Advisory Commission on International Relationships

08/17/2022

We are counting down the days until our !

This event will showcase the cultural diversity in our community and would not be possible without our generous sponsors.

A BIG thank you to; .pub, , .beverage, Kelly Connect,
Advisory Commission on International Relationships, , Hub International, , , , Advantage Insurance Agency, D.A. Davidson Companies, , National Exchange Club, , , , , Cornerstone Appraisal Services, Homestar, , , , , , , , Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee, , and

We are so appreciative of the community support for this event and look forward to seeing you August 18th!

08/17/2022

Our upcoming Montana Multi Cultural Fair will be an experience of entertainment, performances, and delicious ethnic foods.

You’ll be entertained with Native American Pow-Wow performances by Montana Little Shell Chippewa Tribe, Guam CHamoru dancers, Scottish bagpipers, Latino dancers, German beer-stein hold contest, and more!

Travel the world with a purchase of a food passport for $5 each to tantalize your pallet with a variety of ethnic food samples to try.

Enjoy beer & wine in our beer garden, food trucks, music, and crafts.

**We suggest CASH ONLY at this event, with ID’s checked at the designated beer garden area.**

We have so much in store for you and can’t wait for you and your family to experience this event!

Keep following as more details are shared!

07/02/2020

Drive-Through Naturalizations Make New U.S. Citizens In The COVID-19 Era

Drive-Through Naturalizations Make New U.S. Citizens In The COVID-19 Era

After months of not naturalizing new U.S. citizens due to the coronavirus shutdown, immigration officials have begun offering drive-through naturalization ceremonies that take just a few minutes.

06/26/2020

Photos from Advisory Commission on International Relationships's post

04/23/2020

🇺🇸🇬🇧🇸🇪🇹🇿🇸🇩🇵🇸🇳🇷🇳🇴

Unfortunately, we’ve had to postpone our second annual International Fair due to the public health crisis, but we are greatly looking forward to next year’s event. A big thank you to all of the Foothills students who spent hours preparing for the fair prior to their remote learning transition.

04/23/2020

Five appointed to city commissions on international relations, historic preservation

“Lana Kadoshnikov, Charity Jacobson and Anna Schendel were reappointed to three-year terms to the Advisory Commission on International Relationships.

Responding to rapid changes in communications technology, a global marketplace and political changes, the city created the commission in 2000 to provide support, coordination and exchange of information for international programs in the community.”

The City Commission OK'd five appointments to the Advisory Commission on International Relationships and Historic Preservation Advisory Commission.

03/17/2020

The Great Falls Ice Breaker Road Race is Rescheduled for October 4

06/15/2019

Today we say farewell to our 13th Open World delegation, visiting from Ukraine with the focus of Regional Economic Development. What an outstanding group of young professionals! We wish our new friends the best of luck in their future pursuits and endeavors.

04/29/2019

Hosting news: ACIR will be hosting a group of young professionals from Ukraine, June 7-15, 2019. Their focus will be Regional Economic Development. We are still in need of one host family. If you or someone you know would be interested in this opportunity, please send us a private message!

04/27/2019

HIBIKIYA WEATHER UPDATE: The free community concert is still happening, but will be inside the mall foyer (next to Bed, Bath & Beyond), due to inclement weather. Come join us!!!!!!

04/24/2019

They are back! ACIR is proud to welcome the popular Japanese drumming troupe, "Hibikya" back to Great Falls in honor of the 40th Annual Ice Breaker Road Race.

We hope you'll not only join us for the race on Sunday, but also come over to our FREE community concert, courtesy of Hibikiya and the Lethbridge Twinning Society, held on Saturday, April 27, 2019, in the Holiday Village Mall Parking Lot.

Hope to see you there!

For more information on Hibikiya and the Lethbridge Twinning Society, please visit the following websites:

http://www.lethbridgetwinningsociety.com/

http://hibikiya.ca/

04/11/2019

Thank you to all who helped make the International Day Festival at Foothills a success!

11 countries were represented in music, dance, and costume presentations, including: Italy, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Spain, Mexico, Russia, Japan, South Korea, France, and America.

13 countries were represented with food, to include most of the above, plus Germany and Denmark.

16 different countries were represented in student presentations, including: Guatemala, Honduras, Spain, Germany, Venezuela, Croatia, Bolivia, Peru, Cuba, Panama, Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.

116 students participated in this fun and educational community event!

04/10/2019

Here are a few photographs from today's International Day Festival at Foothills Community Christian School! An absolutely wonderful display of culture through music, dance, and food from around the world. So many countries represented through a variety of sensory experiences. Bullfighting, the tango, Russian dancing, baklava, and more!

04/04/2019

Did you know one of our favorite activities is welcoming newly naturalized citizens to the United States and the State of Montana?

Witnessing a U.S. Immigration Naturalization Ceremony can be a beautiful and powerful experience, as seen in this photo of ninety-seven-year-old Mercedes Rosa Ruiz Mejia from Nicaragua taking the oath of citizenship during a naturalization ceremony in Los Angeles on April 16, 2013.

Naturalization ceremonies are held approximately 2 times per year at the Missouri River Federal Courthouse in Great Falls, where ACIR has the opportunity to welcome new citizens and congratulate them on their accomplishments. For more information on community events and joining ACIR, please send us a private message.

