Diplomacy & Protocol
Providing a True Atlanta Experience
consular & Trade offices
Atlanta is home to a large thriving Consular Corps made of up more than 70 foreign governments maintaining Consular offices in the City. The primary focuses of these offices are to develop economic, commercial, scientific, educational, and cultural relations between their respective countries and the southeastern United States, and to safeguard the interests of the sending country and its citizens traveling or residing in their Consular district.
In addition to the various Consulate Generals, Atlanta is home to more than a dozen foreign trade offices. The foreign trade offices promote trade development between their respective countries and the southeast united states, particularly with the State of Georgia and the City of Atlanta.
Our office is the City of Atlanta's liaison to the diplomatic community and foreign trade offices.
bi-national chambers of commerce
Atlanta is home to more than 30 bi-national chambers of commerce. These bi-national chambers of commerce are actively involved in Atlanta’s international business community. These organizations support, promote, and enhance bilateral trade and business opportunities between their respective countries and the United States, particularly with the state of Georgia and the City of Atlanta.
Our office is the City of Atlanta's liaison to the international business community.
protocol
Every year the City of Atlanta welcomes over 100 international delegations from over 65 countries. The delegations can range from 10 to 100 people. They range from high-level diplomats to students. Topics of interest include exchanging best practices, establishing commercial/diplomatic/cultural ties, or establishing educational exchanges.
Our office provides protocol services and training to equip City departments and outside organizations with the necessary tools to welcome foreign delegates. In the protocol training, we cover cultural awareness, languages, gift exchanges, seating, and many other topics. In addition to protocol training, our office supplies country guides and breifings.
Atlanta sister cities Commission
The City of Atlanta joined the sister cities movement on June 23, 1967, when then-Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. forged Atlanta's first sister city relationship with Salzburg, Austria. In 1974, then-Mayor Maynard Jackson created the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission to oversee Atlanta's sister city efforts with its original five sister cities.
Today, the City of Atlanta fosters 17 sister-city relationships with communities across the globe. The Atlanta Sister Cities Commission has continued to expand its programming by promoting mutually beneficial cultural, educational, economic, and community development exchanges. The Commission has positioned itself to enhance its efforts through increased marketing, a charitable foundation, and increased staff support from the Mayor’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs.
To learn more about the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission and its programs, events, and meetings happening throughout the year, click the link below.
Hosting Delegations
Our office welcomes more than 100 international delegations annually from countries all around the world. Since 2013, we have welcomed more than 1,200 delegations to Atlanta from over 150 countries and territories. Atlanta’s visitors have included Kings and Queens, Princesses, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ambassadors, students, business and civic leaders, and other representatives interested in fostering and growing economic, diplomatic, cultural, and educational ties between their respective countries and our city, as well as overseeing the exchange of best practices with the City’s various departments.
