New York is without doubt one of the most dynamic, ethnically diverse, religiously varied, commercially driven, famously congested, and creative cities in the world.

With its population exceeding 8.8 million, it is considered a highly populous city on the North American continent.

Filled with inspiration, vitality, and passion, New York’s charm is reflected through the eyes of individuals who call it their home, even though it may not be their place of birth. It is the city defined by individuality and self-expression, as people feel safe to be exactly who they want to be.

No other city has contributed more images to the collective consciousness of Americans.

Wall Street is synonymous with finance, Broadway means theatre, Fifth Avenue is instinctively paired with shopping, Madison Avenue connotes the advertising industry, Greenwich Village symbolizes bohemian lifestyles, Seventh Avenue signifies fashion, Tammany Hall defines machine politics, and Harlem evokes images of the Jazz Age and African American aspirations.

The world’s most renowned companies are headquartered in New York like NBC Universal, Vogue, Google, The New York Times, MTV, Ralph Lauren, and Tiffany & Co., naming a few of the giants.

In terms of culture, New York is a place that’s filled with countless museums, over 2000 arts and cultural organizations, and myriad exhibitions. There’s more than 500 art galleries and many other attractions of American culture and history for people to enjoy.

There is a growing recognition of the value of creative activity. The inspiration driving this success is grounded in New York’s communities, which have played an often-revolutionary role in developing artforms. These include Yiddish theatre in the Lower East Side, hip hop and graffiti in the Bronx, pop art and punk rock in the East Village, the jazz and literature of the Harlem Renaissance, and the continued evolution of the Broadway theatre district.

For its residents, New York is an accumulation of local neighborhoods that provide them with familiar cuisines, languages, and experiences. A city of stark contrasts and deep contradictions, it is perhaps the most fitting representative of a diverse and powerful nation.

It is therefore no coincidence that people from around the globe find themselves in the cosmopolitan city of New York where possibilities are endless and the energy is immense. Individuals from all walks of life are welcome to explore their passions and grow in the field of their choice. New York always meant possibility, for it was an urban centre on its way to something better, a metropolis too busy to be solicitous of those who stood in the way of progress.

As American novelist Tom Wolfe said, “One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years.”