The collaboration sets the table for more U.S. communities and citizens to engage locally in global affairs.
Washington, DC, May 21, 2025 – The Washington, DC-based nonprofit Global Ties U.S. is proud to announce that the Dinner Diplomacy Program, a small grants initiative launched in 2024 with founding support from Marriott International, is expanding its impact in 2025 to connect more U.S. communities and citizens with global leaders traveling to the United States on international exchange programs.
The Dinner Diplomacy Program served 20 U.S. communities in its first year and seeded almost three dozen local activities centered on building community and relationships through shared meals with international visitors. Now in year two, the program will scale its impact by 50% to equip the Global Ties Network—75 Community-Based Member organizations across the United States that welcome more than 4,000 international exchange participants to their communities each year—to engage more people in this work.
“Global Ties U.S. is excited to continue the collaboration with Marriott International and our nationwide Network of nonprofit organizations for a second year and be able to include even more Americans in the benefits of international exchange,” said Katherine A. Brown, Ph.D., Global Ties U.S. President & CEO. “Dinner diplomacy provides an incredibly valuable way for people in this country to connect with global counterparts, furthering cross-cultural understanding, boosting local workforce development and business partnerships, and contributing to safer, stronger, and more prosperous communities right here at home.”
Marriott International is a global leader in the travel and tourism industry and works with nonprofit organizations to elevate travel as a catalyst for peace and cultural understanding.
“We are proud to work again with Global Ties U.S. and their nationwide Global Ties Network to make a positive impact on communities here in the United States and around the world through connecting people through the power of travel,” said Apoorva Gandhi, Senior Vice President, Community Engagement and Business Councils. “This public-private collaboration is a natural extension of our work to create a safe, welcoming world for all by promoting cultural immersion, workforce development, and community engagement.”
To learn more about this collaboration and see the impact of the 2024 Dinner Diplomacy Program, visit the Global Ties U.S. website.
More Information
Global Ties U.S. is the national leader for connecting people and communities in the United States with global leaders through international exchange programs. Our work advances U.S. strategic priorities abroad and boosts prosperity at home by harnessing the diplomatic potential of our country’s greatest asset: our people. Since 1961, Global Ties U.S. has partnered with the U.S. Department of State to implement the flagship International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and a wide variety of other international exchange and public diplomacy programs. We proudly lead the Global Ties Network, which comprises more than 80 nonprofit organizations that serve all 50 U.S. states and host these visitor groups in their local communities.
Marriott International (Nasdaq: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of nearly 9,500 properties across more than 30 leading brands in 144 countries and territories. Marriott operates, franchises, and licenses hotel, residential, timeshare, and other lodging properties all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy®, its highly awarded travel platform. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on X and Instagram.