Mayor's Office of Trade and International Affairs

08/11/2026

We recently welcomed Australia’s new Consul General and Trade & Investment Commissioner in Houston, Stuart Rees, to our city. 🇦🇺🇺🇸

Houston and Australia share strong economic and commercial ties, with opportunities to expand trade, investment, energy, innovation, and business partnerships. Our relationship is also strengthened by Houston’s longstanding Sister City partnership with Perth, established in 1984.

Chief of International Affairs Gigi Lee and Senior Trade Officer Zeljka Momirovic met with Consul General Rees to welcome him to Houston and discuss opportunities to further strengthen economic and community ties between Houston and Australia.

08/10/2026

🎨 There is always a seat for you!

What a wonderful message behind Houston’s newest mural in the heart of Asiatown!

The Painted Bridges: Houston Mural Program brought six talented artists from Taiwan together with Houston’s own GONZO247 to create a colorful new landmark celebrating friendship, cultural exchange, and belonging.

The artists spent three weeks exploring Houston’s neighborhoods, arts, and diverse cultures—and brought those experiences to life on Bellaire Boulevard.

Houston is one of the most diverse and internationally connected cities in the world, and this mural is a beautiful reminder of how art can bring people and cultures together. 🎨🌏

08/07/2026

08/07/2026

It was a pleasure to welcome Ambassador Roberto Lazzeri Montaño of Mexico and his delegation at Houston City Hall.

Mexico is one of Houston’s most important international partners, and our strong relationship continues to create opportunities for trade, investment, and cultural exchange. We discussed the deep economic ties between Houston and Mexico and our shared commitment to strengthening collaboration in the years ahead.

Thank you to Consul General María Elena Orantes for her continued partnership and support in strengthening the relationship between Houston and Mexico.

Houston is proud to be an international city, and we look forward to continuing our longstanding friendship with Mexico.

08/04/2026

What a wonderful celebration at the 11th annual Fiesta Ko Sa Texas!

Hosted by One Philippines Texas News, the event showcased the rich culture, traditions, cuisine, music, and talent of Houston’s vibrant Filipino American community.

Houston is fortunate to have such a dynamic Filipino American community. Through its contributions to healthcare, business, education, public service, and the arts, the community continues to help make Houston one of the most international and welcoming cities in the world.

During the celebration, Gigi Lee, Chief of International Affairs, presented a proclamation on behalf of Mayor John Whitmire declaring August 1, 2026, as Fiesta Ko Sa Texas Day in the City of Houston.

Congratulations to Publisher Bhong Zausa, Ryan Tejero, and the entire One Philippines Texas News team on another outstanding celebration. Mabuhay! 🇵🇭🎉

08/03/2026

🌍⚽ Houston proved once again that soccer is a language spoken by everyone.
The city came alive for the Genuine Cup 2026 at Rice Stadium, uniting over 1,000 athletes from 53 nations to celebrate football, community, and true inclusion. Houston’s deep-rooted love for soccer provided the perfect backdrop for players with intellectual disabilities and autism to take center stage, showcase their elite skills, and capture our hearts.

On behalf of Mayor John Whitmire, Zeljka Momirovic with Mayor’s Office of Trade & International Affairs presented a City of Houston proclamation declaring August 1, 2026, as Genuine Cup Day in Houston.

From the energetic local volunteers to the roaring fans in the stands, Houston showed the world the true meaning of Southern hospitality and inclusive community spirit.

07/31/2026

Congratulations to Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President of the Houston-Karachi Sister City Association, on receiving the Sitara-e-Khidmat, one of Pakistan’s highest civilian honors, presented by the President of Pakistan in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian, civic, and community service.

Mayor John Whitmire recognized Mr. Sheikh’s dedication to the Pakistani community in Houston. Since 2011, Mr. Sheikh has helped strengthen ties between Houston and Pakistan through educational scholarships, cultural programs, and initiatives that celebrate Pakistani heritage and foster international friendship.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

07/29/2026

It was an honor to celebrate the 74th Anniversary of Egypt’s National Day last week with H.E. Cherif Mokhtar, Consul General of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and Houston’s vibrant Egyptian American community.

On behalf of Mayor John Whitmire, Chief of International Affairs Gigi Lee presented a City of Houston proclamation declaring July 23, 2026, as Egypt National Day in Houston.

As the United States and Egypt have shared more than a century of diplomatic relations, Houston is proud to continue strengthening the friendship between our communities.

07/28/2026

Today, we proudly celebrate the 205th Anniversary of Peru’s Independence and recognize 200 years of diplomatic relations between Peru and the United States.

Last week, the City of Houston was honored to join the Independence Day celebration hosted by the Consulate General of Peru in Houston. On behalf of Mayor John Whitmire, Chief of International Affairs Gigi Lee presented a City of Houston proclamation to Ambassador Fátima Trigoso Sakuma, Consul General of Peru, recognizing Peru’s independence and celebrating the enduring friendship between Peru and Houston.

Congratulations to the people of Peru on this special occasion, and thank you, Ambassador Trigoso Sakuma, for your leadership and partnership in strengthening the ties between our communities.

¡Feliz Día de la Independencia del Perú! 🇵🇪

07/22/2026

This summer, MOTIA was proud to welcome three outstanding interns through the City of Houston’s Summer Jobs Program!

Over the past several weeks, our interns had the opportunity to:
⭐ Meet Mayor John Whitmire
⭐ Attend Houston City Council sessions
⭐ Research Houston’s international partnerships
⭐ Participate in off-site events, including a speaker panel with the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to the United States

Please join us in recognizing:
🎓 Katherine Mendoza Gomez – Senior at The University of Texas at Austin, majoring in International Relations and Global Studies with a minor in Global Management.

🎓 Angel Feliciano Serhan – Senior at the University of Houston, majoring in Political Science with a minor in National Security Studies.

🎓 Bianca Pinal – Recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in International Security and Spanish and a minor in Middle Eastern Studies.

Thank you, Katherine, Angel, and Bianca, for your hard work, enthusiasm, and contributions to MOTIA this summer. We wish you all the best as you continue your academic and professional journeys!