Celebrate Welcoming Week 2026: Sept. 10 – 19! 

Welcoming Week is an annual campaign that celebrates the work communities do to become welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Launched in 2012 by Welcoming America, Welcoming Week provides individuals and organizations the opportunity to showcase their values through events and initiatives that foster connections and collaboration between immigrants and non-immigrants, as well as belonging for all. 

How to participate 

The national theme for this year’s Welcoming Week is Stories We Share: The Courage to Connect. Welcoming Week is a call to share your story, and to get curious about your neighbors. All are welcome to participate in the following ways: 

1. Welcoming Week community gathering 

Attend the Welcoming Week community gathering on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the ROC, hosted by the St. Louis Park Human Rights Commission. This event will focus on sharing stories and highlighting the experiences of immigrant and refugee communities, with an opportunity to further connect with neighbors by experiencing a culturally meaningful dish or recipe brought to share.

If you are interested in attending, register online.

2. Daily ways to #BeAWelcomer

Participating in daily actions to “Be a Welcomer” can look many different ways. St. Louis Park’s “Be a Welcomer” examples are just one way to start taking action to build strong connections with your neighbors and make our city a welcoming and inclusive place to live. The more we share with each other, the more we build understanding and shape what’s next.

Some examples are:

• Meet your neighborhood organization – or consider creating one!  
• Spot a “Be A Welcomer” window cling at a local business 
• Be a responsible neighbor by pursuing rental, repair, resale and other reuse opportunities that lower your environmental impact.  
• Welcome someone new to your neighborhood or reconnect with a neighbor you haven’t talked to in a while 
• Explore our city’s walking and biking trails – and wave to someone on the way! 
• Share city resource opportunities with your neighbors:  
  • Access to fun fee assistance for recreation programs 
  • City community resources
• Interact with the public art across our city
• Explore city volunteer opportunities 
• Connect with neighboring neighborhoods to plan an event together across neighborhood boundaries. 
• Join the community in rescuing food waste from the trash through organics recycling program. 
• Visit a city park and share your story with us 
• Follow the city on social media and spread some welcoming messages in the comment sections! (link socials – FB, IG) 
• Find a community event to attend and invite your neighbors to join you 
• Attend a Heart of the Matter gathering sponsored by St. Louis Park Community Education, in partnership with friends across our community. 
• Read stories from welcomers across the world and add your voice to the mix.

3. Welcoming businesses free window clings

We invite St Louis Park businesses who supports our immigrant communities to display our “We are Welcoming” window cling on your front window, door or any other place that is visible. The window cling signifies the values you share with our city where everyone belongs, including immigrants. 

If you are interested in getting a window cling for your business, email rei@stlouisparkmn.gov. Window clings can be picked up at city hall (5005 Minnetonka Blvd.), or staff may be able to coordinate delivery. 

Note: You can still request a window cling during Welcoming Week or even after. We encourage businesses to keep the window cling up after Welcoming Week to continue to show your support and promote a welcoming environment. 

We hope you can participate in Welcoming Week 2026!