The Houston Office of Protocol and International Affairs (HOPIA) is a division of the City of Houston Mayor's Office and serves as the office of protocol for the City of Houston. HOPIA serves the Mayor and the City Council as an advisor on international affairs and protocol and assists the Mayor and other city officials in their interactions with international dignitaries. HOPIA is the city's official liaison to Houston's Consular Corps and advises the corporate community and the general public on matters of protocol, cross-cultural relations, international affairs, etiquette and event planning.
As the City of Houston's office of protocol, HOPIA functions as:
- The city's official host to visiting international government dignitaries.
- The city's official liaison to Houston's Consular Corps.
- An advisor to the Mayor, city officials, and citizens on international issues and protocol and provides flags for international events.
- The city's liaison to Houston's sister cities.
- The coordinator of Houston's Partners Agreements with international cities.
Learn at Lunch Series
Learn at Lunch is an opportunity to spend an enriching lunch hour getting to know about the multicultural aspects of our city and develop connections with Houston’s consular corps and staff.
Some examples of past programs have included a Japanese tea ceremony, Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago and a Journey through Senegal.
The series is hosted by the Houston Office of Protocol & International Affairs and the Visitors Center.
Recent Activities
November 18, 2011 -- Houston City Council Member Jarvis Johnson presented a proclamation to the Honorable Domingo Mba Esono in honor of the 43rd national day of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. The country has had consular representation in Houston since 2007.
August 2011 -- The Houston-Chiba Sister City Committee of Japan American Society Houston hosted four middle school students and their teacher from Chiba City, Japan. During their visit, the group from Houston’s Japanese sister city lived with host families and attended classes with their host siblings at Johnston Middle School. A highlight of their trip was a visit to City Hall, where Mayor Annise Parker greeted the visiting students and their hosts.
Protocol Office Quick Links
Contact HOPIA
Houston Office of Protocol & International Affairs
Deanea LeFlore, Executive Director
Alma Maldonado, Senior Protocol Manager
Leslie Santamaria, Protocol Manager/Sister Cities Coordinator
Jose Elizalde, Protocol Coordinator
City Hall, First Floor
901 Bagby
Houston, Texas 77002
Phone: 832.393.0700
Fax: 832.393.0719
Sister Cities
The Houston Office of Protocol and International Affairs is the city's liaison to Houston's sister city associations and to the national governing organization, Sister Cities International and the local Sister Cities of Houston.
Through their official city-to-city relationships, these volunteer associations promote people-to-people diplomacy and encourage citizens to develop mutual trust and understanding through commercial, cultural, educational, and humanitarian exchanges.
Consular Relations
With 94 consulates in the area, the Houston Office of Protocol and International Affairs works to advise and assist consular officials in their interactions with the Houston community. Our involvement encompasses a wide range of activities, from supplying newcomers with information about Houston to working with the State Department on credentials and security issues, all with the goal of making the Houston tenure of these officials as productive and pleasant as possible.