Events

The Washington Intergovernmental Professional Group and The World Trade Center, DC request the pleasure of your company at a Networking Reception featuring His Excellency Dr. Chibamba Kanyama The Ambassador of the Republic of Zambia to the United States of America on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting**BOD members only; includes breakfast & lunch.Separate registration required. 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM Registration Open & Welcome Refreshments 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Executive Summit Program 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM Opening Receptionat Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center

Spain is the 11th source of inbound investment into the United States. This year's event will have three stops: Madrid on March 3, 2026 and two cities in the region of Murcia on the Mediterranean coast, i.e. Murcia city and nearby Cartagena on March 5, 2026. This focus of this year's event will be: Madrid: The broad Agribusiness and Dual Technologies Murcia: Agribusiness, Manufacturing, and Logistics Cartagena: Defense/IT

The Washington Intergovernmental Professional Group and The World Trade Center, DC request the pleasure of your company at a Networking Reception featuring His Excellency Binalf Andualem Ashenef The Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United States of America on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Tuesday, February 24 – Legislative Summit Day Two is about clarity and preparation. Through panels, briefings, and interactive sessions, we’ll examine the shifting tariff environment and the regulatory issues shaping the FTZ program. We’ve invited speakers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the FTZ Board, Congress, the Department of Commerce, the Department of the Treasury, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and other trade associations. Schedules change, but our focus remains the same: equipping you with the insights and tools to carry the FTZ message forward. By the end of the day, you’ll leave with clear talking points, refined strategies, and the confidence to represent your company and the FTZ community.

The Washington International Trade Conference brings together leaders in international trade from across the U.S. and around the world to explore the trade landscape and look toward the future of trade. In Person Sessions and Luncheon to be held in the Pavilion Room at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC | 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC Program Agenda and Speakers Coming Soon!

This event is OFF-THE-RECORD and will be in-person at the Pavilion Room of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. A networking coffee reception will precede the event. The Congressional Trade Agenda will also be available LIVE on Zoom on Friday, February 6 at 9:30 AM ET. Doors will open at 9 AM for a networking breakfast. No recording of this event will be available. Join WITA today to get Member pricing for the Congressional Trade Agenda and all other WITA events! Congressional Trade Leaders share their perspectives at WITA’s annual overview of the Hill’s Trade Agenda. As in prior years, this will be an OFF-THE-RECORD discussion of the critical trade issues that Congress may address in the coming year. If you are a Hill Staffer interested in a complimentary ticket, please email events@wita.org. Featured Speakers: Virginia Lenahan, Chief Counsel, International Trade, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Democratic Staff Molly Newell, Chief Counsel, International Trade, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Republican Staff Josh Snead, Republican Chief Trade Counsel, Trade Subcommittee, House Ways and Means Committee Alexandra Whittaker, Democratic Chief Trade Counsel, Staff Director, Trade Subcommittee, House Ways and Means Committee

Presented by World Trade Center Washington, DC (WTCDC), this vibrant, one-of-a-kind global marketplace will feature representatives from various embassies and cultural organizations. Visitors will discover visual arts, handcrafts, cuisine, and tourism and trade opportunities while enjoying an immersive experience of international culture. Event registration is free. Winternational’s lively midday celebration invites the region to experience the world in the heart of the nation’s capital. Last year, the event welcomed more than 65 embassies and 8,000 guests. Attendees explored the marketplace for artisanal treasures and sampled delicacies including Jamaica’s famous rum cakes and beef patties, Saudi Arabia’s exquisite truffles, and Costa Rica’s flavorful honey and visited country exhibits highlighting arts and culture, commodities, travel opportunities, and diaspora communities in traditional dress. Participating Embassies and Organizations: Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Bolivia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Ibero-American Cultural Attachés Association, Iraq, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, League of Arab States, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The WITA Trade & Technology Summit brings together leaders from the public and private sectors to explore the nexus between trade, innovation, national security, competitiveness, and geopolitics. This half-day Summit will highlight how the conversation on trade and technology is shifting as governments engage each other on issues like non-tariff barriers, digital regulations, digital taxation, and governance over emerging technologies like AI. 8:30 – 8:45 AM: Breakfast & Networking 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM: Featured Remarks and Panel Discussions 12:15 – 12:45 PM: Networking Lunch 12:45 – 1:30 PM: Luncheon Speaker

As part of the Initiative for Improving Advanced Competitiveness through Trade (IMPACT), the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) is organizing an Energy Technologies Trade Mission to the Southern Cone region (Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay). This trade mission will introduce U.S. companies to the dynamic Southern Cone region, whose governments are investing heavily in energy technologies to diversify and develop their economies. Participating U.S. companies will gain market insight on how to increase their exports to the region, visit project sites, and engage with pre-screened buyers, agents, distributors, project developers and potential business partners. This trade mission will include meetings and networking receptions with chambers of commerce, business groups, and national and regional government officials that can address questions on procurements, projects, policies, regulations, tariff rates, and incentives. Targeted subsectors for this energy trade mission include hydrogen and e-fuel technologies, AI & cybersecurity, energy generation (nuclear, solar, wind, and transition fuels), transportation (hydrogen trucks, buses, shipping, rail, and passenger vehicles), energy storage, water and sanitation treatment & management), strategic materials (lithium and copper), and decarbonization technologies.

In March 2023, JITTI USA hosted the “U.S.–Japan International Exchange and Tourism Symposium 2023” in Washington, D.C., bringing together leading experts in these fields. The event served as an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of multilayered and wide-ranging people-to-people ties between Japan and the United States in the post-pandemic era, and to explore ways to rebuild and strengthen those relationships. ​ Building on the momentum of such efforts, the period from January 2024 to March 2025 was designated the “U.S.–Japan Tourism Year,” during which both countries implemented a variety of initiatives to promote bilateral engagement. In their February 2025 summit meeting, Prime Minister Ishiba and President Trump reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the uniquely strong Japan–U.S. relationship through close coordination. These developments have contributed to further strengthening people-to-people exchanges and bilateral relations. Looking ahead, such exchanges are expected to accelerate even more around major international events. The United States is preparing to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 250th anniversary of American independence, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympics. Japan, meanwhile, welcomed a record number of inbound tourists in 2024 and hosted Expo 2025 in Osaka from April to October. These milestone events are likely to further boost international engagement, including between Japan and the U.S. In the context of an increasingly unstable international landscape—marked by China’s growing authoritarianism, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and rising nationalism—the role of people-to-people exchange has taken on renewed significance. These international experiences are not only essential for the continued development of the Japan–U.S. relationship but also play a key role in fostering mutual understanding and trust, contributing to global stability. ​ Moreover, people-to-people exchanges offer opportunities to gain new perspectives and can lead to changes in how people think and act by exposing them to different cultures and systems. These encounters can influence personal values and behaviors, and when such learning is integrated into society with respect for one’s own traditions, it can lead to positive societal transformation. The ripple effect of such realizations and actions will only grow in importance as we strive for a more resilient and open international community. Against this backdrop, it is both timely and meaningful to bring together policymakers and stakeholders from both countries to discuss the current and future roles of people-to-people exchange through this symposium.