Kudos to Cullman County for so far showcasing to the world all the best North Alabama has to offer.

As the World Games continue in Birmingham this week, it’s apparent that Cullman has built on its German heritage to take on a markedly international tone, with athletic teams from as far as Hungary and even Germany itself taking advantage of our Southern hospitality.

From the Cullman Wellness and Aquatic Center to the “little lake” on the St. Bernard grounds, many of us in the county have had a chance to interact with our international guests, and to a person, those guests have liked what they have seen.

Simply comparing the landmass of visiting nations to their host country — for example, that of Germany’s 138,065 square miles and Hungary’s 35,917 square miles to the United States’ 3.8 million square miles — is bound to leave our guests a sense of “bigness,” from cars to parks — but it’s what fills those spaces that makes the difference.

For their part, our visiting athletes are making a difference of their own — bridging international relationships through the influence of sport. In this regard, the outcome is a win-win for all.