The City of Atlanta joins the world in expressing our sincerest condolences over the devastating earthquake and tragic loss of over 36,000 lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Turkish and Syrian people during this challenging time. -- For the latest information and ways you can help: Embassy of The Republic of Türkiye in Washington D.C. Turkish Consulate General in Miami Ahiska Turkish Community Center of Atlanta is collecting the following items for donations: Warm clothing Hats, gloves, scarves, socks Winter boots Coats Blankets, pillows Sleeping bags Hand warmers Female Hygiene kits Diapers Baby formula Baby food and diapers Weatherproof tents Pocket warmers Thermal underwear and winter socks Over-the-counter medicines Items should be packaged in clear bags for ease of customs clearance. These items can be dropped off at Stoneage Natural Rocks Inc. at 5201 Brook Hollow Parkway, Suite C, Norcross, Ga. 30071 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Please contact Mona Diamond Sunshine, Turkish Honorary Consul General & Founder of the American Turkish Friendship Council Email: monadiamond@gmail.com; Office: (404) 355-7565; Mobile: (404) 245-9110 |
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Mayor Andre Dickens and the City of Atlanta launches "Year of the Youth" |
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Our office is excited to partner with the Mayor's Division of Youth Engagement on various #ATLYearoftheYouth programming and we look forward to ensuring ALL City of Atlanta youth thrive! -- "Since April of 2022, I’ve stated my goal is to make Atlanta the best place to raise a child in the nation. I was born and raised in Atlanta and so is my daughter. We both benefited from all of the support from the entire village. Atlanta is a group project. When we show up for the youth, we show up for Atlanta. The programming we’ve created is truly going to help all of Atlanta’s youth thrive. Whether they’re four or twenty-four, if time to invest in the future generations and put them on pathways to success that will help us Move Atlanta Forward, together. Monday, we kicked off the Year of the Youth with hundreds of nonprofits, educators, clergy, businesses, and community supporters all in attendance offering their full support to Atlanta youth this year." |
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It’s #ATLYearoftheYouth, and we hosted our 4th Annual Bike Giveaway! |
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45 children received bikes, in partnership with Free Bikes 4 Kidz Atlanta and the City of Atlanta Department of Enterprise Assets Management (DEAM).
Riding a bike benefits youth's mental health, keeps kids physically active, and promotes healthy habits.
Over the past four years, we have hosted Bike Giveaways with Free Bikes 4 Kidz Atlanta in 5 distinct neighborhoods, providing over 490 bikes to kids across the city.
Huge Thank You to our friends at DEAM for making these events possible each year. |
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ATL Channel 26 takes a look back at our 3rd annual Winter Resource Fair |
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Our 3rd annual Winter Resource Fair was hosted in coordination with the Friends of Sara J. González Memorial Park, which is spearheaded by Isabel González Whitaker, and in partnership with a number of amazing Community Partners.
In 2022, we hosted 275 Community Resource Events, benefitting over 12,000 family units in 16 different neighborhoods. Through our Community Resource Events, we are looking to empower communities by providing access to information, healthy foods, needed clothing items, and health services, and we will be ramping up entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and workforce development opportunities.
Our office is seeking partners and volunteers to continue serving our communities and providing access to resources and services - if interested, click the button below! For partnership inquiries, please reach out to welcomingatlanta@atlantaga.gov. |
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This month, we welcomed our first two delegations of the year to the City of Atlanta! |
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Our office and the City of Atlanta Department of Transportation welcomed representatives from the Bahamas Ministry of Housing and Transport and the Bahamas Consulate General in Atlanta. Thank you to ATLDOT Commissioner Solomon Caviness and Betty Smoot-Madison, ATLDOT Mobility Director, for presenting Vision Zero Atlanta. |
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We also had the pleasure of joining Urban League of Greater Atlanta and Consul General Melanie Moltmann of the German Consulate General in Atlanta in welcoming Aminata Touré, Minister of Social Affairs, Youth, Family, Senior Citizens, Integration and Equality of the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein to discuss collaboration in the areas of youth, innovation and technology and entrepreneurship. |
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City of Atlanta's Senior Technology Advisor joins roundtable discussion about the Metaverse |
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City of Atlanta's Senior Technology Advisor Donnie Beamer Jr., CFA joined Sharing Cities Alliance, Cornell Tech, and New York University's School of Professional Studies for "Metaverse and the City", a roundtable with public officials and civic leaders across the United States and the world to discuss and debate the implications of augmented reality, mixed reality and virtual reality at an urban scale.
