By Lisa Bain, Senior Director, U.S. Programs
This year, the FIFA World Cup is in the United States and, for a nation that does not have a deeply rooted soccer culture, it is highlighting a simple but powerful truth: Across teams, languages, and cultures, people find joy in global connection.
If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ve likely seen the revelry unfold. Visitors to the United States are delighting in unexpected foods, customs, and everyday conveniences, from ice machines to Tex-Mex. At the same time, communities across the U.S. are embracing global visitors with warmth and enthusiasm. Towns that had never heard of certain countries are suddenly flying their flags, learning their national anthems, and welcoming fans and players like neighbors. What started as a competition for a universal title has become a celebration of shared humanity.
At Global Communities, we’ve spent more than 70 years witnessing this same instinct play out in places far beyond the world of sports. Our name is not incidental. Whether strengthening health systems, responding to humanitarian crises, expanding economic opportunity, or supporting more resilient food systems, we’ve seen people choose connection over division because lasting progress doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when people cross boundaries, exchange ideas, and create something better together.
That belief shapes how we operate every day. Just as every team brings its own style of play, every community we work with brings its own history, strengths, and aspirations. Our commitment is to listen first, earn trust, and collaborate. Across more than 50 countries, every project and partnership has reinforced that the exchange goes both ways. The people we work alongside are leaders, innovators, and experts who understand their own contexts best. Whether in Gaza, Guatemala, or Ghana, our role is not to define the future but to help create the conditions for locally led solutions to flourish.
Maybe that is why this year’s World Cup has resonated so deeply. Beyond the competition, it offers a glimpse of the world as it can be. It reminds us that people are often far more eager to connect than headlines would have us believe. Given the opportunity, differences become invitations to learn, and common ground is closer than we think.
Soon enough, the final whistle will blow and the tournament will come to an end. The choice to approach one another with curiosity instead of assumptions and collaboration instead of prescription remains. As Global Communities looks toward its next chapter, that conviction will continue to guide our work as we help create a world where connection becomes the starting point for change.