For nearly 60 years, Birmingham International Center has been a leader in international education for the state of Alabama. It began in 1950, when the Women’s Committee of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra envisioned a recital to be named the “Festival of Contemporary Music.” The Birmingham Festival of Arts was born, and the organization transitioned into structuring the festivals around a “salute” to a different country each year. Community support for the festival continued to grow as did the awareness of the importance of international education. In 1998, the name was changed to Birmingham International Festival to reflect the expansion of its programs into other cultural activities. After a three-year strategic planning process, the 2006 Board of Directors unanimously changed the name to BirminghamInternationalCenter. With the name change came a new location that included a storefront presence and a bigger space to host events such as a reception for the British Speaker of the House of Commons, International Business After Hours, and art exhibits by Japanese and Czech artists. This change reflected the growth and program diversity of the organization while maintaining the rich heritage established by its founding members.

The mission of the organization—to promote mutual understanding between cultures—is accomplished through a variety of education programs, country spotlights and services to Alabama’s international communities. Each year, BirminghamInternationalCenter spotlights a different country, facilitating activities throughout the state. Coordinating with the spotlighted country’s government and community partners, BirminghamInternationalCenter brings renowned performers, art exhibits, culinary demonstrations and educational materials to the schools and communities of Alabama. The country spotlights have brought many significant additions to Birmingham, including the JapaneseGarden’s tea house at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the Moroccan fountain on 5th Avenue North, valuable art work for the Birmingham Museum of Art from Italy and South Korea, and the formation of the Alabama German Partnership Association.

Birmingham International Center works for the business community by facilitating U.S. Department of State-sponsored leadership visits to Birmingham, providing cultural training and networking opportunities and offering translation services. Visits from foreign leaders and scholars have resulted in stronger partnerships and new opportunities for Birmingham businesses.

Birmingham International Center is a member of the Nonprofit Resource Center of Alabama, National Council for International Visitors, the Japan America Society of Alabama and the German Alabama Partnership.