About Us
Global Ties Iowa coordinates people-to-people exchanges between international leaders and residents of eastern Iowa’s Creative Corridor.
As a member of Global Ties U.S., we collaborate with the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) to host current and emerging international leaders who work in both public and private sectors. By programming meetings between visitors and their professional peers, hosting Iowa Table dinners, and sharing the rich culture of our community, Global Ties Iowa connects the world and the heartland.
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International leaders visit eastern Iowa through the U.S. Department of State's short-term professional exchange program called International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and other government supported and fee-for-service exchanges.
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Global Ties Iowa arranges meetings and exchange activities with visitors' professional peers, organizes cultural experiences, and coordinates volunteers to assist with all phases of the exchange.
Local professionals and visiting leaders share their expertise with one another, while community volunteers (our citizen diplomats) greet, guide, and host visitors. Visiting international leaders return home with deeper understandings of the American Midwest and connections across the globe.
Our Mission & Values
We seek to strengthen our community’s commitment to and participation in cross-cultural exchanges on professional and individual levels. We believe in the inherent value of cross-cultural interactions and that people-to-people exchanges contribute to the creation of a more peaceful world for which we strive.
Through citizen diplomacy, we aim to develop international cooperation, foster mutual understanding across national borders, facilitate the creation of global professional networks, and contribute to the global cultural education of area students and community residents.
In our day-to-day and long-term decision-making, we seek to align our actions with our values. To do so, we ask: Is it globally- and community-focused? Is it inclusive? Is it reciprocal? We believe that affirmative responses support our mission and move us closer to our vision.
History
Formerly known as the Council of International Visitors to Iowa Cities (CIVIC), Global Ties Iowa was founded in the mid-1980s as a community organization dedicated to international exchange.
In 1986, Global Ties Iowa became a full member of Global Ties U.S., an organization that collaborates with the U.S. Department of State to design professional development programs for international visitors. For decades, our citizen diplomacy efforts have helped international visitors better understand the diversity of American life and culture, while also providing Iowans with opportunities to better understand the world.
In 2022, our name was updated from the Council of International Visitors to Iowa Cities (CIVIC) to Global Ties Iowa. The tagline "Building global ties locally" was updated to "Connecting the world and the heartland."