During his remarks, Donnie mentioned that Morehouse College is one of the first educational institutions in the U.S. to offer classes in the metaverse and "provides a unique way to engage students and is a cutting-edge approach to offering education through the metaverse."
Thank you Greg Lindsay, Harmen van Sprang, and Elizabeth Haas Edersheim for facilitating the discussion and inviting the City of Atlanta to join the conversation! |
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January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Every year, millions of individuals are trafficked all around the world, including right here in the US. |
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The City of Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport commemorated National Human Trafficking Prevention Month with Mayor Andre Dickens and speaker representation across state, county, and local agencies. The press conference highlighted the importance of partnerships and collaboration in strengthening anti-trafficking actions and addressed the region about sexual exploitation, forced labor, and the planned work to prevent it | | |
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Our team attended Tapestri‘s 6th Annual Human Trafficking Forum to learn about victim identification, legal remedies for victims, and a trauma-informed response to comprehensive case management. | | |
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MOIIA joins the celebration of the 120th Korean American Day at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport |
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Our office proudly joined celebrations of the 120th Korean American Day at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport! Korean American Day honors the contributions of the Korean American community to the United States and commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants on January 13, 1903. |
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Welcoming the new Lieutenant of the Atlanta Police Department's Domestic Violence Unit |
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Our team met with the new Lieutenant of the Domestic Violence Unit of City of Atlanta Police Department. We discussed improving access to resources, such as U-visa certifications, and community outreach efforts. Thank you Lt. Hewitt for meeting with our team, and congratulations on your new role as Lieutenant of the Domestic Violence Unit. We look forward to our continued partnership to ensure all victims of DV are aware of their rights and are able to access services, regardless of their language and country of origin. |
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MyCity ATL program kicked off its first session with a workshop around Driving Rules, Violations, and Police Stops |
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MyCity ATL is a community engagement program launched by our office, structured to empower our immigrant and refugee population to directly engage with city services on topics that are important to New Americans. Once a month, over a period of six months, we meet with the Atlanta Public Schools Adult ESOL (English for Second-Language Speakers) class to talk about different topics. We believe this is a wonderful opportunity to show how the City government exists to serve all Atlantans regardless of language or country of origin. It is our hope that through this series of classes, participants are well-informed, lead change for the success of new Americans, and become ambassadors for their communities. |
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Meeting with the Consulate of France in Atlanta to discuss "French For All" |
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In celebration of International Day of Education, Vanessa Ibarra and Deputy Director Paulina Guzman met with Consul General Anne-Laure Desjonquères and David Ruffel, Cultural Attaché, of the Consulate General of France in Atlanta to discuss “French For All”, a new initiative announced by French President Emmanuel Macron to support bilingualism and access to French language instruction across the United States from kindergarten through higher education. | | |
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MOIIA highlights the work done by Edward Elliott on the importance of Sports Diplomacy |
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“One of the most innovative cities in integrating sports diplomacy into its organizational structure and its international affairs/city diplomacy work is the City of Atlanta through their Global Sports Initiative (GSI), which “aims to elevate the City of Atlanta as an international sports hub through community engagement, sports exchanges, economic development, and sports diplomacy” (Atlanta International Affairs, 2021). This is an excellent example of the kind of structures that can be set up at different levels of governance in the U.S. to carry out sports diplomacy.”
As cities prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, our office would like to highlight the work done by Edward Elliott on the importance of Sports Diplomacy, and the work being spearheaded by cities, including the City of Atlanta and particularly the Mayor's Office of International & Immigrant Affairs - Welcoming Atlanta. Sports is a vehicle to bring the world together, an opportunity to bring various cultures and backgrounds to one place. The economic impact is clear and the social/ cultural implications on a local level are why sports diplomacy is part of our focus areas.
