GlobalPittsburgh Launches 'Keep Pittsburgh Global' Campaign to Raise Awareness of Community of Practice Focused on International Engagement

GlobalPittsburgh has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of a growing movement focused on understanding and spreading the benefits of international engagement in the Pittsburgh region, as well as promoting its activities, events and programs aimed at connecting like-minded people and organizations locally and around the world.

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The new "Keep Pittsburgh Global" campaign will bring together what we call "globally-minded" people interested in embracing and expanding the region's international connections, which have been shown to provide economic and cultural benefits to the entire community. This concept is called a "community of practice."

Funded in part by Pittsburgh's Sprout Fund, the campaign is designed to bring together international newcomers, globally-minded residents and those uncertain about their position on globalization, in a series of events and activities during which they will participate in conversations and coordinated interactions resulting in a collection of documentary photos and videos for public viewing.

The Keep Pittsburgh Global campaign officially kicked off Dec. 4 at GlobalPittsburgh's First Thursdays monthly networking happy hour. Continuing into 2015, the campaign will enable participants to hear and learn from the experiences of others, including the newcomers and the local residents.

At each event, a camera/video booth will be set up to record opinions and stories of as many participants as possible. They will be asked how long they have been in Pittsburgh, what brought them here, what they like about it, and also their response to the question, “What does global engagement mean to you?”

In addition, participants will be asked to sign a pledge of support for the global community of practice, and have their picture taken holding a sign saying “Keep Pittsburgh Global,” and/or video-taped holding the sign and saying “Keep Pittsburgh Global.” Resulting photographs and videos will be placed on the GlobalPittsburgh website and social media outlets, and widely promoted. They also will be displayed at a future public Keep Pittsburgh Global event.

"The process of growing a community of practice naturally requires an ongoing process of connecting like-minded people who may not be aware of each other" said Michael Malloy, GlobalPittsburgh's Board Chair. "Connecting is at the core of GlobalPittsburgh’s mission."

Participants and supporters of the Keep Pittsburgh Global campaign are encouraged to post the banner on their social media pages using the #keepPGHglobal hashtag. A free, downloadable, printable banner is available by CLICKING HERE.

"The Keep Pittsburgh Global campaign involves activities bringing together diverse individuals from the regional community who have a passion for learning more about and connecting with cultures worldwide," Malloy said.

"Our activities naturally attract people who are globally engaged because of their work, research, area of study, curiosity, or passion for travel," he said. "Attendees frequently bring friends or colleagues who share their interests, creating a multiplier effect for the active global engagement that GlobalPittsburgh encourages. The ever-increasing number of young professionals drawn to our events will help to ensure that a global perspective is held by emerging community leaders whom we hope to retain in the region."

The campaign will bring together people – both foreign-born and local – who might not know the extent to which the community exists in the Pittsburgh region. In addition, promotion of the resulting photographs and videos on websites, blogs and via social media, as well as through public exhibitions, will serve to further grow the community by raising awareness and continuing the process of connecting like-minded people, Malloy said.

For more information about GlobalPittsburgh and the Keep Pittsburgh Global campaign, contact Thomas Buell, Jr. at 412-392-4513 or tbuell@globalpittsburgh.org.