04/04/2019

We are excited to partner with Foothills Community Christian School for their inaugural International Festival! Students will be exploring sights, sounds, taste and history from around the world. If you'd like more information regarding the International Festival, please call Kerri Koteskey at 452-5276.

Yesterday afternoon, Head of School David Culpepper and Spanish teacher Ana Micheli were blessed to accept a donation from the Advisory Commission on International Relationships! ACIR Board Member and Foothills parent Charity Jacobson presented the check. Donated funds will assist with the purchase of world flags, decor, costumes and food items for our International Festival. Thank you ACIR!

Please plan to attend our inaugural event next Wednesday, April 10 at 11:50am. The event is a recognition of God's creation of the diversity among peoples and will celebrate world cultures through music, dance and food.

01/21/2019

Interested in being part of the support, coordination, and exchange of information for international programs in our community? Think about coming to an ACIR meeting!

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, at 7 PM, in the Rainbow Room of the Civic Center. The public is welcome.

11/28/2018

Here is a recent post by the Open World delegation (via the U.S. Embassy page) who recently traveled to Montana from Belarus, about their trip. # Great Falls College MSU

11/17/2018

Farewell to our 2018 delegation from Belarus! We had a great time learning about alternative energy and energy security. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make our hosting possible, especially our host families! We would also like to express our gratitude to City Commissioner Bill Bronson, for sharing about his time in Russia and Belarus.

11/15/2018

Giving the world good energy: Belarus leaders and Montana share alternative energy uses

Giving the world good energy: Belarus leaders and Montana share alternative energy uses

Belarus leaders have traveled to Great Falls to share their knowledge of alternative energy, their culture and their experience in Montana

11/15/2018

Belarus delegation visits Montana for renewable energy solutions

Belarus delegation visits Montana for renewable energy solutions

An eastern European country about the size of Idaho is turning to Montana for renewable energy solutions.

11/15/2018

Our new friends are having a fun evening with the Harlem Globetrotters!

11/09/2018

A warm welcome to our 2018 delegation from Belarus!

06/26/2018

A BIG thanks to all of the folks who came down to Mighty Mo Brewing Company to support ACIR last night! We had a great turnout for Raise-A-Pint night. We want to extend a special thank you to BEEF N BONE Steakhouse, Saibeen's Kitchen. Authentic East Indian and East African Cuisine., Aizada Imports and Maurer Fireworks, for their donation of silent auction items. We couldn't have done it without you!

06/22/2018

A warm welcome on behalf of ACIR to the 25 new citizens (from 18 countries) who took their Oaths of Citizenship and were naturalized before Hon. Robert Holter in U.S. District Court yesterday.

ACIR would also like to extend thanks to the Daughters of the American Revolution for the wonderful reception.

01/15/2018

Just a reminder:

The City of Great Falls will again be conducting a training session for all members of Boards and Commissions who are appointed by the City Commission and for elected Neighborhood Council members. Training will be held on January 22 and 23, 2018 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Please plan on attending one of the sessions. Light refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP to Krista Artis at 455-8450 or [email protected] by Friday January 12, 2018.

12/18/2017

Happy holidays on behalf of ACIR. Just a reminder, our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 16, 2018, at 7 PM, in the Rainbow Room of the Civic Center. We’ll be talking about western art! The public is welcome.

11/27/2017

Just a reminder, this month's meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, November 28, 2017, at 7 PM, and will be held in the Rainbow Room of the Civic Center. Our focus will be City of Great Falls advisory board policies and procedures, with special guest presenters City Attorney Sara Sexe and City Clerk Lisa Kunz. The public is welcome.

11/09/2017

We had such a wonderful time with our group of young professionals from Armenia. If you are interested in hearing more about ACIR and what we do, come and join us at our next meeting! This month's meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 28, 2017, at 7 PM, and will be held in the Rainbow Room of the Civic Center. Our focus will be City of Great Falls advisory board policies and procedures, with special guest presenters City Attorney Sara Sexe and City Clerk Lisa Kunz.

11/03/2017

Open World Hosting, Day 7 - Presentation by Hank Branom of the Federal Defenders of Montana, followed by a tour of the Missouri River Federal Courthouse.

11/03/2017

Open World Hosting, Day 5 - Highlights from Freedom of Information Forum at Sletten Cancer Institute.

11/02/2017

Open World Hosting, Day 4 - Meetings with staff of Senator Jon Tester, Senator Steve Daines, and Representative Greg Gianforte, presentation with the Great Falls Rotary Club, and Tour of the Charlie Russell Museum.

11/02/2017

Day 3 Continued - Tour of the Capital and meetings with Montana Attorney General, Tim Fox, attorney Mike Meloy, and Montana Commissioner on Political Practices, Jeff Mangan.

11/02/2017

Day 3, Continued. - We had a great discussion with Edwin Bender, ED of National Institute of Money and Politics.

11/02/2017

Open World Hosting, Day 3 - Our Armenian guests visited Helena, MT on Monday, October 30th. The day's theme was Transparency in Government, Montana Freedom of Information. First stop was Carroll College, where they visited with Sasha Fendrick, ED for WorldMontana.

10/30/2017

2017 Open World Hosting - Days 1 & 2