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2013 National Conference Sponsors
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| Letter from the President |
Dear Friends and Supporters,
It was a pleasure for me, Althea, and Ian to meet with more than 20 World Affairs Council leaders and key staff over breakfast last Thursday at the annual meeting of the National Council of International Visitors (25 Councils are also members of NCIV, which has just renamed itself Global Ties U.S.).
Understanding the concerns, challenges, and opportunities voiced by our Council members - in the areas of fundraising and development, obtaining top speakers, crafting youth-education initiatives - helps us frame our work to best support you.
Expanding the capacity of the National Office is a medium-term goal, as I explained at the meeting. Leveraging the best of our peer-to-peer network for greater impact in our communities is something we can do right now.
I encourage as many of you as possible to participate in the Spring Leadership Meeting on Monday, March 17, in San Francisco. Some great "workshop" topics for the agenda have been recommended: online fundraising, branding to boost membership, strategic planning, and telling our Council story. Let us know your ideas for sharpening these discussions - and plan to book your hotel by February 21!
Better yet, come for the whole weekend: enjoy discounted admission to WorldAffairs 2014, WAC Northern California's annual conference. You might just land your next speaker, too.
Bill Clifford
President and CEO
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| News from the National Office |
Spring Leadership Meeting - March 17 in San Francisco
 The World Affairs Councils of America will host Council executives, staff, and board members in San Francisco for this year's Spring Leadership Meeting. As those of you who attended the annual Leadership Meetings in New York, Denver, and Chicago know, the program provides a unique, concentrated opportunity to network with fellow Council leaders and discuss best practices, covered in a variety of workshops. We are excited to head west to San Francisco, where thought leaders in nonprofit management abound. The aim of our meeting will be to maximize opportunities to network and learn by scheduling the Leadership Day on March 17, right after the World Affairs Council of Northern California's annual conference - WorldAffairs 2014 - March 14-15.
Those who attend Leadership Day will be eligible to attend WAC Northern California's WorldAffairs 2014 at a discounted rate of $350 per person. (Regular charge is $395 for members, $490 for non-members to attend.) Price includes: Friday program and evening reception; Saturday program, including breakfast, lunch, and light reception.
Contact Ian J. Byrne at 202-833-4557 or write to [email protected] to register and make payment for the Leadership Meeting and the WorldAffairs 2014 Conference Program.
1918 Society Program at WorldAffairs 2014
 The World Affairs Councils of America's is offering a special opportunity to our 1918 Society members to attend the World Affairs Council of Northern California's annual spring conference - WorldAffairs 2014 - at a discounted rate of $300 per 1918 Society member and $350 per spouse or guest. Enjoy a terrific line-up of speakers including Thomas Friedman, Marc Grossman, Mari�me Jamme, Ray Suarez, and many others. Just prior to the conference (agenda here), WACA is organizing a 1918 Society members-only brunch event (speaker and location to be determined). For more information, please visit our website.
Hot Topics Conference Call on Russia-U.S. Relations
 The World Affairs Councils of America will host a Hot Topics Conference Call with Angela Stent, Director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian & East European Studies at Georgetown University, on Sochi 2014 and Russia-U.S. Relations. The call will be this Wednesday, February 5, at 2:00 PM ET. Bill Clifford, WACA President and CEO, will moderate.
RSVP to Ian J. Byrne at [email protected] to receive call-in information.
 Angela Stent is a Professor of Government at Georgetown. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and co-chairs its Hewett Forum on Post-Soviet Affairs. From 2004-2006 she served as National Intelligence Officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council. From 1999 to 2001, she served in the Office of Policy Planning at the U.S. Department of State.(Full Bio) Her new book is The Limits of Partnership: U.S.-Russian Relations in the Twenty-First Century.
1918 Society Conference Call on U.S. Trade
The World Affairs Councils of America will host a 1918 Society Conference Call on the U.S. Trade Agenda in 2014 with Wendy Cutler, Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, on Friday, February 7, at 2:00 PM ET. Bill Clifford, WACA President and CEO, will moderate the call.
1918 Society Members, RSVP to this email or write
Ian J. Byrne at
for call-in information.
 Wendy Cutler became Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative on June 26, 2013. She is responsible for U.S. trade negotiations and enforcement in Asia and Africa. Her specific responsibilities include the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum, and Trade and Investment Framework Agreements with countries ranging from South Africa to the Philippines. Full Bio
Academic WorldQuest 2014: Team Registration Now Open and Hotel Booking Information
The 2014 Academic WorldQuest National Competition will take place Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, DC. Read about the 2013 Academic WorldQuest National Competition here.
