Colleagues International is the Kalamazoo region’s leading international organization, linking businesses and institutions with hundreds of rising and established leaders. We are a volunteer-based citizen diplomacy organization and part of a network of volunteers that was nominated for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.
Since its inception, more than 1,800 visitors representing more than 100 countries have been hosted in Kalamazoo.Since 1971, Colleagues International and its predecessor organization KACIP (Kalamazoo Area Council of International Programs) has been fostering and promoting citizen diplomacy – the idea that in a democracy, the individual citizen has the right, indeed the responsibility – to help shape U.S. foreign relations “one handshake at a time.”
Kalamazoo is a medium size Midwestern community. Our location in southwest Michigan allows our exchange visitors to experience “real America” with easy access to larger cities such as Chicago and Detroit. Kalamazoo is a highly diverse community – ethnically and culturally. Our schools, colleges and university offer significant multicultural programming opportunities.
Local business, media, healthcare, law enforcement, nonprofit, government and education professionals welcome our international visitors and the mutual exchange of ideas. One of a kind professional and cultural programming opportunities abound in Kalamazoo and West Michigan.
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Highlights
2011 Annual Report Now Available !
April/May Newsletter
Check out the next edition of Colleagues International bi-monthly newsletter on our Publications Page!
Membership Survey
Thank you to all who participated in the membership survey. Colleagues International appreciates your comments and we are working to implement many of the helpful suggestions you provided.
You can read a summary of the results in a brief PowerPoint presentation [ppt] or go in-depth with the Membership Report here [pdf].
Colleagues in the News
From Russia with Love read Julie Mack’s blog about hosting a Siberian visitor here
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