92nd Annual World Trade Week celebration to highlight power and importance of international trade

by Gary Toebben

Not since the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) came into force on Jan. 1, 1994 has international trade been in the national news on a daily basis. The U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer elected to cancel the last NAFTA roundtable renegotiations scheduled to take place this week, instead he call to have a series of ministerial meetings on the agreement. Along with the tariffs on imports being proposed by the U.S. and China, this is an appropriate time to remind Southern Californians about the huge importance of international trade to our local economy.

On Friday, May 4, more than 900 prominent business, government and civic leaders will assemble for the 92nd annual kickoff of World Trade Week (WTW) in Southern California. This annual celebration began in 1926 under Mr. Stanley T. Olafson, then manager of the Chamber’s World Trade Department. His interest and desire was to encourage regional business executives to promote and get directly involved in global trade with other nations.

In 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt recognized and honored Mr. Olafson’s vision by proclaiming WTW as a national observance. Today, WTW has achieved international recognition and our WTW celebration, with more than 30 events during the month of May sponsored by collaborating organizations, is the largest in the United States.

Partnering with the Chamber as WTW founding sponsors are Los Angeles World Airports and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the three engines of international trade in our region. The WTW celebration now includes activities sponsored by organizations and governments in L.A., Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. 

This year, we will be joined by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and Laurie Tolson, chief digital officer for GE Transportation, who will give the keynote address. Tolson will detail the partnership between GE and the Port of Los Angeles on a new digital information system, which aggregates key cargo data online to facilitate better cargo tracking, projections and productivity. The kickoff breakfast will also feature a special conversation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan.

The Los Angeles Customs District processed more than $400 billion in exports and imports last year and international trade is responsible for more than a million jobs in Southern California. Join us on May 4 to celebrate these jobs and all the companies in Southern California that have made our region a global center for international trade.