Blog
Save the date - July 11 and 12
Save the date — July 11-12 — Diplomacy Begins Here Summit - Global Challenges: Building Locally Driven Solutions in Kalamazoo
Welcoming new board members, Jordanians (UJLEP), IVLP groups, and farewell to YLAI 2024
We are in the business of humanization and this opportunity to directly engage across difference, in our small corner of the world, is a small step that we can take to combat all forms of othering. As you will read, we have grown our board, are about to host young Jordanian leaders through UJLEP, and have many people coming to Kalamazoo from across the world with whom you can engage in Kalamazoo over the coming weeks and months.
As Spring springs, so much to share about our work in Kalamazoo
It’s been a busy and inspiring month for our team and program participants alike as we opened up with our largest ever Kalamazoo contingent attending the Global Ties U.S. National Meeting, welcomed YLAI 2024 and prepare for lots of spring activity.
Creating Connections
2024 is now well underway and so are our attempts to create connections here in Kalamazoo with people around the world. Youth Ambassadors from Brazil, journalists from Gabon, and leaders from Guinea Bissau fighting human trafficking joined us so far this year, with changemakers from Armenia, Argentina, Greece, India, Lebanon and the Philippines coming to Kalamazoo later this month
Farewell to 2023!
As we begin the new year, we hope for more peace and joy. We reflect on just how much we were able to connect and explore our shared humanity through our work here locally in 2023.
Exploring our shared humanity is what we do
We welcomed a record number of guests to Kalamazoo last month — more than 100 people from all across the world in nine distinct programs creating meaningful connections.
A fall full of engagement opportunities in Kalamazoo
So many updates! Features about our work, StoryCorps conversations to listen to, and some ten delegations from all over the world coming to Kalamazoo this fall.
Bidding farewell to Yesenia and summer, while preparing for a busy fall
Reflecting on our busy summer, saying farewell to Yesenia, and sharing fall plans.
Why visit Kalamazoo?
Human and Civil Rights • Youth Empowerment • Transboundary Water Issues • American Pluralism • Renewable Energy • Disinformation in Media • Transparency & Accountability in Government • Women in Entrepreneurship • Engagement in the Arts • Higher Education and Study Abroad • Social Services
Land Acknowledgement
At Global Ties Kalamazoo, we live and work on the land of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi. The city name Kalamazoo is anglicized from various indigenous references to its namesake river, and is located in southwestern Michigan—the Michigamme, “the place where food grows on water,” a reference to the abundant wild rice in our state. Indigenous nations of the Great Lakes region are also known as the Anishinaabe (original people) and their language is Anishinaabemowin.