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Bringing the World to Kalamazoo
Bringing the World to Kalamazoo

Emerging leaders come to West Michigan to learn, teach, share, and connect.

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Connecting Kalamazoo with Global Leaders
Connecting Kalamazoo with Global Leaders

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Celebrating Citizen Diplomacy in Southwest Michigan
Celebrating Citizen Diplomacy in Southwest Michigan

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Volunteer. Partner. Support.
Volunteer. Partner. Support.

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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.

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Upcoming & Recent Programs

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IVLP Georgia: Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management
Mar 29
IVLP Georgia: Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management

Four professionals from Georgia along with two interpreters will be in Kalamazoo from March 29-April 3 to as part of the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

Goals include exploring emergency preparedness (including natural disasters, pandemics, and conflict) and coordination among federal, state, and local government and the private sector.

IVLP India: Combatting Drug Trafficking
Apr 5
IVLP India: Combatting Drug Trafficking

Five professionals from India along with an interpreter will be in Kalamazoo from April 5-7 as part of the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

Goals for the program are focused around combating drug trafficking and the opioid epidemic, both as domestic issues around supply chain control, law enforcement and the judiciary, as well their connection to international cartels and terrorist organizations.

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Youth Ambassador Program (YAP): Haiti
Nov 14
Youth Ambassador Program (YAP): Haiti

In December, we wrapped up a virtual youth exchange with Haiti focused on entrepreneurship and community impact. Youth participants are building and pitching projects they’ll implement in their home communities, and Kalamazoo professionals helped mentor and guide them.

Latin American Youth Ambassadors (LAYA)
Oct 24
Latin American Youth Ambassadors (LAYA)

We were so lucky to host 13 Latin American Youth Ambassadors (LAYA) as our final in-person exchange of the year. These incredible young leaders from Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica arrived with energy, passion, and a genuine desire to build bridges with Kalamazoo. And build they did.

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

Latest News

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Emma's goodbye to Global Ties Kalamazoo
Emma's goodbye to Global Ties Kalamazoo

“It really does feel impossible to express the gratitude I have for Global Ties Kalamazoo and the impact my last few years as Program Manager has had on me not only as a professional but as a person. This work was so much more than just a job.”

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2025 Year in Review: Welcoming the World to Kalamazoo
2025 Year in Review: Welcoming the World to Kalamazoo

2025 was a condensed season of programming—but not a small one in impact. The shorter calendar was shaped by external conditions including the government shutdown, changes to administration priorities and lost funding opportunities.

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From Bonfires to Belonging: How Kalamazoo Keeps Global Connections Burning Bright
From Bonfires to Belonging: How Kalamazoo Keeps Global Connections Burning Bright

A few winters ago, a backyard bonfire in Kalamazoo sparked hope. At Sarkozy’s Bakery, co-owner Alec Wells welcomed a cohort of international visitors from Lithuania. “That bonfire,” Alec remembers, “was the start of something much deeper.”

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