President's Letter; Council of the Month; Wednesday's
Cover to Cover
; Major Council Events; Great Decisions Teachers Training Institute; Register for AWQ; Save the Dates for Spring Leadership Meeting; WorldOregon Happy Hour Podcast; Councils in the News
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Dear Council Leaders, Supporters, and Friends:
Foreign affairs hit closer to home more often than we think. And while our mental maps are expanding to allow for more serious examination of events at and near our southern border, it seems to me that the sheer number of World Affairs Council programs that focus on great powers and economies of Europe and Asia, or on the tribulations in the Middle East, significantly outnumber those having to do with the Western Hemisphere. Meanwhile, Alaska brings us greater awareness of the Arctic, while the other pole tends to be forgotten.
Let’s try to change that. First, events in Venezuela rightfully demand our attention. Fifteen member states of the EU today joined earlier recognition by the U.S., Canada, and several Latin American nations of opposition chief Juan Guaidó as interim leader.
Guaidó, the leader of the democratically elected national assembly, and President Nicolas Maduro both headed rival massive street protests in Caracas on Saturday. The stakes are high for Venezuelans, who have seen their once prosperous country descend into chaos, corruption, and poverty under Maduro, the socialist successor to Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013.
While international diplomatic pressure and more stringent U.S. sanctions targeting the oil sector may squeeze the Maduro regime, they could also harm the people fighting it and fleeing from it. President Trump has not ruled out a “military option.” The geopolitical stakes are high, too, as Maduro has drawn support from Russia, China, and Turkey – portending much for great power rivalries and authoritarian challenges to democracy.
As for what happens in Antarctica, it certainly won’t stay in Antarctica. The enormous cavity detected by scientists beneath the continent’s
Thwaites Glacier will impact sea levels globally. Understanding the science, the impact of growing tourism, the nature of increasing Chinese interest, and the sustainability of marine resources are all worthy topics for Councils to cover.
Best wishes,
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Bill Clifford, WACA President and CEO
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WAC New Hampshire Is WACA's Council of the Month
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Congratulations to
Tim Horgan, Executive Director of WAC NH, for his excellent leadership in chairing last month's
Global Ties U.S. National Meeting, "
The Exchange Effect."
“
It was a wonderful experience chairing the Global Ties National Meeting for 2019. It's always so great to get everyone, including many of our WACA friends, together for learning, sharing, and fun
,"
said Horgan.
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Wednesday, Feb. 6:
Cover to Cover
with Bollyky on Plagues and Health
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Register now for WACA's
Cover to Cover conference call on
Wednesday, February 6, at 2:00-2:30 pm ET, featuring
Thomas J. Bollyky, Senior Fellow for Global Health, Economics, and Development, Director of the Global Health Program, Council on Foreign Relations, on his new book,
Plagues and the Paradox of Progress: Why the World Is Getting Healthier in Worrisome Ways.
Plagues and parasites have played a central role in world affairs, shaping the evolution of the modern state, the growth of cities, and the disparate fortunes of national economies. This book tells that story, but it is not about the resurgence of pestilence. It is the story of its decline. Bollyky interweaves a historical narrative about the rise and fall of plagues in human societies with contemporary case studies of the consequences. Whether the peril or promise of that progress prevails, Bollyky explains, depends on what we do next.
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World Affairs Councils Demonstrate Convening Power
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Angela Davis
Educator, Author, and Activist
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H.E. Cui Tiankai
Ambassador of China to the U.S.
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Hon. Madeleine Albright
Former U.S. Secretary of State
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Amb. Nicholas Burns
Professor of Diplomacy, Harvard Kennedy School
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Participate in the Great Decisions Teachers Institute
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The
Foreign Policy Association's 15th annual
Great Decisions Teachers Institute for high school educators affiliated with World Affairs Councils will take place
June 24 through June 28 in New York City.
Topics will include Global Migration, Nuclear Negotiations, and Trade with China. For the full list of topics and more information, please visit the Institute's
webpage.