We have secured a group rate of $119 per night at the Georgetown Hotel and Conference Center. To secure your rooms with this block, please dowload and submit the below two forms to Kelly Rodark, Guest Services Coordinator, via email at [email protected]. You will then be emailed your confirmation number.
- Rooming List Template
- Credit Card Authorization Form
Please note that if incidentals are not to be charged to the credit card used to book the room, the chaperone will need to provide an additional credit card at check-in for incidentals.
The cut-off date to book with the group rate is March 24, 2014, but the room block is likely to sell out before then.
Team registration forms are due by March 26. Teams who have won their local competition must submit the following forms:
The 2013-2014 Study Guide is available here. More information and resources for councils and teachers can be found on our website.
Local Academic WorldQuest competitions are under way. Take a look at the local competition schedule on our website.
Cover to Cover
 February's Cover to Cover author program will feature Marwan Muasher, former Foreign Minister of Jordan, and current Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. His upcoming book is The Second Arab Awakening: And the Battle for Pluralism. The call will take place on Tuesday, February 11, at 2:00 PM ET. RSVP to Ian J. Byrne at [email protected]. Cover to Cover, launched in January, is a monthly conference call featuring the most influential authors on subjects of national and international importance. Over the first six months of 2014, our aim is to convene authors on the Six Top Issues that we addressed in our National Conference in November.
Understanding Muslim Societies
 The World Affairs Councils of America, with the generous support of Carnegie Corporation of New York, continues its very successful Engage America Series Understanding Muslim Societies. The program will be held throughout 2014 and focuses on countries in the Middle East, as well as Afghanistan/Pakistan, and those relevant rising economic powers that are competing globally with the United States, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Programs scheduled for this month include:
Feb. 6 -- World Affairs Council of Northern California
Feb. 25-27 -- World Affairs Council of Las Vegas
Feb. 26 -- World Affairs Council of Connecticut
Spotlight on Turkey 2014
The World Affairs Councils of America is pleased to announce its eighth year of collaboration with the Turkish Cultural Foundation on the national Spotlight on Turkey program. The program runs a full calendar year and focuses on giving an overview of the history of Anatolia and Turkey with a special emphasis on Turkish culture to American educators and the general public.
With a Teachers Workshop in the spring, a Teachers Study Tour in the summer, and public cultural programs in the fall, the program emphasizes classroom learning and public education about Turkey and its contributions to the global community. Visit our website to learn more about the program and to see the participating councils.
Upcoming Teachers Workshops include:
Feb. 22 -- Minnesota International Center
Feb. 22 -- WorldDenver
Webinar: Mapping the Nation - February 19
 The World Affairs Councils of America, in conjunction with the Asia Society and the Longview Foundation, will present a webinar on the Mapping the Nation resource on Wednesday, February 19, at 2:00 PM ET. Mapping the Nation (mappingthenation.net) uses a million data points to demonstrate the international connections of every state and county in the United States. The webinar will focus on how to use this economic, demographic, and education data for your Council's advocacy efforts and to create and strengthen programs. This opportunity was brought to the National Office by the Columbus Council on World Affairs. Please click here to register.
Job Opportunity
The World Affairs Council of Houston is hiring a Chief Executive Officer. Please visit WAC Houston's website for more details.
World Affairs Councils in the News
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Recommended Speakers Database
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What's Happening in the Network
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There are over 130 World Affairs Council events scheduled this month across the country. Visit News from the National Network on our homepage for updates from around the network that include programs you can attend, participate in virtually, get ideas about speakers or model format. Also be sure to check out travel programs offered by World Affairs Councils on our homepage. We encourage you to follow-up with the sponsoring council for more information. If we missed something or if you have a program that you would like highlighted on our website or in the WACA Weekly, please contact Ian J. Byrne at [email protected].
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| Be Part of the WACA Newsletter! |
If you would like to highlight an upcoming program, email Ian J. Byrne at [email protected] with the relevant information. Of course, if there is anything else we can do to help promote your programs within the network, please let us know.
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The World Affairs Councils of America
1200 18th St., NW, Suite 902, Washington, DC 20036
Phone (202) 833-4557 Fax (202) 833-4555
Email [email protected] Website www.worldaffairscouncils.org
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The World Affairs Councils of America offers a Recommended Speakers Database on the