Global New Orleans has advanced citizen diplomacy since its inception in 1944, when the U.S. Department of State first opened an iteration of this organization as a reception center in New Orleans to welcome international visitors. Prior names of this organization have included the Council for International Visitors of Greater New Orleans, and most recently the New Orleans Citizen Diplomacy Council. 

With a seven-decades long legacy of hosting international visitors on U.S. Department of State-sponsored international exchanges to South Louisiana, Global New Orleans continues to provide opportunities for our local community to learn about world cultures and celebrate the diversity that defines New Orleans.

Mission 

The mission of Global New Orleans is to foster greater cross-cultural understanding, cooperation and goodwill between the people of New Orleans and the international community through personal and professional exchange and engagement.