International leaders coming from all over the world want to connect and learn from people just like you in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
Be part of the exchange experience by becoming an ambassador through hosting a dinner, highlighting Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky leading expertise, or becoming a local guide. You are truly an ambassador for your city, state, nation, and world.
Hosting allows Cincinnatians to make friends and colleagues from around the world, experience different and exciting cultures, as well as hear first-hand what is happening around the world.
Take the first step and complete this volunteer application:
Ways to become an ambassador at the office, at home, and in the community as emerging leaders from around the world visit:
Become a Professional Host
Through meetings and site visits, professional exchange participants learn successes and challenges in specific industries from local professionals like you! You can be a superb resource for our visitors even if you don’t work on global projects.
Share Your Specialty
Exchange participants meet with government officials, attorneys, nonprofits, educators, and businesses from small to large. They are eager to discover how your successes and challenges have impacted this community and potentially the community at large.
Host as a professional resource and increase your visibility not only through blogging and local media outreach but within our national partner networks, Global Ties U.S. and U.S. Department of State.
It’s easy to create lasting relationships and begin collaborating across the world through professional meetings and workshops. Become a professional host and share your specialty.
Become a “Just Dinner” Host
Our community has the unique opportunity to meet international participants through hosting “just dinner.”
“Courtesy and curiosity are more important than culinary skills!” shares a devoted host, Becky Linhardt.
International guests often stay in hotels, eat at local restaurants, and explore our downtown area but do not have the opportunity to see the “real America” until going into homes of our local community.
There is no typical dinner host – just like homes around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
- Informal dinner with prestigious international visitors to talk culture, politics, art, business, & more
- Visitors first time, typically, seeing an American home
- Invite friends & colleagues – the more the merrier
- Host family pays for meal
- Host family transports visitors to and from hotel (varies with amount of visitors)
- You will receive background information, dietary restrictions, languages spoken, and any additional preferences.
- Sometimes groups are accompanied by interpreters
Become a “Just Overnight” Host
Our community has the unique opportunity to connect with international participants through hosting “just overnight.”
International guests often stay in hotels, eat at local restaurants, and explore our downtown area but do not have the opportunity to see the “real America” until going into homes of our local community.
There is no typical overnight host – just like homes around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. This is your time to showcase what you love about this community to our international guests.
- Typical length of stay is a weekend visit.
- Visitors first time, typically, seeing an American home
- Minimum of 2 guests per home (varies with each opportunity)
- Each guest needs own bed, not necessary to have own room
- Host family transports visitors to and from designated location
- You will receive background information, dietary restrictions, languages spoken, and any additional preferences.
- A staff member will conduct a short 20 minute visit to your home to meet you in person, see the accommodations, and answer any questions that you might have for us.
Become a Local Guide
Share your pride for Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky as you become an ambassador for your community by accompanying exchange participants on their daily activities such as professional meetings and cultural activities.
There is so much to do in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, exchange participants need you to share the best that there is to offer within our community. Help participants discover why Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky is a great place to work, live, and thrive.
- Provide transportation for small groups or join the group’s arranged transportation
- Act as a city guide and ride along with groups – answering questions, providing cultural context and history
Become a Member
Stay involved with World Affairs Council long after our visitors leave. Join our robust member network.
