250 years of Independence: We honor America for the opportunity to come here and grow

We begin with gratitude

We honor America for the opportunity to come here and grow.

• Opportunity – America opened its doors to those seeking hope, freedom, and possibility.

This is not only a statement of gratitude, but a recognition of the nation’s promise — a land where dreams can take root and flourish.

• Growth – Immigrants transformed challenges into achievements, building lives, families, and communities.

• Contribution – Success is shared back with the nation through innovation, leadership, and service.

• Gratitude – We stand together to say “Thank You, America” for welcoming us and allowing us to thrive.

Honoring America means honoring the values of resilience, diversity, and unity that make this nation strong.

We begin with gratitude.

The United States of America, celebrating 250 years of independence in 2026, stands as a beacon of resilience, opportunity, and shared destiny. For millions, it has been a land of promise — a place where dreams can be nurtured, where voices once silenced can find expression, and where new generations can build upon the legacy of those who came before.

For Dr. Jean Narcisse Djaha, an immigrant who has benefited from the opportunities this nation provides, gratitude is not passive. It is active, transformative, and rooted in responsibility. Gratitude becomes a call to action: to strengthen the foundations of America at home so that it may stand taller, stronger, and more competitive in the world.

From gratitude comes responsibility

The Global Greater Washington International Relations Committee in 2025 was born from this conviction. It is not simply an organization; it is a movement. A political, economic, and social development initiative that recognizes that America’s strength abroad begins with its unity at home. A movement that believes the Global Greater Washington region — one of the nation’s most competitive region — can serve as the epicenter of international collaboration, diplomacy, and innovation.

Our committee is dedicated to building bridges across communities, institutions, and nations. We see America’s 250th anniversary not as a culmination, but as a new beginning — a moment to recommit to the values of pluralism, shared agency, and collective destiny.

Our Mission is clear:

To fortify unity at home by fostering dialogue across diverse communities, ensuring that every voice contributes to the national chorus.

Expand Global Competitiveness

Expand regional and global competitiveness by cultivating partnerships in diplomacy, innovation, education, and cultural exchange.

Position the Global Greater Washington region in International Relations

Position the Global Greater Washington region as a hub of international collaboration, where local leadership meets global vision, and where we become a laboratory forprosperity, and innovation.

Celebrate pluralism and shared agency as the cornerstone of America’s next chapter, where diversity is not a challenge but a strength.

Celebrate Pluralism and Shared Agency

Our vision reaches beyond borders

We believe that America’s next 250 years must be defined not only by independence, but by local interdependence. In a world of shared challenges — domestic challenges, technological disruption, migration, inequality — no nation can thrive alone.

The Global Greater Washington International Relations Committee seeks to ensure that America leads not through isolation, but through collaboration at home; not through separation at home, but through partnership; not through division, but through unity at home.

Our story is America’s story

It is the story of a nation that welcomes new voices, honors its heritage, and embraces its role in shaping a world of peace, prosperity, and shared opportunity. It is the story of an immigrant who, in finding belonging, chooses to give back.

It is the story of communities who, in celebrating diversity, discover strength. It is the story of institutions who, in embracing innovation, secure the future.

A Shared Destiny

This founding story is not limited by borders. It is a narrative that connects Global Greater Washington to Abidjan, New York to Dakar, Chicago to Johannesburg. It is a story of interdependence — where America’s strength is enriched by the creativity, resilience, and heritage of American diaspora communities.

Together, we write a new chapter: one where independence is honored, but interdependence at home defines the future.

Our call to action

We invite leaders, citizens, and partners — local and global — to join us in this journey. Together, we can ensure that America’s legacy is not only preserved but renewed. Together, we can build a nation stronger at home, respected abroad, and ready to lead in a century defined by shared challenges and shared hopes.