To apply for the Great Decisions Teachers Institute, you must complete a questionnaire, which can be accessed by clicking
here. High school educators nationwide are invited to apply by
March 29. All applicants will be notified by
April 12.
If you have any questions in regards to the application or the Great Decisions Teachers Institute, please email
teachers@fpa.org, or call the Foreign Policy Association at
212-481-8100 x 249.
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Save the Date:
Council Leadership Meeting in KC on June 13-15
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Mark your calendars now! The World Affairs Councils of America will convene its semi-annual
Council Leadership and WACA Board Meetings in Kansas City, MO on
June 13-15, 2019.
Click on the flyer to the left for meeting details and other special opportunities! The schedule will be updated periodically, and we will announce exclusive hotel accommodations soon.
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Register Teams for Academic WorldQuest!
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Registration for the
Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2019 Academic WorldQuest National Competition is now open! The AWQ championship weekend program will be held in Washington, DC on
April 26-27.
Local champion teams of Academic WorldQuest competitions hosted by World Affairs Councils around the country must complete the
Registration Form in order to participate in the AWQ National Competition.
Registration Forms are due no later than Fri., March 22.
Register your AWQ team!
For topics, study guide, and other information about this year's competition, please click
here.
Hotel Reservations:
WACA has secured a group hotel block at the
Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel at a special rate of $169 / night plus tax (2660 Woodley Road NW, Washington, DC 20008). These discounted rates will expire
April 4.
Reserve today!
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WACA Needs AWQ Volunteers!
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Are you attending this year's Academic WorldQuest and interested in volunteering with WACA? We need several volunteers to help at the AWQ Reception on Friday, April 26, approximately 4:00 - 6:30 pm ET and/or the AWQ National Competition on Saturday, April 27, approximately 7:30 am - 1:00 pm ET. Please fill out the survey
here.
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Academic WorldQuest Team Rules Update
After feedback and discussions with Councils, beginning this 2018-2019 Academic WorldQuest season, WACA will allow composite teams to compete in the National Competition in April 2019. Up to two high schools or affiliations may make up each Council's team. Each team of four must be composed of enrolled students in a local high school or equivalent certificate program in the Council's region.
This new policy will be on a trial basis for one year, after which WACA will elicit feedback and reevaluate on whether to continue the initiative in future years.
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WorldOregon's Olsen Interviewed for Radio Show
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More Councils in the News
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Alaska World Affairs Council
Alabama World Affairs Council
Sarasota World Affairs Council
World Affairs Council of Atlanta
World Affairs Council of New Hampshire
World Affairs Council of Orange County
International Institute of Buffalo
WorldBoston
World Affairs Council of Western Michigan
World Affairs Council of St. Louis
World Affairs Council of Charlotte
World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
World Affairs Council of San Antonio
Santa Fe Council on International Relations
World Affairs Council of Greater Reading
South Dakota World Affairs Council
Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council
World Affairs Council of the Desert
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Travel the World with WAC Philadelphia
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Travel with Council Leaders - hear them lecture on Travel the World tours from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia!
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2019 travel schedule includes trips to:
- Michelle Harpenau, Executive Director, World Affairs Council of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky,Springtime in Provence & Burgundy, May 15 - 23, 2019
- Dr. Carla Thorson, Senior Vice President of Programs, World Affairs, Northern California, Arctic Expedition: June 21 - July 1, 2019
- Derrick Olsen, President, WorldOregon, Trade Routes of Coastal Iberia: Oct. 13-21, 2019
- Jacqueline Miller, President & CEO, World Affairs Council of Seattle, Passage along the Danube River: Oct. 12-24, 2019
- Craig Snyder, President & CEO, World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Exploring Saudi Arabia & Qatar: Nov. 7-17, 2019
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World Affairs Councils of America | 202-833-4557
1200 18th Street NW, Suite 902, Washington, DC 20036
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