jUNe Day 2007, in its 42nd incarnation, received a gift of fine weather and over 300 United Nations guests, who experienced the hospitality of Westport on Saturday, June 30. Here is Josh Moritz's photo album of the day. Here is another photo album by Phyllis Groner.

The celebration honored the life of Anita Houston, who passed on in 2007 and was a true force in shaping international visitor and advocacy programs in Fairfield County. She was a pillar of the International Hospitality Committee for many years. Among the speakers at the celebration were featured guest Dr. Ibrahim Gambari, special advisor to Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon; Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed; Irving Stolberg, president of the Connecticut UNA division; and Gordon Joseloff, first selectman of Westport.

As usual, the Earth Place and Westport Historical tours garnered rave reviews. The UN team won their soccer match with the Late Knights after a three-year drought, 4-2, and the golf and tennis matches were friendly yet highly competitive, the golfers noting the new challenges of the completely re-designed Longshore course. Over 30 vendors contributed food and supplies, one element of the outpouring of support for this unique day of international esprit.

Welcome to the site of the International Hospitality Committee of Fairfield County - aka the International Visitors Committee of Connecticut.  The Committee's mission is "To promote peace by fostering friendship through US based international visitor programs and to advance the goals of the United Nations and act as citizen-diplomats of the U.S. through active participation and continuing education."

IHC-FC celebrates diversity and mutual understanding through people-to-people cultural exchange, including UN and State Department-sponsored visitors. It has welcomed over 55,000 international visitors to Fairfield County since 1956 -- people of all ages, races, ethnicities, orientation, religions, family situation and socio-economic background.

The International Hospitality Committee is a chapter of the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) as well as an official council the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV). We pay dues to both of these organizations and attend their conventions at least once a year. We are also twinned with the Westminster, England chapter of the UNA. Uniquely, we are the official NGO to the UN representing US State Department visitors through the NCIV.

We hope you will join us in our mission of enhancing civil society via education, citizen diplomacy and interaction with international visitors.  

We are always looking for volunteers who wish to meet our distinguished guests. Please visit our volunteer page to register.