News & Announcements

In Review: Global Ties KC Heartland Pop Up

Thank you to the Kansas City community for coming together on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 to celebrate the legacy and impact of our work at the Global Ties KC Heartland Pop Up. Hosted at…

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Kansas City Welcomes Young Leaders from Across the Americas

While we facilitate approximately 40 exchange programs a year, we have always had a soft spot in our heart for the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI). That is why we always…

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Global Ties KC Will Connect Young People Across Regions With Support From the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative

We are excited to be one of 15 institutions to receive support from the Stevens Initiative for virtual exchange programs engaging youth participants in the U.S. and Middle East and North…

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Former Ukrainian Interior Minister Spent Time in Kansas City

The helicopter crash and death of Ukraine Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky this week served as a sharp reminder of just how closely tied we are to the current war in Ukraine. You see,…

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Ukrainian Healthcare Professionals Find Support in the Kansas City Community

“Surgeries do not stop just because a missile is flying overhead.” This is a quote from a delegate who was in Kansas City the week of December 9-17, 2022 on an Open World Leadership…

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Building a Better Future for Palestine: Kansas City Welcomes Agricultural Leaders

As I sat there at the end of the table, I could not understand the enthusiastic conversation in Arabic. I was sitting in the Global Ties KC conference room, surrounded by Palestinian…

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Armenian Educators Explore Educational Technology in Kansas City on an Open World Program

“Do you know where Armenia is?” This was a common question asked by the group throughout the week, and for most, the answer was “not before I researched it this morning.” This…

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Empowering Roma Women

Estimates of the Roma population in Moldova vary widely. Only 9,000 Roma were counted in the 2014 census, while some experts have estimated the true number around 250,000. All within the…

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Open World Program Brings Romanian Educators to Kansas City

“What would you do if hundreds of refugees started knocking on your doors overnight? They don’t speak your language, and very few people in your community can communicate with…

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We’ve launched our new website!

As eminent international leaders, Global Ties KC is streamlining communication between people across the world, right in the heartland. Whether it be coffee or studying abroad, our…

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IVLP MEDIA RESPONSIBILITY IN AN AGE OF DISINFORMATION - A PROJECT FOR BRAZIL

On June 25, 2021, Global Ties KC hosted a group of six Brazilian journalists for their final IVLP session on Media Responsibility in an Age of Disinformation. The journalists joined…

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YOUTH DIPLOMATS JOINED BY KATHERINE BROWN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF GLOBAL TIES U.S.

“International affairs is essentially about relationships.” In one sentence, this is how you might sum up the core message of this past Youth Diplomats Institute Social Hour. The…

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INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK

International Education Week is November 15 – 19, 2021 and it is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education celebrating the benefits of…

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COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS BELARUS

One month ago, Global Ties KC partnered with USAID Belarus to facilitate a Community Connections Program (CCP) for teenagers interested in entrepreneurship. This program is the second of…

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KANSAS CITY TIES TO BABYN YAR, HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL IN KYIV

As news in Ukraine continues to unfold, we are keeping close eye on this weeks’ bombing of Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial site in Kyiv. Over 300,000 people have visited the Auschwitz…

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SUNFLOWERS, PEACE, AND UKRAINIANS AT YOUR TABLE

For the past 68 years, we have worked extensively with civil society and other partners in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and various post-Soviet countries. In the last decade alone, we have…

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LUNCH & LEARN

Global Ties KC recently hosted a Lunch & Learn for a community conversation about the history of World Fairs in the U.S. along with an engaging discussion about the youth…

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 SELECTED YOUTH DIPLOMATS TO VISIT WASHINGTON D.C.

The Youth Diplomats Institute experience is one of hands-on learning, networking, and curiosity. Global Ties KC works to provide future leaders in the global workforce with the…

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YOUNG LEADERS OF THE AMERICAS INITIATIVE 2022

The 2022 YLAI cohort created their own global ties through a month-long fellowship in Kansas City. Global Ties KC has facilitated the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI)…

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GASTRODIPLOMACY: THE INTERSECTION OF FOOD AND FOREIGN POLICY

What is Gastrodiplomacy?  The term “breaking bread” commonly refers to two or more people coming together to share a meal. For many, this term conjures up the image of sitting…

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THE MOTHER OF ALL ELECTIONS - STORIES FROM KC

Guyana, a South-American nation known for its rainforests, rice fields, and gold reserves, recently underwent a period of elections. Shelley McThomas, a Kansas City native and former…

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ESTONIA: THE MOST ADVANCED DIGITAL SOCIETY IN THE WORLD

Along the coast of the Baltic Sea lies a small, quaint country called Estonia. The country is blessed with beautiful landscapes, historic architecture, and a rich blend of Baltic,…

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STUDENT SOLUTIONS TO COMMUNITY ISSUES VIRTUAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND PAKISTAN

A Pakistan team’s solution to their community issue - a cultural festival. As communities around the world learn how to engage digitally, Kansas City is joining the movement and…

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GLOBAL TIES KC YOUTH DIPLOMATS PROGRAM: BRINGING YOUTH TO THE CENTER OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Students and young adults have an indispensable role in shaping tomorrow. Moreover, young people have an increasingly strong voice in shaping the world of today. Youth today are more…

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THE CRADLE OF HUMANITY: SPACE4WOMEN AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SPACE DIPLOMACY

