On June 14, a special diplomatic reception was held in Paradise Valley by Global Ties Arizona to welcome six foreign visiting mayors from Argentina, Botswana, Gambia, Italy, Kosovo and South Africa to the greater Phoenix area.

Along with the mayors, the reception was attended by community leaders and members, including Town of Paradise Valley mayor Jerry Bien-Willner and vice-mayor Anna Thomasson, according to a press release. 

The reception was held at the home of Paradise Valley residents, Richard and Mary-Jeanne Fincher of Raintree Ranch.

The foreign dignitaries in attendance included:

• Mayor Bettina Romero, Municipal city of Salta, Argentina
• Mayor Olga Ditsie, Jwaneng Town Council, Botswana
• Mayor Roheyatou Lowe, Banjul City, Gambia
• Mayor Ciro Buonajuto, Comune of Ercolano, Italy
• Mayor Ardian Gjini, Municipality of Gjakova, Republic of Kosovo
• Mayor Christopher Pappas, uMngeni Municipality, South Africa

The international mayors’ visit to Arizona came as part of a special initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program: Summit for Democracy, the release stated.

The Summit for Democracy is a partnership between the U.S. Department of State, USAID and the National Security Council’s Democratic Directorate, bringing together U.S. and foreign mayors and municipal leaders to facilitate reform commitments to advance democratic practices, combat corruption, and protect human rights.

Global Ties Arizona, a local non-profit, is the implementing organization of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) for central and northern Arizona. 

For more than sixty years, Global Ties Arizona has brought thousands of international leaders, selected by U.S. Embassies around the world, to Arizona to participate in short-term visits to cultivate lasting relationships with their Arizona counterparts and to support U.S. public diplomacy efforts with other nations.

More than 200,000 international visitors have engaged with Americans through the IVLP, including more than 500 current or former chiefs of state or heads of government, according to the release.

For further information concerning Global Ties Arizona or to attend a future diplomatic reception, contact executive director Kristin Allen at kristin@globaltiesarizona.org.