About Us

Founded as the Hospitality Center of Greater Chicago in 1952, and founded as a 501 C3 in 1956, the International Visitors Center of Chicago, we became WorldChicago in 2010. WorldChicago visitors explore their fields of interest through meetings with our extensive network of Chicago-area citizen diplomats, who are leading voices in the public, private, nonprofit, and tech sectors. Recent exchanges have centered on topics such as green technology and climate change, public health, government accountability, combating domestic violence, and preservation of cultural heritage.

Leadership

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Our Supporters

WorldChicago would like to thank our key partners and supporters for their invaluable contributions that help us bring hundreds of international visitors and opportunities to Chicago each year.

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Annual Reports

WorldChicago’s yearly record of citizen diplomacy programs, events, and activities.

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Equity Policy

WorldChicago respects and values diverse life experiences, backgrounds, and heritages and strive to ensure that all voices are heard and is committed to modeling diversity, equity and inclusion within the international nonprofit community. The WorldChicago Equity Policy is one that helps to guide the organization in creating and maintaining an equitable workplace and programming.

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The Chicago Network

WorldChicago visitors explore their fields of interest through meetings with our extensive network of Chicago-area citizen diplomats, who are leading voices in the public, private, nonprofit, and tech sectors.

1952

Founded as the Hospitality Center of Greater Chicago in 1952, then later the International Visitors Center of Chicago, we became WorldChicago in 2010.

In an era of bluster and bombs, citizen diplomacy is a builder of bridges.

Madeline Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State

Home Hospitality

WorldChicago also organizes dinners and social outings for our visitors to engage with Chicago’s diverse, globally-minded citizens.

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20% of visitors reside with host families

Homestay hosting is often the highlight of our visitors’ time in Chicago, forging deeper connections and more meaningful cross-cultural exchange.

A Partnership with Global Ties

WorldChicago is an affiliate of Global Ties U.S., a nonprofit membership association with more than fifty years of leadership in citizen diplomacy. Together with more than ninety community partner members and the U.S. Department of State Citizen Diplomacy programs, WorldChicago helps shape international relations “one handshake at a time.”

Central Europe Russian Business Leaders 2

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