Professional Programming
WorldChicago is deepening our commitment to opening new doors for all Chicagoans through Citizen, Urban, and City Diplomacy. Our transformative programs aim to reach students and professionals from every one of our city’s 77 neighborhoods - providing them with access to hands-on experiences, international networks, and world-class leadership development. Chicago’s business ecosystem is a living laboratory for citizen diplomacy.
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Building Strong Communities: Chicago to Athens Exchange
Building Strong Communities is a cohort-based leadership exchange that moves Chicago housing sector leaders through phases of preparation, international immersion, and applied action. The program, supported by a grant from the Chicago Community Trust, is part of WorldChicago's Chicago Global Action Exchange (CGAE) framework. This program will apply CGAE's model of international peer exchange and applied leadership development to the specific challenges facing Chicago's housing sector, establishing a platform that encourages creative solutions, tackling shared challenges, and strengthening community through intentional global learning.
Dates September - November, 2026
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Entrepreneurship and Justice Impacted Communities – Chicago to Slovenia Exchange
Funded by Julian Grace Foundation, Urgent Response Funding.
Dates January, 20-25, 2026.
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Civic Voices in Action: Chicago to Vienna Exchange
Funded by Julian Grace Foundation, Urgent Response Funding.
Dates: November 26 – December 3, 2026.
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Austria to America
The Austria to America Exchange Program fosters cultural exchange, professional development, and mutual understanding between Austria and the U.S. Funded by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, the program provides Austrian students and young professionals opportunities to explore American culture, politics, and industry practices. Participants visit political institutions and communities, engage in democracy dialogues with young leaders, experts, and government officials, while strengthening their media literacy skills.
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Digital Creators - Republic of Korea
WorldChicago is pleased to have been awarded a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to implement the Digital Creators program, which brought nine social media influencers from Korea to the U.S. During their visit to Los Angeles/San Diego, Chicago, and Washington D.C./Baltimore, participants explored themes aimed at engaging Republic of Korea (ROK) digital content creators in developing insight into American values and interests.
