Mayor's Office of International & Immigrant Affairs - Welcoming Atlanta

We appreciate Consul General Katherine Raeymaekers from the Consulate General of Belgium in Atlanta for joining Mayor Andre Dickens at City of Atlanta! MOIIA joined the Mayor and Consul General Raeymaekers to discuss our increased collaboration, the relaunch of the direct flights between Brussels and Atlanta, and how Belgian firms can amplify economic development opportunities in the city. We look forward to the City's further opportunities with one of Georgia's top 10 export partners and international collaborators.

It was wonderful to welcome Consul General Rosa Yanina Torres Tamares, Consul General of the Dominican Republic in Louisiana, to City of Atlanta! We are proud to be joined by representatives of the Dominican consular office in Atlanta, as well as MOIIA's Community Navigator, Anabel, as we shared our resources to determine how MOIIA can continue to serve the Dominican community in Atlanta. MOIIA's partnership with the Dominican Consulate allows us to bring the Dominican population closer by ensuring their representation at welcoming events and getting them involved in City initiatives such as our signature "Doing Business with the City" workshops. We look forward to continue our engagement and find ways to continue our collaboration.

March is #SocialWorkMonth, and we are spotlighting our fourth cohort of #SocialWork interns! ??Meet Daniela Sotelo and Elizabeth Swank! Our Social Work interns complete their field practicum for their Social Work degree throughout the duration of one academic year, earning a total of 300-600 hours, depending on their specific degree program.

Check out Global Atlanta's coverage on last month's panel titled "South Africa and Atlanta: Partnership Beyond Politics." MOIIA's Director Paulina Guzman provided opening remarks, while moderator Trevor Williams led a discussion with Mourad Dakhli, Neil Diamond (MBA), Larry Yon, II, and Lorna Maseko, who dived into opportunities for collaboration with South Africa led by the private sector. https://lnkd.in/dcDDXQgN

Ireland continues to expand in Atlanta! ???? ???? MOIIA joined our partners at the Consulate General of Ireland, Atlanta, Invest Atlanta, and IDA Ireland for the grand opening of the Enterprise Ireland offices in Atlanta as Ireland continues to expand its economic relationship with the southeast United States. Enterprise Ireland is the Irish government’s enterprise development agency, which helps Irish firms expand globally. Atlanta is the latest market for Enterprise Ireland, who currently boasts a network 11 offices in the America's. Ireland continues to be one of Georgia's top 10 importer nations, with over 130 Irish firms employing over 10,000 Georgians. Read more about the opening on Global Atlanta: https://lnkd.in/ePQvyHdC

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Atlanta! ?? Continuing our yearly tradition, MOIIA hosted the annual Father O'Reilly Ceremony at Atlanta City Hall, in partnership with our friends at the Hibernian Benevolent Society of Atlanta and the Consulate General of Ireland, Atlanta, Consul General Frank Groome and Vice Consul Nicole Sheils. Father O’Reilly was an Irish priest who saved Atlanta City Hall and Courthouse as well as a residential neighborhood and five Atlanta churches from destruction during the Civil War. Over 150 years after Father O’Reilly heroic acts, Atlanta’s relationship with Ireland has grown stronger.?Atlanta and Ireland boast strong cultural and economic ties, as evidenced by the increased commitment to bilateral trade and diplomacy.? This year, we had a special chance to honor this relationship with a visit from Irish Minister Dara Calleary, Minister for Social Protection and Rural and Community Development. MOIIA is honored to advance the growth between Atlanta and Ireland and continues to support the Irish community in our city!

This week, MOIIA helped welcome Olori Atuwatse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom in Nigeria as she visits Atlanta with a mission of discussing international trade and establishing collaboration across Georgia. She is the founder of We Elevate Africa, an organization dedicated to reshaping the narrative of the African continent enhancing collaboration within and beyond the continent to drive socio- economic advancement. Thank you to State House Representative Kim Schofield M.A., CLC for hosting us at the Georgia Capitol!

Check out ATL Channel 26 coverage of our Things Fall Apart Gallery opening and film screening! The exhibition runs through April 4, 2025 at Gallery 72, free and open to the public. Be sure to attend an exclusive screening of the film at Tara Theatre this Wednesday, March 12 at 7 pm! Tickets can be purchased at: https://lnkd.in/e_p5ZffN https://lnkd.in/eBDmBZ3t

Don't miss the chance to catch a one-night-only showing of the historic film "Things Fall Apart" at the Tara Theatre on March 12, 2025 at 7 pm. ??? This special screening is part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the premiere of the Nigerian-German-American movie “Things Fall Apart” in Atlanta. The 1974 premiere of "Things Fall Apart" in Atlanta draws direct connections to the election of Maynard Jackson in the same year, as the Nigerian co-producer, legendary filmmaker Francis Oladele, was his brother-in-law. Moreover, the premiere was directly connected to the founding of the Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs and the establishment of the Atlanta-Lagos Sister City partnership, which both celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2024. Secure your ticket at: https://lnkd.in/e_p5ZffN

We enjoyed partnering with the German Consulate General in Atlanta to welcome a delegation of members from the Bayerische Landtag, or Bavarian State Parliament, who were interested in learning more about the city's approach to civil protection/disaster control, particularly around large-scale events. City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Felipe den Brok joined us to highlight Atlanta's community-centered approach to keeping Atlantans safe during severe weather, large-scale events, and more. This was a great opportunity to showcase Atlanta's proactive emergency preparedness strategies and foster further international collaboration with our German colleagues.