Toolkit

Thank you for celebrating Welcoming Week with us!

This year, Welcoming Week takes place September 8-17. Through events — virtual or in-person — around the world, local communities celebrate their diversity, advance inclusion, and bring people of different backgrounds around shared causes and interests.

This toolkit is intended for Welcoming America members, Welcoming Week partners, organizations, and individuals. It contains ideas, tools, resources, and guidance on participating in Welcoming Week. These recommendations are not meant to be prescriptive; communities should make Welcoming Week their own!

With Welcoming Week being a worldwide observance, we encourage global participants to check out toolkits created for communities celebrating in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

For questions regarding anything in this toolkit, contact communications@welcomingamerica.org.

Communication Tools

Logos and Visual Assets

Event Planning Guide

About Welcoming Week

Welcoming Week is an annual campaign and celebration to showcase the movement of communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Launched in 2012 by Welcoming America and its members, Welcoming Week provides individuals and communities the opportunity to proclaim welcoming values through events and local initiatives that foster mutual understanding between immigrants and non-immigrants, as well as deeper belonging for all.

Daily themes

Each day of Welcoming Week will have its own theme based on the Welcoming Standard (U.S. version) framework areas of welcoming values:

Friday, September 8: Launch day
Saturday, September 9: Civic Engagement
Sunday, September 10: Connected Communities
Monday, September 11: Economic Development
Tuesday, September 12: Education
Wednesday, September 13: Equitable Access
Thursday, September 14: Government and Community Leadership
Friday, September 15: Safe Communities
Saturday, September 16: Refugee co-sponsorship
Sunday, September 17: Citizenship Day (U.S. and Australia)

The daily themes are suggested topics to guide your messaging and activities for Welcoming Week. Participants are welcome to activate one or all themes as part of their Welcoming Week plans.

For each day, highlight examples in your community that demonstrate how a topic is fostering belonging for residents. For example:

On the first Saturday, focus on civic engagement by sharing voter registration materials and reminding your neighbors that Welcoming Week is a great time to register to vote.
On Monday, focus on economic development by promoting local immigrant refugee-owned businesses.
On Thursday, focus on government and community leadership through a Welcoming Week proclamation or highlighting how residents can get involved in welcoming newcomers after Welcoming Week ends.
On the second Saturday, focus on refugee co-sponsorship by sharing how residents in your community can accompany a refugee family on their resettlement journey.

Refugee co-sponsorship

This year, through a partnership with Refugee Welcome Collaborative, we are highlighting refugee co-sponsorship and ways to get involved during Welcoming Week.

In the U.S., Americans have the opportunity to formally partner with local refugee resettlement agencies and accompany refugee families on their resettlement journey. Co-sponsorship brings together local residents, community based organizations, and local government to empower newly arrived families. It is a great example of how to build belonging, which is what Welcoming Week is all about.

If you are in the U.S., we hope you consider promoting participation in refugee co-sponsorship as part of your Welcoming Week celebration this year.

If you are outside of the U.S., consider lifting up the opportunities in your country – like community sponsorship – where residents can accompany migrants in building belonging.

Resources on refugee co-sponsorship:

Communications Tools

Core talking points

Welcoming Week is an opportunity to share the work of welcoming places with your community and the media. These talking points can help guide your messaging and outreach.

At Its Core

Celebrated in communities around the globe, Welcoming Week is an annual campaign that connects neighbors of all backgrounds through community-informed activities and events.
Welcoming Week is an actionable, holistic strategy that provides individuals and communities the opportunity to publicly proclaim welcoming values, foster a mutual understanding between immigrants and non-immigrants, and build a deeper sense of belonging for all.

The Bigger Picture, and How Welcoming Week Fits Into It

General Messages

Welcoming Week is led by Welcoming America, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. Welcoming America believes that all people, including immigrants, are valued contributors and vital to the success of our communities and shared future.
More people than ever are on the move, displaced by climate and conflict and seeking opportunity and mobility. As this migration reshapes communities, many places are unprepared and underinvested in the work needed to create welcoming infrastructure – and they’re unsure of where to start. Welcoming Week invites communities to take the first step toward creating an environment where everyone can truly thrive. In many ways, the initiative is an opportunity for communities to cultivate the awareness and energy that’s needed to sustain year-long welcoming efforts.

