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City of Atlanta and The Carter Center celebrates the unveiling of the “Inform Women Transform Lives Mural”

In partnership with The Carter Center, City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mayor’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, MOIA gathered for the unveiling of the “Inform Women Transform Lives Mural”, designed by Atlanta-based artist Sarah Neuburger, that highlights the transformative power of access to information for women. This gathering was also an opportunity to address the challenges and needs of women across the globe, and to reaffirm Andre Dickens and City of Atlanta commitment to supporting women and girls across the city.

“Women and girls make up one half of our great potential as we strive to be one city with one bright future” - Mayor Andre Dickens.

On March 8, 2021 The Carter Center launched the Inform Women Transform Lives campaign in 12 international cities, including City of Atlanta. The goal was to raise awareness about women’s equal right of access to public information.

“The City came up with a number of innovative ways to reach women with information about beneficial city services, and we have seen the difference that it makes.”

- Paige Alexander, CEO, Carter Center.

Through the efforts of our committed partners, we raised awareness around City of Atlanta services and programs, including gender-based violence, economic mobility, housing, health, community safety, food access, and more. Atlanta residents can gain access to services by visiting www.atlstrong.org/inform-women/ or ATL311.com, or by calling 311.

A special thank you to Laura Neuman, Director of the Rule of Law Program at The Carter Center, Paige Alexander, CEO, Carter Center, Jason Carter, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Carter Center, Camille Love, and Project Manager Sissy Weldon for your enduring commitment and support throughout the program.

Thank you to General Board of Global Ministries for hosting us in their space for the unveiling and to Ms. Ingram with Kollective Correspondence for donating the wall. Thank you to our volunteers and Welcoming Atlanta Community Navigators. And a special thank you to the Atlanta Consular Corps for supporting and spreading the word about this initiative.

Mayor Andre Dickens Joins as Co-Chair of Truman Center City & State Diplomacy Task Force

The Truman Center for National Policy announced a new Task Force on City and State Diplomacy supported by the Open Society Foundations. As Co-Chair Mayor Andre Dickens joins Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Ambassador Nina Hachigian, U.S. Representative Ted Lieu, U.S Senator Chris Murphy, and Task Force Lead and Truman Center Senior Fellow Erin Bromaghim in developing a series of recommendations to broaden diplomatic engagement across America, strengthen ties between the U.S. Department of State and U.S. city and state governments, and deepen domestic engagement on transnational issues, including: climate change, migration, and trade.

“As a global hub for innovation, commerce, technology, entertainment and so much more, Atlanta truly influences everything,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “Thank you to the Truman Center for the opportunity to serve on the Task Force on City and State Diplomacy, and for recognizing the important role cities play in shaping national and global initiatives.”

Mayor Dickens pays tribute to the victims of the Atlanta Spa Shootings and their families

Mayor Dickens joined the Atlanta Asian Justice Rally Coalition to remember the lives tragically lost during the Atlanta Spa Shootings and to raise awareness for the ongoing violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander women. 

“I am here today as a reminder that the City of Atlanta rejects hate and racism in all its forms..No one should have to fear for their safety as they go about their daily lives.”

- Mayor Dickens

Mayor Dickens meets with members of the Hispanic community leadership

With the assistance of Ohio River South and Partnership for Southern Equity Vice President for Strategy and Engagement Joel Alvarado, Mayor Dickens welcomed members of the Hispanic community leadership to discuss ways to move forward together around entrepreneurship, housing, workforce development, economic inclusion, human trafficking, community navigators, and health (among other topics). Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs-Welcoming Atlanta, Interim Director Eduardo Munoz and Community Programs Manager Holly Malerba provided an update on Welcoming Atlanta's activities, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thank you to Latin American Association CEO, Santiago Marquez; President and CEO Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Veronica Maldonado-Torres; CEO GALEO, Jerry Gonzalez; Latino Community Fund (LCF Georgia) Executive Director, Gilda (Gigi) Pedraza; Ser Familia, Inc. Executive Director, Belisa Urbina; 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. Executive Director and COO, Louis Enrique Negron; Latin American Chamber of Commerce Georgia President and CEO Alejandro Coss; Critical Point Consulting Principal, Christopher Perlera Umaña; Director of Operations at Ohio River South Diana Srivilay and Director of Business and Civic Engagement Claudia Colichon for your input and partnership.

Muchas gracias y sigamos adelante

Mayor Dickens welcomes Dean of the Consular Corps and Consul General of Mexico in Atlanta, Javier Diaz de Leon

Mayor Dickens had the pleasure of welcoming the Dean of the Consular Corps and Consul General of Mexico in Atlanta, Javier Diaz de Leon. As Mayor Dickens said, "This is a chance to change history." The City of Atlanta looks forward to working with the international community to address economic challenges and opportunities, to promote exchanges around innovation, and to ensure multilingual outreach. We look forward to engaging the Mexican community in our city.

