Hosting

hostTravel the world without leaving the state by inviting international visitors to your home or workplace. Get to know distinguished international visitors traveling to Georgia at the invitation of the U.S. Department of State and other agencies. GCIV offers Georgians the chance to meet these visitors on both a personal and professional level.

Dinner hospitality gives Georgians the chance to meet and get to know distinguished international delegates on a personal level by inviting them to their home for dinner and enables visitors to teach hosts about their home countries, have a meal in an American home and participate in lively after-dinner discussions. Imagine inviting France’s Nicolas Sarkozy, Mexico’s Felipe Calerdon or the recently-elected prime minister of Ireland, Enda Kenny, over for dinner and fascinating conversation. Dinner hospitality is one of the most requested activities by our international exchange participants and often the highlight of their program. This invaluable experience has also led to lasting friendships and reciprocal invitations abroad. GCIV has ongoing home hospitality opportunities announced in the monthly GCIV e-newsletter. Consider co-hosting with a neighbor, friend or other GCIV member to split the driving and cooking duties and introduce other Georgians to GCIV! Since the International Visitor Leadership Program’s inception in 1940, over 320 current and former chiefs of state and heads of government from around the world have met and exchanged conversation over dinner with people just like you.

Professional meetings provide a forum for an exchange of ideas and sharing of best practices between leaders from around the world and their counterparts in Georgia. This valuable experience has often led to collaboration with colleagues abroad.

“We have been really amazed at how connected you can become in conversation with people who barely speak blEnglish. You don’t have to have something significant to discuss, just ask about their families, jobs and lives and you could talk all night. People ought to realize that you do not need to have a showplace and a chef-quality meal at all. Keep it casual, simple, warm and people just want to be open and talk and talk. We now have email ‘pals’ and are really enjoying this whole concept. What a life-enriching and really fun thing to do!”
–GCIV Member Bethany Lane

vvdh“I truly want to thank GCIV for allowing me the pleasure of meeting and entertaining these wonderful people. It’s an experience I will never forget.”
–GCIV Member Vicki Van Der Hoek

Contact Emily O’Harris at emily@gciv.org for more information on how to get involved in professional programs or dinner hospitality.