Customizable Messages

We believe that being welcoming is much more than being friendly, tolerant, or peaceful. To be truly welcoming, a community needs intentional, inclusive policies, practices, and norms that enable all residents to live, thrive, and contribute fully. Welcoming Week is one of the tools that can help us achieve this vision. During Welcoming Week, we pursue equity in our community by [specific detail(s) about your Welcoming Week event(s).]
Welcoming Week poses an opportunity for communities to cultivate the awareness and energy that’s needed to sustain year-long welcoming efforts. In [Location], this looks like [specific detail(s) about your Welcoming Week event(s)].

Suggested communications timeline

One month prior: Start teasing out your Welcoming Week plans by encouraging followers to “save the date” and highlighting the hashtags on social media (#WelcomingWeek2023). Post 2-3 times per week per platform, gradually increasing the number of posts as more information for your event becomes available.

Two weeks prior: Increase the number of posts to 3-4 times per week. These should push strongly for attendee registrations, engagement on social media through hashtags, and build excitement for the event.

During Welcoming Week: Post at least once or twice per day per platform. Pre-schedule reminders for events just before their start time. Assign a staff or volunteer to live tweet from virtual and on-site events. Collect notable stories throughout the week and save them for a follow-up email campaign or blog post.

After Welcoming Week: Share success stories from your event(s), highlighting any prominent guests, notable social media moments, and metrics on attendees, views, likes, etc. Remember to thank any partners and donors by tagging them in your posts.

Social media tips

No matter your plans for Welcoming Week, they should all encourage connections. Use social media to your advantage!

In the weeks leading up to Welcoming Week, we strongly encourage hosts to create a social media engagement plan to promote your event(s), increase registration, and provide your communities additional ways to engage in the welcoming movement.

Key hashtag: #WelcomingWeek2023

Photos

Take a photo of yourself or with a few members of your team with our multilingual "I'm a Welcomer" signs. If a sign in your language is not available, download the blank version and write it in and please notify communications@welcomingamerica.org so that we can ensure there is a sign in your language for next year.

Share Your Stories

Share inspiring stories from your community where you and other welcomers are creating spaces of belonging. Highlight the stories of immigrant and refugee leaders or how immigrant and non-immigrant residents work together to improve your community.

Highlight the stories of immigrant and refugee leaders; how immigrant and non-immigrant residents work together to improve your community; or opportunities for residents to engage in welcoming work such as through refugee co-sponsorship.

If you’re sharing these on social media, remember to tag @WelcomingUSA on Twitter and Instagram, and @WelcomingAmerica on Facebook and use #WelcomingWeek2023. You can also email them to communications@welcomingamerica.org to discuss other ways to amplify them.

Connect with others

Get with other organizations in your community to combine social media efforts and further amplify your messages of welcome. Not sure who else is planning a Welcoming Week event? Join the public Facebook group for Welcoming Week planners.

2022 Welcoming KC - Facebook	City of San Jose Office of Racial Equity 2022 - Twitter	Gwinnett Co. luncheon 2022 - Facebook
City of Atlanta 2022 - Facebook	Southwest Minnesota graceful willows family photo 2022 - Facebook	Welcoming Australia 2022 - Facebook

Press Release Template

Download Word version

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September XX, 2022

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[CITY/ORGANIZATION] celebrates Welcoming Week

This week, [NAME OF MUNICIPALITY OR ORGANIZATION] celebrates Welcoming Week by [EXPLANATION OF ACTIVITY]

[INSERT QUOTE FROM ORG EXECUTIVE OR PROMINENT COMMUNITY MEMBER ON WHAT WELCOMING WEEK ACCOMPLISHES LOCALLY]

[ORG NAME] will host the following event(s) in September:

[ADD DETAILS OF EVENT – WHAT, WHERE, WHO, ETC]

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About Welcoming Week

About Welcoming America

Welcoming America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. Through the Welcoming Network, we work to change systems and culture by providing communities the roadmap they need to create welcoming policies and share new approaches to inclusion to create an environment where everyone can truly thrive. Learn more at welcomingamerica.org.