City of Atlanta welcomes delegations from the Bahamas, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, and Uganda

Bahamas

Mayor Dickens is committed to working with the diplomatic community and strengthening global ties. At Ambassador Andrew Young's 90th Birthday celebration, Mayor Dickens welcomed to the City of Atlanta the Honorable Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the new Consul General of the Consulate of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Anthony Moss.

MOIA Director, Vanessa Ibarra, alongside Georgia Department of Economic Development International Relations Director and Chief of Protocol Nico Wijnberg; Metro Atlanta Chamber Chief Economic Development Officer David Hartnett; Invest Atlanta Director of Economic Development Noah Downer; Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau International Sales Director Brandon Barnes, and Global Atlanta Managing Editor Trevor Williams welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Chester Cooper.

Thank you to Chief Judge Asha Jackson and Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs President and CEO Jay Bailey for hosting us and kick starting the conversation with a tour. We look forward to strengthening ties between City of Atlanta and the Bahamas, particularity around economic development, entrepreneurship, and tourism.

Estonia

Vanessa welcomed Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the U.S. Kristjan Prikk to the City of Atlanta. Ambassador Prikk discuss the current state of global affairs and Estonia’s role as a digital society. Thank you to the World Affairs Council of Atlanta and Rickey Bevington for hosting us and moderating the discussion.

Germany

MOIA had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Judith Neumann, Secretary of Climate, Environmental, and Urban Affairs at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and Melanie Moltmann, German Consul General of Atlanta, to visit the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance (WAWA) Outdoor Activity Center.

Thank you to Education Director Darryl Haddock for the site tour and for sharing with us WAWA's mission. It was also a pleasure to meet representatives from Gangstas to Growers, a social enterprise focused on building worker-owned cooperatives that provide opportunities for employment, empowerment, and entrepreneurship in agriculture for at-risk and formerly incarcerated youth.Thank you Jairo H. Garcia, Dr. at Georgia Tech and Letitia Naghise of Georgia Conservation Voters Education Fund for coordinating the visit, and Sustainability Director John R. Seydel for joining us. 

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WAWA is community based non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life within the West Atlanta watershed by protecting, restoring the community’s natural resources. WAWA represents African-American neighborhoods in Northwest and Southwest Atlanta that are most inundated with environmental stressors, but are least represented at environmental decision- making tables. The center is 26 acres and focuses on educational outreach and outdoor activity in an urban setting. Their educational programs engage local youth, ranging from elementary to college age in service-learning activities. 

Learn more about WAWA: www.wawa-online.org

Ireland

The City of Atlanta is proud to celebrate our special Atlanta-Ireland friendship! To kick things off, Mayor Andre Dickens celebrated Irish culture at the 138th Atlanta St. Patrick’s Day Parade - Atlanta’s longest running event. The parade-started by the city's Hibernian Benevolent society dates back to 1858, making it one of the country's oldest. Thank you to the Irish Network of Atlanta for putting the event together and for fostering relationships between our City and Ireland.

We also had the pleasure of welcoming Minister of Justice of Ireland, Helen McEntee, to the City of Atlanta! Minister McEntee and Irish Consul General in Atlanta, Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir, met with Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman, who presented a Proclamation declaring today as Father O’Reilly Day in Atlanta.

The Minister's visit coincided with the annual tribute to Father O’Reilly, where members of the Irish community, led by the Hibernian Benevolent Society, gather at City Hall to commemorate Father O’Reilly, an Irish priest who saved Atlanta City Hall and Courthouse, residential neighborhoods and five Atlanta churches from destruction during the Civil War.

A big thank you to the Consulate General of Ireland in Atlanta and the Hibernian Benevolent Society for your continued partnership in commemorating Father O'Reilly's heroic legacy.

Uganda

Our office and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport General Manager Balram Bheodari, International Business Director Alrene Richards Barr, and Air Service Development Director Elliott Paige welcomed delegates from the Embassy Of Uganda. During the meeting, an emphasis was made on growing ties between the City of Atlanta and the continent of Africa.

“Atlanta is an iconic and rising city, since school, we know it as the home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There is a lot that binds us together and we can do even more.”- Uganda Ambassador to the United States, Mull Sebujja Katende.

Happy 90th Birthday, Ambassador Andrew Young!

To kickoff Ambassador Andrew Young’s 90th birthday celebration, Vanessa & members of the Consular Corps, including the EU Consulates, joined the peace & reconciliation walk while showing solidarity with Ukraine. As Ambassador Young said, “The City of Atlanta is one of the greatest cities in the world. We sit together, read together, we pray together which is for the benefit of all human kind not just peace for Atlanta.”

In addition, Vanessa was honored to attend Ambassador Andrew Young’s 90th birthday celebration alongside the Consulate General of Belgium in Atlanta, Eline Goovaerts, and Consulate General of the Netherlands in Atlanta, Laurens van Doeveren. Vanessa said, "It was inspiring and touching to see first hand the impact he has had not only in the City of Atlanta, the world, but among those closest to him. In awe of his many accomplishments and above everything, his commitment to doing good. He has inspired many leaders including our Mayor Andre Dickens and will continue to inspire future generations to strive for positive change. After hearing all the stories, I am also glad he did not become a dentist, although I am sure he would have been incredible in that position as well! Thank you Gaurav Kumar and congratulations on this successful celebration."

