Overview

Global Ties San Francisco fosters mutual understanding between people and nations, contributing to a peaceful and more prosperous world. Our international exchange programs connect global changemakers with their local professional counterparts in support of U.S. foreign policy goals. Established in December 2013 as a division of World Trade Center Northern California and a community-based member of the Global Ties U.S. Network, Global Ties San Francisco implements the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program — the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) — in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each year, Global Ties San Francisco hosts over 700 international visitors in the Bay Area for short-term professional and diplomatic exchanges addressing key global topics like cybersecurity, technological advancement, entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, environmental protection, and trade. Through these short-term visits, current and emerging foreign leaders exchange cutting-edge information with their professional counterparts in the Bay Area, experience local culture, and cultivate lasting relationships with American citizens. In addition to arranging professional itineraries, Global Ties San Francisco secures hotel rooms, charters transportation companies, and books various cultural activities in the local community, which brings interest and income from tourism to the region. As a result of this work, Global Ties San Francisco brings nearly $1.3 million to the local economy annually.