Mayor's Office of International & Immigrant Affairs - Welcoming Atlanta

MOIIA is excited to launch our 2024 Year in Review! Every year, we continue positioning Atlanta as a welcoming City—a connected, inclusive community that uplifts our foreign-born population and provides an opportunity for all. To continue this vision, our office: 🌍 Welcomed 89 international delegations from 98 different countries, including the President of Kenya and the Dutch King and Queen 🤎 Hosted 91 Community Resource Events, serving over 45,900 individuals alongside 112 partners in Atlanta's communities 🗣️ Coordinated over 15,800 minutes of interpretation through our language access program, iSpeakATL 🤝 Supported 5 outbound trade missions to establish international business relations and trade opportunities ⚽ Connected sports delegations during the CONMEBOL Copa América games in Atlanta Give it a read below or at: https://lnkd.in/exk-YzpV

Happy 50th anniversary to the Atlanta-Toulouse Sister City Commission! 🇺🇲 🇫🇷 This year, we joined committee chair Weslyn Samson, as well as local and international committee members for a commemoration at Le Chateau, where our Director Paulina Guzman gave remarks on the importance of one of Atlanta's first sister cities. Mayor Jackson signed the Atlanta–Toulouse sister city agreement in 1974, inspired in part by his experience living in Toulouse while his mother pursued her doctoral studies in France. Much has changed over the past 50 years, but the bonds between Atlanta and France have only deepened, thanks in large part to the support of our vibrant diplomatic and cultural communities.    Today, you can find France woven into the fabric of our city—from cultural organizations, to public art such as the recently restored FLAG mural in Downtown Atlanta, created by renowned Toulouse-based artist Tilt. We are proud to support this partnership and are committed to building on the foundation laid over the past five decades. 

“The program is empowering immigrants to become well-informed change agents, enabling them to better support other New Americans. We aim to create a ripple effect," explains senior manager Valerie Mills notes about MOIIA's signature program, MyCity ATL. In our latest article, MOIIA Interns Naya Patel and Victoria Laureano highlight the MyCity ATL initiative, which was created to inform newly arrived immigrants and refugees about city services and resources while empowering them to actively engage in building stronger, more connected communities. Give it a read below or on our website at: https://lnkd.in/eHx3Tr6i

For the second year, MOIIA partnered with ISB Atlanta to host the Mayor’s Eid Reception, a celebration of faith, community, and solidarity. This annual gathering brings together our local Muslim community, as well as interfaith leaders, students, and City representatives, to mark the conclusion of the month of Ramadan. We were also honored to host students from North Atlanta High School, Mays High School, and the ICNA Relief USA's Shifa Clinic. Students from North Atlanta had a meet and greet session with Andre Dickens and toured City Hall prior to the program. Thank you to our incredible partners at ISB Atlanta, for another wonderful year of honoring this holy season.

Welcome to Atlanta, Consul General Roberto Quiñones! MOIIA met with the newly arrived Consul General from the Consulate of Ecuador in Atlanta for an introductory meeting to learn about the Consul's priorities and opportunities for collaboration. MOIIA's Community Navigator, Vero C., also joined the meeting to discuss her work with Atlanta's Ecuadorian community. Atlanta shares a growing relationships with Ecuador, but the nation first made its mark at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, securing its first-ever Olympic medal when Jefferson Pérez won gold in the men's 20 km walk. We are honored to continue our collaboration as we find ways to expand our partnerships and support the Ecuadorian community in our city.

It's always great to collaborate with our Canadian partners! MOIIA and Mayor Andre Dickens had the pleasure of welcoming Minister Christopher Skeete, Québec's Minister for the Economy, alongside representatives from the Québec Government Office in Atlanta and Investissement Québec as we reinforced the strong links between Atlanta, Georgia, and Québec. Atlanta and Québec share many commonalities, like thriving tech scenes and an entrepreneurial spirit. In 2023, Québec and Georgia reached $2.1 billion in annual trade, and our state was Québec’s #3 trading partner in the Southeast U.S. To add, Canada is the #1 export market for Georgia, and remains one of our top trading partners with over $13 billion in trade in 2024. Given our strong relationship, we are excited to explore new avenues of collaboration to strengthen the economic bond between Québec and the City of Atlanta.

In 2024, international students provided over $1 billion of economic impact in the state of Georgia. A majority of the hosting institutions were located right here in Atlanta, including Georgia Institute of Technology, Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia State University, and Emory University. In the United States, international students bolstered the U.S. economy by $43.8 billion during the 2023-2024 academic year and supported more than 378,000 jobs. The numbers show a clear economic impact, but more importantly, it is vital that both local students and international students are exposed to different cultures, work environments, and people.  Last week, MOIIA's Director Paulina Guzman joined the Atlanta Global Studies Center for the annual Global Studies Symposium, where she participated in a panel discussion "Leadership in Global Education," moderated by Global Atlanta's Trevor Williams. Alongside Consul General of the Netherlands, Jacob (Jaap) Veerman, Daniel Stein from Universität Siegen, and Youngju Ryu from the University of Michigan, Paulina touched on the importance of global education, the impact international students have on Atlanta, and youth initiatives at the City of Atlanta that aim to provide advancement opportunities for Atlanta's youth.

In commemoration of the 45th Anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980, Mayor Andre Dickens, Jason Carter (grandson of the late former President Jimmy Carter and Chair of the Board of Trustees at The Carter Center), and immigrant and refugee advocates came together to honor the legacy of this legislation at The Carter Center. Signed into law by late former President Jimmy Carter, the Refugee Act of 1980 codified a formal process for welcoming over 3 million new Americans from all over the world, including tens of thousands to Georgia over the last 45 years. The reception featured remarks from local leaders and the The Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies, and a panel of former refugees, who shared their experiences and gave voice to the impact of this program. Thank you CRSA Georgia, for your partnership to host such a meaningful event!

🎬 Take a glimpse into the impactful work of iSpeakATL! 🌎✨ Led by Senior Manager Valerie Mills and an incredible team, iSpeakATL is dedicated to ensuring Atlanta’s diverse communities feel heard, supported, and empowered. Their work is breaking language barriers and strengthening connections across cultures, making a real difference in the City of Atlanta.   #CityofAtlanta #CommunityImpact #LanguageAccess

It was wonderful to welcome Consul General Rosa Yanina Torres Tamares, Consul General of the Dominican Republic in Louisiana, to City of Atlanta! We are proud to be joined by representatives of the Dominican consular office in Atlanta, as well as MOIIA's Community Navigator, Anabel, as we shared our resources to determine how MOIIA can continue to serve the Dominican community in Atlanta. MOIIA's partnership with the Dominican Consulate allows us to bring the Dominican population closer by ensuring their representation at welcoming events and getting them involved in City initiatives such as our signature "Doing Business with the City" workshops. We look forward to continue our engagement and find ways to continue our collaboration.