 “The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever” - Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. These words ring true for our global community today. With all of the…

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CRAFT BREWERIES IN KC AND MEXICO LOOKING TO SAVE THE PLANET: ONE PINT AT A TIME

 At small breweries across the world, brewmasters are working to transform craft beer into an environmentally-friendly industry. On June 18th, Global Ties KC was able to join this…

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ADMINISTRATION CHANGES TO VISA POLICIES

On June 22, the White House issued a proclamation suspending some nonimmigrant visas, including certain categories of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. This means that international…

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PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH IMMERSIVE EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES

The U.S. Department of State has a long history of offering international exchange programs to professionals living abroad. Those programs allow individuals from around the world to meet…

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GLOBAL SPOKES RECAP: RACISM THROUGH THE EYES OF INTERNATIONAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP

FOR A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE LIST TO CONTRIBUTE AS AN ACTIVE ALLY, VISIT THIS LIVING GOOGLE DOCUMENT In recent weeks, conversations about racial inequality in America have been renewed…

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MISSING EXCHANGE: REFLECTING ON THE POWER OF YOUTH EXCHANGES

Each July since 2014, Kansas City has welcomed a vibrant group of high school students from Mexico with the Jóvenes en Acción (Youth in Action) Program. This program, hosted by the…

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LIVING A PEACEFUL LIFE THROUGH ADVERSITY - LIFE IN IRAQ AS A STUDENT

IYLEP 2017 in Kansas City at their Closing Celebration Last Thursday, Global Ties KC connected with former IYLEP (Iraqi Youth Leaders Exchange Program) participant Beshara Habeeb…

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UNDERSTANDING THE CONFLICT: ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI DISPUTE

The South Caucasus region houses three countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, each with a unique history, language, religion, and culture. Two of these countries, Armenia and…

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BELARUS: ELECTIONS AND CHANGE

Reflecting on his time with Global Ties KC Belarusian visitors, homestay host AJ Hoyt said he gained a “sense of their real pride in their country's heritage and distinctiveness,…

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UKRAINIAN GUESTS REVISITED

Since 1999, The Open World Program has brought over 29,000 exceptional leaders from 20+ countries to the United States. It was first started by a bipartisan Congressional measure focused…

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SLOVAKIA IN KANSAS CITY

Nestled in Central Europe between Austria, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, and the Czech Republic, you will find the landlocked country of Slovakia. With a population of roughly 5.5 million,…

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2021 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE AWARDEE VISITING KC

On March 8, Secretary of State Antony Blinken honored a group of extraordinary women with the 2021 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award. This award honors…

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EGYPTIAN DELEGATES DISCUSS CULTURE AND COMMUNITY AT NORTHEAST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Five Egyptian delegates visited the Northeast Chamber of Commerce Friday, April 12, as part of the Global Ties KC and Multi-Cultural Business Coalition Tour Week. An authentic Egyptian…

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2019 YOUTH DIPLOMATS RETREAT RECAP

ACTIVATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF GLOBAL CITIZENS Even after 65 years as a nonprofit organization in Kansas City, Global Ties KC is still launching new initiatives. This week, a Youth…

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TAJIKISTANI JOURNALISTS VISIT KC

The end of April 2019, a group of journalists from Tajikistan were in Kanas City to learn about countering disinformation and approaches in building trust between the media, government,…

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Global Ties KC Celebrate 65 Years

On May 16th, we at Global Ties KC paused from our busy days to celebrate 65 years of shaping foreign policy in Kansas City. Throughout our many years as an organization, we have been…

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THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE CRISIS

Americans had a lot on their minds in the late 1970s and the 1980s. The Cold War, the Reagan Revolution and rise of Reaganomics, and considerable shifts in popular culture (think the…

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PROVIDING SUPPORT THROUGH MUTUAL CHALLENGES

Curators, museum educators, and directors of cultural heritage ministries from across the globe recently gathered in Kansas City to discuss the importance of cultural preservation. While…

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LOOK WHO'S BACK!

In the words of one of our student exchange host moms, Laura Hales: “Our family had the opportunity to host an exchange student from Mexico this summer and it was a wonderful…

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FOOD, FELLOWSHIP, AND HATS

Through home hospitality meals, Global Ties KC programs create opportunities from around the world to connect with Americans on a very personal level. For one local host, Mary Ripka,…

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ROAD TO THE GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT

The U.S. Department of State made its presence known in the heartland last week beginning with the visit of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Kansas City. The days centered on the…

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PRESTIGIOUS WGDP DELEGATION VISITS KANSAS CITY

Overcoming Barriers to Women’s Economic Participation View PDF

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EL SALVADOR YOUTH ON DEMAND PROGRAM 2019 - HEART OF AMERICA BOY SCOUTS RECAP



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AT KANSAS CITY YOUNG AUDIENCES

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YOUTH DIPLOMATS MEET WORLD DIPLOMATS

During their first night in Kansas City these visitors had an opportunity to meet with our own wonderful diplomatic representatives in the form of our Youth Diplomats students, some of…

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2021 VIRTUAL PAN-AFRICAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM KSHB SPOTLIGHT

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GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM BHUTAN VISIT KANSAS CITY

How does a country like Bhutan, known for their Gross National Happiness (GNH), make changes to government structure and societal efficiencies without changing the very simple…