Thank you Edward Elliott for putting this detailed report together, the University of Southern California, and Jay Wang! |
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Vanessa Ibarra joined the French American Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors' New Year's dinner to discuss 2022 success and programming for 2023. This dynamic group is focused on enhancing business opportunities among the French-American business community. The FACC is part of a network of 18 French-American Chambers in the U.S. representing more than 5,000 companies nationwide. Congratulations to Executive Director Katherine Lafourcade and Jacques J Marcotte for a successful 2022 and upcoming 2023 activities. |
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Youth Mental Health & Wellness Fair Wednesday, February 22 | 12:00 - 3:30 PM | Abbey Ridge & Seven Courts |
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Our office is hosting two Youth Mental Health and Wellness Fairs on February 22 in two Adamsville neighborhoods. This event will benefit local families and will provide youth mental health services, wellness resources, and free grocery items. Attending Community Partners will provide culturally competent services and will be available on-site to speak with attendees. All are welcome, and no documentation is required to participate. The events will begin at 12:30 PM at the Abby Ridge Apartments (3136 MLK Jr Dr SW) and at 2:00 PM at the Seven Courts Apartments (2800 MLK Jr Dr SW). |
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Doing Business with the City of Atlanta Thursday, February 23 | 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Atlanta City Hall |
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Our office, in partnership with the Department of Procurement, Invest Atlanta, and The BIG Partnership invite you to join us for "Doing Business with the City of Atlanta." This workshop will showcase how businesses and organizations can work directly with the City of Atlanta and will be centered around how organizations can bid for contracts, become vendors, and apply for business licenses. Through this program, we aim to empower minority-owned and small business owners by simplifying the process and providing a direct line of communication with City officials while fostering a more diversified supply chain of vendors. | | |
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Rising Voices Forum Wednesday, March 1 | 7:00 - 9:00 PM | The Gathering Spot |
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Meet an exciting panel of young leaders who are furthering democracy! The first-ever Rising Voices Forum will explore the critical role of young people in our democracy. This inaugural event will feature diverse perspectives from civic,
corporate, and student leaders dedicated to issues that matter most to today’s
youth. MOIIA Executive Director, Vanessa Ibarra will moderate a panel discussion with Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari, District 5 Atlanta; Representative Jasmine Clark, Georgia House of Representatives; and Janelle King, Co-founder, Speak Georgia; Panelist, Georgia Gang. | | |
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Asian American Advocacy Day Tuesday, February 28 | 7:30 - 11:00 AM | Atlanta City Hall |
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Asian American Advocacy Day is designed to be a relationship building opportunity among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs), Georgia's elected officials, and other policy stakeholders. This unique opportunity brings diverse Asian American immigrant and refugee community members together to talk with state policymakers about the issues that affect their communities most. Our morning will begin at the Atlanta City Hall, with breakfast, presentations, and an advocacy training. We will update participants on our organizations' work, important state legislation, and provide opportunities to engage with legislators. We will head to the Georgia Capitol together, take a group photo with the AAPI Legislative Caucus at the Capitol steps, and talk to elected officials at the ropes. | | |
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Latino Day at the Capitol 2023 Monday, February 27 | 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM | Georgia State Capitol |
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Latinos are one of the fastest-growing and youngest demographic groups in Georgia. In honor of their growing power and influence, we invite you to our Latino Day at the state capitol in downtown Atlanta on Monday, February 27th, 2023 from 8:30 am - 1:00 pm. This event is an excellent opportunity to learn more about our work, the legislative process and advocacy opportunities, meet your legislators, and more! | | |
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The Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta honors and celebrates Black History Month 2023 "The Power of Storytelling" |
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Each February, the U.S. marks Black History Month honoring the contributions made by persons of African descent and the values of justice, equality, and diversity. The Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta is pleased to join in the celebrations again and host two exciting events with local partner organizations. This year, we are thrilled to explore the theme of storytelling and invite you to join us for a deeper look into the rich African American literary heritage at the Georgia Writers Museum and a moderated book discussion with two women who have contributed to Black history in Switzerland with a remarkable publication. |
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Field Trip to the Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton, GA Saturday, February 18 | 10 AM - 5 PM | Georgia Writers Museum Visit the hometown of Joel Chandler Harris who compiled and adapted African American folktales (Uncle Remus stories), and Alice Walker who is known as one of the most distinguished African American writers of our time. The Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton will open its doors and take us on a guided tour offering a glimpse of the state's rich African American literary heritage.
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Book Discussion "I will be different every time: Black Women in Biel" Thursday, February 23 | 1pm-2pm | Virtual In collaboration with the Auburn Avenue Research Library, the Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta will virtually host editors Fork Burke and Myriam Diarra who, in conversation with Dr. Stephane Dunn, will discuss their latest publication I will be different every time: Black Women in Biel. They will provide an insider look into their book which explores the historical and contemporary lived experiences of Black women from the town of Biel/Bienne [Switzerland]. In addition to shedding light on this extraordinary part of the global Black diaspora, Fork Burke and Myriam Diarra will speak on the importance of storytelling and share ideas on the legacy writing process that preserves the histories of the Black diaspora for future generations. |
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