Inform Women Transform Lives

#GirlsLeadtheConversation interview with Carter Center CEO, Paige Alexander

MOIA partnered with Girls Inc of Greater Atlanta for the latest episode of their #GirlsLeadtheConversation series! Diya, Girls Inc's 2021 Strong, Smart, and Bold Scholarship winner, leads the conversation with Paige Alexander, CEO of the Carter Center about the Inform Women Transform Lives Campaign.

Enjoy the interview below! 

Video sponsored by KPMG.

MOIA welcomes new members of the Consular Corps to Atlanta

GLOW Cultural Celebration with Girls Inc.

MOIA partnered with Girls Inc., an organization focused on the development of young girls through mentorship, programming, and education to inspire young women to be Strong, Smart, and Bold. Each month, Girls Inc. organizes a workshop as part of their GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Series, featuring monthly themed workshops and field trips.

On Saturday, we organized the GLOW Cultural Celebration event for an international day of learning new cultures, interactive activities and fun! The girls experienced jewelry-making of the ancient Andean Mochica civilization led by artist and Latino community leader Marietta D. Murton. There was also a “station” dedicated to Capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts and dance led by Dandhara Da Silva at Capoeira Maculele Decatur. Lastly, we had a station dedicated to international board/card games like Mancala and Mao! We ended the day with delicious food from Buenos Días Café Ken Katz and #Brazilian Bakery Cafe.

Thank you to Tiffany Collie-Bailey Kisha Marshall, Lea Nelson, and the Girls Inc. team for partnering with us on this incredible program.

MOIA celebrates the launch of International Focus Magazine

Vanessa joined Ambassador Andrew Young, Honorary Consul General of Liberia Cynthia Blandford and John Woodward of the Metro Atlanta Chamber for the launch of International Focus Magazine. Vanessa provided remarks on behalf of the city of Atlanta, "The launch of International Focus Magazine is testament to our shared vision to position Atlanta globally, and as I spent some time looking through the pages of the magazine, I was reminded of what makes Atlanta unique and why the world is taking notice". Ms. Blandford is the CFO and Publisher for iF Magazine. You can view the latest issue here.

"Barkcloth to the Roots" installation at the African Textile Museum

MOIA attended "Barkcloth to the Roots" as Uganda made their official and first of its kind installation of Bark cloth at the African Textile Museum. We enjoyed this event alongside Embassy of Uganda in Washington, DC representatives and Ambassador Mull Sebujja Katende. Bark cloth has been manufactured in Uganda for centuries and is Uganda’s sole representative on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

Official opening of GACC South's new office

Vanessa joined the President and CEO of GACC South - German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S., Inc. Matthias Hoffmann; the GACC South Founder, Dr. Eike Jordan; Consul General Melanie Moltmann, German Consulate General in Atlanta, and Vice President of Global Commerce at Metro Atlanta Chamber John W. Woodward for the official opening of their new office at Atlantic Station. The City of Atlanta and GACC South have had a relationship since their establishment in our city in 1978, a relationship that has grown throughout the years.

Did you know, in terms of facilities in Georgia, Germany is #2? In terms of employment, Germany is #2, and that Georgia exports have increased by 567 percent in the last 20 years? Congratulations to the team, the board, the members, and the German community!

City of Kennesaw establishes a Sister Cities Commission

The City of Kennesaw recently established a Sister Cities Commission that will identify new sister city relationships! Our Deputy Director Paulina had the opportunity of joining new members to discuss the legacy and history of City of Atlanta sister cities, and the value of international partnerships.

Women Export University

Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 8:00 AM-4:30 PM

UPS World Headquarters

Join the Women Export University program, a one day hybrid event powered by UPS and the City of Atlanta's Mayor's Office of International Affairs set to equip female entrepreneurs with the necessary resources and tools to compete in international trade. Come learn about e-commerce, marketing, federal, state, and local resources.

Only 100 spots available!

**This program is fully-funded and requires no cost to participate.**

Can't join us in person? Join virtually! Register by clicking the "register now" button below and join us on the Women in the Workplace Platform. Please be sure to input your full name, email, zip code on the Women in the Workplace Platform, select the entrepreneurship topic and see you there!

Want to learn more about the Women Export University Program and our previous cohort? Click here

39th International Consular Ball

September 17, 2022 | 6:00 PM | Flourish Atlanta

MOIA and Georgia Council for International Visitors will host the 39th Annual International Consular Corps Ball on Saturday, Sep 17, 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM EST at Flourish Atlanta, stay tuned for more info and please visit our website for announcements. Chaired by Vanessa Ibarra, MOIA Director, the theme of the 2022 International Consular Ball is Lights Camera Action: Atlanta Showtime, celebrating Atlanta’s prominence in film and entertainment. 

Let's show the world why the City of Atlanta influences everything!