Global Cleveland Welcoming Week is underway in Cleveland, Ohio, and the United Church of Christ, headquartered there, is a Bronze Sponsor of the event. Global Cleveland, founded in 2011 to advance the unity, solidarity, and collective community building among international newcomers, has a mission to “grow Northeast Ohio’s economy by welcoming and connecting international people to opportunities and fostering a more inviting community for those seeking a place to call home.”
Gwendolyn Kochur, marketing director of Global Cleveland, shared her excitement. “Welcoming Week is a chance to gather and celebrate international newcomers who call Northeast Ohio their home. It’s a time to show our international-born neighbors that we appreciate them and value the contributions they make to our lives, whether those contributions be cultural, social, or economic. Immigrants and refugees are essential to our community, and we want them to build their lives here. Welcoming Week is the chance to make that known with a week of events that bring different communities together.”
Global Cleveland Welcoming Week takes place Sept. 12 – 21.
Kochur also noted that the UCC’s support is meaningful. “The UCC has always understood our mission and goal to strengthen Northeast Ohio by welcoming our world. But they’ve done more than just understand our work, they’ve embodied it by putting values into practice. We’re proud to call UCC a Welcoming Week partner and look forward to future collaborations.”
The week’s events kicked off on Friday, Sept. 12, and run through Sunday, Sept. 21. The first event on Sept. 12 was an International Job and Resource Fair. The UCC had a table at the fair, where Lakewood Congregational UCC was on hand to share information about the church’s conversational English classes, which are offered twice a week at no cost.
. Pictured is the table from the Global Cleveland Welcome Week job fair, and Ron Petrie, member of Lakewood Congregational Church in Lakewood, Ohio.
On Thursday, Sept. 18, the UCC’s Andrew Long-Higgins, minister and team leader of Global HOPE — Humanitarian: Opportunities, Partnerships, Empowerment ministry, will take part in a panel entitled, “From Neighborhoods to Nations: The Power of Sub-National Diplomacy.”
Information about the Global Clevleand Welcoming Week panel Andrew Long-Higgins will be participating on.
Long-Higgins said the UCC’s participation is important. “Within the UCC, many of our local churches, associations and conferences have long-standing bilateral relationships with local congregations around the world and we maintain a wide network of global partnerships via Global Ministries,” he shared.
“We continue to engage in the development and maintenance of these relationships because we know the power of shared experience, the enrichment of different perspectives, and the joy of our shared humanity. At a time when the world’s divisions seem to grow deeper each hour, we know that in order to love our neighbor, we must actively seek to be neighbors of extravagant welcome.”
Pictured left to right at the Global Cleveland Trivia event: Global Cleveland President Joe Cimperman, David Lin, Craig Hoffman, and Megan Bergert.
The week includes plenty of fun family oriented events as well. An Indian Cultural Festival was held on Saturday, Sept. 13, while the next day celebrated Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month with live music and performances.
Monday evening, a Global Trivia night competition was held at Music Box Supper Club, where the UCC trivia team participated. The UCC team was comprised of Megan Bergert, UCC minister for refugee and migration services, her husband David Lin, Global HOPE program assistant Craig Hoffman, and his husband, the Rev. Allen V. Harris.
Bergert said, while the UCC team didn’t place among 20+ teams participating, it was a lot of fun. “It was a great community event, and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne attended, and shared remarks affirming his support for newcomers in the Greater Cleveland area. He encouraged a widespread welcome for immigrants to the community, which was energizing!”
A special naturalization ceremony was held the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 16.
Still to come this week is a Night in the Slovenian National Home beer garden on Friday, Sept. 19 at 5:30 p.m.
Join Global Clevleand at the Slovenian National Home if you are in Cleveland this weekend.
The entire celebration week’s schedule can be found HERE: Welcoming Week 2025 – Global Cleveland.
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