WorldChicago: Citizen Diplomacy and International Exchanges from Chicago’s perspective!
Tuesday, March 14, 10:30 a.m. Social/11:00 a.m. Program
Hybrid - IWA Office & Zoom
Time: 10:30 a.m. Social, 11:00 a.m. (Sharp) Presentation with brief Q&A following
Our speaker Peggy Parfenoff is the President of WorldChicago. Peggy has been leading WorldChicago since 2001, meeting emerging leaders – young and old – from all over the world and sharing our amazing city of Chicago with them.
WorldChicago promotes collaboration between people from all over the world to advance national and global security, economic development, and social justice. WorldChicago connects Chicagoans with their international counterparts, fostering mutual understanding and personal and professional bridges that spark global dialogue and innovation.
As Chicago's official host for international visitors of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs, WorldChicago has facilitated programming for over 70,000 visitors from 190 countries since its founding in 1952. Among these programs are the International Visitor Leadership Program, Youth Leadership Exchanges, and the Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative which brings 60 entrepreneurs from Europe to Chicago for a month-long fellowship annually. In addition to its exchange programs, WorldChicago also offers cultural events, speaker programs, and community outreach activities with its partners in Chicago that promote cross-cultural understanding and engagement.
Join us to learn more about WorldChicago's humble beginnings 70 years ago, how the organization evolved and had its name changed over the years from International Hospitality Center of Chicago in the 1950s to International Visitor Center in 1967, then to WorldChicago in 2010. Find out how WorldChicago stood the test of time through its evolving programs and with the support of citizen diplomats shaping international relations one handshake at a time!
We will also hear what role our beloved founder Doe Thornburg, OBE, played during the organization's earlier years, serving as its president in 1970s, and then establishing IWA in 1978 as part of the International Visitors Center of Chicago. This history makes our current partnership for IWA's Annual International Women's Day March event over the last three years even more special, as it was initiated on March 6, 2016 by Doe with a toast to our members! We hope you join us both for IWA's March 8th IWD special event and March 14th WorldChicago program!
Refreshments: Coffee, tea, and snacks provided.
IWA Contact: Sevil Kutay sevil.kutay@gmail.com
