Winternational returned for its 12th edition at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, opening its doors at 11 a.m. to a steady flow of visitors. Within minutes, the atrium and exhibition halls were active, with guests moving between embassy displays as teams completed final preparations, arranged food stations, and greeted the public. Activity unfolded across multiple levels at once, with cultural presentations, conversations, and tastings already underway well before midday. Organizers reported 70 embassies and cultural organizations on site and approximately 8,000 guests passing through the venue during the course of the day.
As visitors continued to circulate across the exhibition halls, a private diplomatic reception took place above the showcase floor. More than two dozen ambassadors, senior officials, organizers, and partners gathered overlooking the activity below, where embassy representatives were already engaging guests and guiding them through exhibits. The reception unfolded alongside the public program, offering a clear view of the pace and scale of the event as it developed.
Kimberly A. Bassett, Secretary of State of the District of Columbia, addressed the gathering before reading Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proclamation declaring December 9 as Winternational Day in Washington, D.C. “This festival is a celebration of what makes our diplomatic community so special. Your embassies are here today, sharing pieces of arts, cuisine, stories, and traditions that remind us why cultural exchange is such a powerful force. Every table you see is a bridge. Every conversation is a connection. Every bite, every color, every handcrafted treasure is an invitation to understand one another just a little better”, she said. Her speech placed the showcase within the city’s civic calendar, after which the proclamation received strong acknowledgment from diplomatic representatives and institutional partners present.
Remarks followed from figures closely connected to the organization and delivery of the event. John P. Drew, President and Chief Executive Officer of TCMA (A Drew Company), spoke about the evolution of Winternational within the Ronald Reagan Building and the coordination required to host an event of this size. H. E. Abdulkhaliq Bin Rafaa, Ambassador of the League of Arab States Mission, spoke about cultural exchange as a practical way for diplomatic missions to engage directly with residents. Felis Andrade, Director of External Communications and Community Relations for Giant Food, spoke about community access and the partnerships that support the event’s operations.
On the exhibition floor, visitors moved easily between halls, encountering countries in close succession. Displays featured visual art, textiles, handcrafted jewelry, wood carvings, masks, woven goods, and tourism materials. Embassy staff remained stationed at each booth throughout the day, answering questions, explaining materials, and providing context rooted in tradition and daily practice.
Food drew sustained interest and extended well beyond a handful of countries. Guests sampled dishes reflecting a wide range of culinary traditions, including Nigeria’s jollof rice, Caribbean staples, Central and South American fare, Middle Eastern dishes, and European pastries. Alongside Jamaican meat patties, Slovenian walnut potica, Grenadian Oil Down, Egyptian koshary, and Cypriot soutzoukos and halloumi, embassy teams introduced additional dishes while discussing ingredients and preparation. A pop-up market operated by Giant Food complemented these tastings with international snacks, spices, beverages, and packaged goods, as well as single-origin coffees sourced from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Guatemala, Rwanda, and Vietnam.
By midday, attention regularly shifted toward the atrium as scheduled performances began on the newly introduced stage. Dance troupes representing Azerbaijan, Cuba, Gabon, Ethiopia, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, and other countries performed throughout the afternoon. Wearing traditional attire, performers drew clusters of viewers who paused between exhibits to watch full sets before continuing through the halls.
Visual moments punctuated the day. Guests stopped for photographs beside Bolivian carnival masks and gathered around a Qatari gyr falcon presented as part of a cultural display. In several booths, artisans demonstrated craft techniques, while others encouraged visitors to handle finished pieces, prompting direct exchange rather than observation alone.
Winternational’s 12th edition brought together embassies and cultural organizations from Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, the League of Arab States, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sudan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Türkiye, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Embassy coordination for the 12th edition included outreach and registration support led by Jan Du Plain, CEO and President of Du Plain Global Enterprises, Inc, the Embassy Liaison for the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, who worked closely with participating missions during the planning process.
Later in the afternoon, attention turned to the debut of the Best Embassy Exhibit Awards. A panel of judges selected Algeria, Ethiopia, and Malaysia for Judges’ Choice recognition, with one exhibit chosen from each exhibition hall. Public voting ran concurrently throughout the day, with thousands of ballots cast. When results were announced, Saudi Arabia received the People’s Choice Award.
Reflecting on the scale of the day, Allyson Browne McKithen, Executive Director of World Trade Center Washington, DC, Vice President of International Programs for TCMA, and founder of the event, said, “Winternational is a vibrant celebration of culture, diplomacy, and connection. With 8,000 attendees and 70 participating embassies and cultural organizations, this year’s Showcase highlighted the strength that comes from uniting as a global community. Only in Washington can you experience such a powerful display of cultural exchange—one that deepens understanding, fosters meaningful relationships, and reminds us that shared experiences build lasting bridges between nations.”
Activity continued at a steady pace through the final hours. Embassy teams replenished samples, answered questions, and guided last-minute visitors through displays. As the afternoon drew to a close, representatives began dismantling exhibits while guests made final purchases and exchanged farewells. By 4 p.m., the exhibition halls gradually cleared, bringing the program to an orderly conclusion.
Looking back on the event’s growth, John P. Drew said, “Each year, Winternational grows in scale, energy, and global significance. It has become a cornerstone event for international diplomacy in Washington—bringing the world together under one roof and offering a powerful platform for cultural exchange, trade, and tourism promotion. What began as a small outdoor celebration is now the nation’s largest embassy marketplace, strengthening our global network and advancing our mission to make the World Trade Center Washington, DC at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center a premier destination for global commerce and cultural connection.”
