Connecting Kalamazoo to the World

Global Ties Kalamazoo Connects Southwest Michigan to people from all over the globe for cultural and professional connection, exploring our shared humanity.

What We Do

Upcoming Programs

Featured
Freedom 250: Youth in the Political Process
Jun 26
Freedom 250: Youth in the Political Process

As part of the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, a multi-regional group of professionals from Ghana, Lebanon, Mexico, Palestine, Somalia and South Africa, along with one liaison will be in Kalamazoo from June 26-July 1 to explore civic engagement and governmental roles in elections and democracy.

IYLEP (Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program)
Jul 15
IYLEP (Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program)

July 15 through 28, we'll be hosting 20 Iraqi youth and 3 adult mentors through the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP). Rescheduled from Summer 2025, we're looking for families to open their homes for overnight hosting.

IJAB/CIP German Social Worker Exchange Program
Aug 28
IJAB/CIP German Social Worker Exchange Program

This fall, two German social workers will spend September through October in Kalamazoo as part of a professional exchange. We're looking for hosts who can offer them a place to stay for two weeks to two months.

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Enriching local community with global diversity,
one relationship at a time.

Latest News

Featured
Locals, like Paul, are the heart of cultural exchange in Kalamazoo
Locals, like Paul, are the heart of cultural exchange in Kalamazoo

Many of Paul’s strongest memories started with simple questions in the car. Visitors ask about Kalamazoo; he asks about home. Someone notices a cemetery or a mural, and suddenly they are comparing customs, joking together, or talking about family.

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Go From Host to Convener
Go From Host to Convener

Exchange the Global Ties Kalamazoo way is intentional and includes working exchanges where people come together around shared questions and leave with relationships and ideas they can build on. Exchange is strategic.

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Former Kalamazoo Fellow, Miruna Ranjan, Featured in Singapore Media
Former Kalamazoo Fellow, Miruna Ranjan, Featured in Singapore Media

Global Ties Kalamazoo is grateful to call Miruna Ranjan a partner and friend in this work of citizen diplomacy. Her story—rooted in Singapore and now woven into Kalamazoo—reminds us that when people connect across borders, it changes what young people believe is possible for themselves and their communities.

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