce: Doing Business in the Southeast Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 12:00 PM EDT |
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MOIA Director, Vanessa Ibarra, will join a webinar discussion hosted by the European Consulates and European Chambers of Commerce about the lessons learned from doing business in the Southeast from the departing Consul Generals: Shane Stephens, Consul General of Ireland in Atlanta and William De Baets, Consul General of the Kingdom of Belgium. Click below to register! |
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World Trade Day 2020 Virtual Conference Friday, June 26, 2020 | 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM EDT |
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Network with global participants at our groundbreaking World Trade Day 2020 Virtual Conference on Friday June 26. Learn, interact and connect with Consuls General from strategic international markets, leading industry and IT experts, trade specialists, corporate executives, business owners, and scholars from around the world in a groundbreaking virtual conferencing platform that mirrors an in-person setting. The WTD 2020 Virtual Conference features informative panels with LIVE Q&A, a LIVE educational how-to workshop, LIVE interactive Exhibit Hall and exhibitor Booths, LIVE Networking Lounge and topic specific Video Chat Rooms, and prestigious Keynote Speakers. Participate from the convenience of your own home or office, everywhere Internet connectivity is available, and return for 30 days to view missed presentations and exhibitors or simply watch again. |
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Atlanta Institute for Diplomatic Leadership Tuesday, June 30, 2020 | Time: TBD |
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MOIA Director Vanessa Ibarra will join the Atlanta Institute for Diplomatic Leadership on a virtual workshop to discuss with high school students her role as the head of the MOIA office and the importance of international affairs and economic diplomacy. |
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Atlanta as a Global Hub — Outlook 2021 Tentatively Thursday, July 30, 2020 | Time: TBD |
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In partnership with Emory University, MOIA will be cohosting a virtual panel discussion titled “Atlanta as a Global Hub—Outlook 2021” which will connect students with local workforce development and international trends, and build upon their understanding of the linkages between campus, city, and global communities. Stay tuned for more information! |
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The Mayor's Office of International Affairs (MOIA) continues to work hard in keeping our partners and communities updated with the most recent developments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. To help you navigate, our team created a page on our website with the most recent information, services, and links that may be helpful for City of Atlanta businesses and residents impacted by COVID-19. Please follow the link below to view our page. If you have a resource that is not on our page and would like us to share the information, please email Meredith at msteinmetz-rodriguez@atlantaga.gov. |
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