Media Contact:
[LOCAL MEDIA CONTACT INFO HERE]

Welcoming America:
communications@welcomingamerica.org

Email Outreach Templates

In the weeks leading up to Welcoming Week, the following email templates can be utilized by
Welcoming Week participants to promote events within their communities. Each email has
placeholders for you to include details about your specific event. Participants can also alter
the closings/final calls to action as needed (i.e., if a community’s event does not require an RSVP, a
participant can feel free to omit that call to action).

Logos and Visual Assets

Logos

I'm a Welcomer signs

Social media templates

The Welcoming Week templates are designed to help you promote your event and activities, add Welcoming Week branding to your content, celebrate Welcoming Week through social media, reach new audiences, and much more.

Use these templates in Canva to create and/or download unique graphics for your social media posts around Welcoming Week. A Canva account is required to edit the templates. Additionally, video scripts to be used with Instagram Reels and TikTok videos are available for you to use. Participants are also welcome to pair these scripts with their independently designed promotional videos.

Event Planning Guide

Events are the heart and soul of Welcoming Week. They build stronger communities by bringing together immigrant and non-immigrant residents, encouraging dialogue, and building connections between people who are different.

By hosting a Welcoming Week event, you are part of a growing movement of communities across the world who recognize that building welcoming communities makes us stronger.

Event Planning Guide

Best Practices and Resources to Plan Your Events

Event Examples

Below are examples of past Welcoming Week events that you can use as inspiration while creating your event:

Nonprofit example: Nashville Food Project

Community foundation example: West Central Initiative

Local government example: City of Philadelphia

Tourism board example: Visit Bentonville

Library examples: Redwood City library

Association example: American Alliance of Museums

International examples: New Zealand, Canada

Issue a Welcoming Week Proclamation or Resolution

If you are a government staffer or work closely with local or state government, consider issuing a Welcoming Week proclamation or resolution. By formalizing your community’s welcoming values, a Welcoming Week proclamation or resolution can strengthen belonging among immigrant and non-immigrant neighbors.

Sample Proclamation/Resolution | Download Word version

Welcoming Week 2023 By [THE GOVERNOR/MAYOR/COUNTY EXECUTIVE]: A Proclamation

Our [COMMUNITY’S/STATE’S] success depends on making sure that all [RESIDENTS] feel welcome here. Today, new [RESIDENTS] are a vital part of our community — bringing fresh perspectives and new ideas, starting businesses, and contributing to the vibrant diversity that we all value.

This week, we honor the spirit of unity that is bringing neighbors together across [COMMUNITY/ STATE]. During Welcoming Week, I invite all [RESIDENTS OF COMMUNITY/STATE] to join this movement of communities nationwide by renewing our commitment to our core American values and by taking action in the spirit of welcoming. By working together, we can achieve greater prosperity and make our [COMMUNITY/STATE] the kind of place where diverse people from around the world feel valued and want to put down roots.

Regardless of where we are born or what we look like, we are [RESIDENTS], united in our efforts to build a stronger [STATE/COMMUNITY]. By recognizing the contributions that we all make to create a vibrant culture and a growing economy, we make our community more prosperous and more inclusive to all who call it home.

Let us come together to build communities where every resident has the opportunity to contribute at his or her best. Let us come together to create more prosperous communities and to reaffirm that [STATE] still stands as a beacon of freedom and opportunity.

Now, therefore, I [NAME, TITLE], by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of [STATE/COMMUNITY], do hereby proclaim the week of September [DATE], 2023, Welcoming Week. I call upon the people of [STATE] to join together to build stronger communities across [STATE/COMMUNITY].

Examples of past proclamations and resolutions: