Upcoming International Visitors

Post by Bob Lieser, TGA Vice President of Programming

Tulsa Global Alliance will be hosting several groups of international visitors this month. Here is a preview of our upcoming guests. If you would like to get involved or are interested in hosting one or more of our visitors, please call me at 591-4750 or send me email at blieser@tulsaglobalalliance.org.

July 24 - July 25 - TGA will be hosting a delegation of 21 visitors from all over Latin America who are in the U.S. to learn about Grassroots Democracy for Young Leaders as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program, funded by the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. TGA is looking for volunteer citizen diplomats to host these visitors for dinner on either Thursday July 24 or Friday July 25. If you are interested, please call Bob Lieser at 591-4750 or send an email to blieser@tulsaglobalalliance.org.

July 26 - July 29 - As part of a new program funded by the US Department of State Office of Citizen Exchanges, TGA will be hosting two visiting teachers, one from Cameroon and one from Ecuador.

July 28 - August 14
TGA will be hosting ten visitors from Uzbekistan who are here under the auspices of the Community Connections Program, funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Visitors will be meet with representatives of real estate companies, non-profit organizations, condominium associations, and government agencies involved in U.S. housing policy to learn about "Supporting Reforms in Housing and Municipal Services". The visitors represent condominium associations, local government agencies, housing management companies and non-profit organizations involved in housing.

Tulsa Global Alliance Bridges Cultures through Awareness, Education and Opportunities. This is a perfect opportunity to interact with international visitors and offer them a personal insight into American culture. To get involved, call me at 591-4750 or send me email at blieser@tulsaglobalalliance.org.

TGA's Got A Brand New Look

You'll be noticing some changes at TGA this summer, starting with our new logo. TGA is undergoing a re-branding campaign to create a bolder, fresher look for the organization and to create an identity that directly reflects our mission: Bridging Cultures through Awareness, Education and Opportunities.

The new logo was launched at the Annual Meeting on June 16 and will be fully implemented by 2009. In addition to being well received among our TGA members, the logo has already caught the eyes of people in the community. Our Vice President of Programming reported that he received three separate queries about the organization at the airport while he was waiting for a group of Indonesian international visitors with a welcome sign displaying the new logo.

TGA would like to thank The University of Tulsa's Third Floor Designs and Chelsea Cornell who designed the logo.

Tulsa-Utsunomiya Annual Student Exchange

Thirty middle school students and three adult chaperones from Tulsa's Sister City Utsunomiya, Japan visited Tulsa March 28-April 4. This is an annual exchange that has been going on since 1995. During their visit, the Japanese students lived with local volunteer host families and attended local schools. Students are also required to participate in a day of community service. This year, students volunteered at Lee Elementary (see photo). View our photo album for more pictures of the day at Lee. More photos will be added. If you are a student, host family or voluteer and have any photos to submit, please send to the TGA Community Relations Director.

In June, Tulsa students will travel to Utsunomiya to particiapte in an exchange with Kiyohara-kita Elementary School. Lee Elementary Art Teacher Elizabeth Martin will be the delegation leader and travel to Utsunomiya with the Tulsa-area students. Trip dates are June 5-15. We are accepting applications from students who will be graduates of grades 7-12 this year. For more details: http://www.tulsaglobalalliance.org/utsunomiyaExchangeInfo.htm.

Tulsa and Utsunomiya have been Sister Cities since 1992. The Sister City program is coordinated locally by Tulsa Global Alliance. Tulsa has eight Sister Cities: San Luis Potosi, Mexico; Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Beihai, China; Tiberias, Israel; Utsunomiya, Japan; Zelenograd, Russia; Celle, Germany; and Amiens, France.

If you are participated in this year's exchange, we'd love to read your comments.

Experience the Full Flavors of Tulsa's International Community April 10

Did you know Tulsa has eight Sister Cities around the world? If you didn't, then you need to come check out Tulsa Global Alliance's annual Sister Cities Open House April 10 at 6 p.m. at Harwelden Mansion. It's free!

Come learn more about Tulsa’s global family and opportunities for you to interact with people from around the world. Whether you want to meet international visitors, participate in Sister City partnerships, make global business connections or simply learn about the cultures of the world, Tulsa Global Alliance is your international connection. Please pass this on to your family and friends. We hope you’ll join us.

Visit http://www.tulsaglobalalliance.org/ for details.

Brazilian Youth Ambassadors Visit Tulsa

Six Brazilian youth ambassadors arrived in Tulsa today!

Who are these guys and what is the Youth Ambassador Program? 25 students were selected among Brazilian public high schools through a national competition, sponsored by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Brazil. They are in the country for a two-week quick immersion in U.S. culture and society through a structured program that will offer them new lenses to see the world and themselves. Participants will learn about U.S. society and government, visit historical sites, participate in interactive and experiential activities, and attend local high schools with their host ‘brother or sister.’ The participants will begin the U.S. program in Washington, D.C.; then split up and travel to their respective hosts cities: Cleveland, Ohio; Charlotte, North Carolina; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Seattle, Washington; Bozeman, Montana; and, Tulsa Oklahoma. The national program is organized by Delphi International, a program of World Learning. Tulsa's local program was organized by Tulsa Global Alliance.

Booker T. Washington is Tulsa's host school. They'll also be vising Global Gardens, Cherokee Nation, Salvation Army Center of Hope , Youth Leadership Tulsa and Tulsa Youth Council.

Student hosts, visitors, organizations involved with this group, or others, we want to hear your stories and impressions!

TGA & Citizen Diplomacy

Hi, Welcome to Tulsa Global Alliance's blog. If you don't know us, Tulsa Global Alliance (TGA) is Tulsa's international connection. We're a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to increasing global awareness, understanding and opportunities in Northeastern Oklahoma by hosting international visitors, facilitating Sister Cities activities, promoting global education, assisting with international trade development, cooperating with international organizations and serving as a resource for area governments, businesses, educational institutions, organizations and residents.

What exactly do we do? We promote citizen diplomacy, which is the idea that every citizen has the right, even the responsibility, to help shape foreign affairs by our interactions with international guests. We have the ability to stop hate and break stereotypes one handshake, one friendship at a time. Each year, TGA hosts international visitors from around the globe. We present business seminars, a children's international festival and so much more.

We hope that you'll get to know us better and get involved! Check us out at http://tulsaglobalalliance.org/index.htm.