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City and community leaders cut the ribbon to symbolize the grand opening of the Global Village Welcome Center. The all-day event was attended by hundreds of people celebrating and performing.
Sydney Dauphinais“Shrink the globe and create a village” -- that’s the motto for The Indianapolis Marketplace Coalition. The nonprofit just opened a Global Village Welcome Center to do just that.
The Welcome Center is in a 56,000 square-foot building on the northwest side of the city. Flags from different countries, cultural artifacts and art pieces from around the world are on display.
Hundreds of people attended the grand opening celebration Friday. City-County Council President Vop Osili said he was proud to have a space that reflects the city’s diversity.
“Here in this community, you can hear people speaking more than 100 different languages from around the globe,” Osili said. “With neighbors practicing different religions, holding different political viewpoints, and observing different customs. The one thing they've consistently spoken up in one voice is the need for a place where everyone is welcome.”
The International Marketplace is a 2.5-mile area that hosts more than 90 businesses representing cultures from around the world.
“We have traditionally been known as the crossroads of America,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said. “As the international marketplace neighborhood continues to expand and grow, I believe we should be called the crossroads of the world.”
The Global Village Welcome Center is open six days a week, and anyone is welcome.
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