Fort Wayne, Ind. – Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry has been invited to participate in the Convening of Cities for Immigrant Integration Conference by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Office of Immigrant Affairs to be held Wednesday-Friday in New York.
On Thursday, Mayor Henry will be part of a panel discussion on "Ensuring Access to Services." Mayor Henry will share successes on the positive relationships that have been established with immigrant communities in Fort Wayne. Mayor Henry will also highlight how integration plans have assisted Burmese refugees who now call Fort Wayne home.
"This is a unique opportunity to share with a national audience about how Fort Wayne works together with individuals, organizations, and agencies to ensure that we're a community that welcomes diversity," said Mayor Henry.
In 2009, Fort Wayne was one of three cities nationwide selected to participate in the National League of Cities' pilot program to engage and integrate immigrants into the community. The program focused on City government, non-profit agencies serving immigrant and refugee populations, and immigrants themselves to emphasize civic engagement and working toward American citizenship.