BACKGROUNDER ON GO GLOBAL CLEVELAND

Go Global Cleveland is a research, advocacy, and outreach
initiative designed to promote greater regional understanding of the importance
that internationals play in local economic development, and the need for NE
Ohio to be a welcoming destination for immigrant entrepreneurs, international technology talent, and foreign
direct investment.

The biggest obstacle to internationalizing NE Ohio is a
pervasive reluctance to adopt a GLOBAL OUTLOOK to our business patterns, city
planning, lifestyle, etc. Additionally,
a philosophical shift is needed to move away from a wide belief that immigrants
(or “outsiders�) compete for scarce resources and deprive locals of
opportunity, and rather, move toward an abundance theory of economics where all
ships rise by cross-cultural business alliances and global connectivity.

Go Global Cleveland works to identify ways to leverage NE
Ohio’s rich but fragmented international assets and to provide the “social
glue� to help immigrant communities develop cross-cultural alliances with other
immigrant and minority groups; foster coordinated civic, business, and economic
development leadership within immigrant communities; and help inspire NE Ohio
to embrace its international communities, not only for their rich cultural
beauty, but because of an economic imperative. Read more about our background at the attachment below: