April 9, 2018
WACA Weekly
This Week: WAC Jacksonville Hosts Former Mexican President; Savannah Hosts Oman 2018; New Council Leaders
World Affairs Council of Jacksonville Hosts Former President of Mexico
World Affairs Council of Jacksonville will host Felipe Calderón, former President of Mexico (2006 to 2012), today, April 9, for "What Does Mexico Think?"

Calderón is one of Latin America's most distinguished leaders and is internationally recognized as a president who strengthened the rule of law and made possible the economic recovery of Mexico after the world economic crisis. During his term he implemented public policies that projected Mexico as a powerful player in the global economy. He was named "Statesman of the Year" by the World Economic Forum in 2012 and considered one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2010.
Savannah Council Kicks Off Oman 2018
Savannah Council on World Affairs will be the first of eight Councils to hold the Oman 2018 program, presented in partnership with the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center and the World Affairs Councils of America.

Savannah will host speaker Allen Fromherz, Director of the Middle East Studies Center at Georgia State University.

The event will be held on Thursday, April 12, and will focus on the historical Omani-US relationship, as well as Oman's current role as a vital partner and peacemaker in the region.
WAC New Hampshire's New Leader
Tim Horgan recently took the helm as World Affairs Council of New Hampshire's new Executive Director. Tim joined WAC New Hampshire in 2009 as an AmeriCorps member. Prior to his new position, he held the role of Associate Director, focusing on the International Visitor Leadership Program through the U.S. Department of State.

“While I will certainly miss my time spent with our amazing international guests I am excited for this new chapter in my career, as well as for the organization,” Tim stated. “I appreciate the Board placing their faith in me to steer the organization forward in this critical time for WAC New Hampshire and our nation.
Peoria Area World Affairs Council Welcomes Back Angela Weck as Executive Director
Angela Weck will be returning as Executive Director of the Peoria Area World Affairs Council this month, working with outgoing leader Kristin McHugh, to ensure a smooth transition.

Angela served in this same role from 2000-2015, and joined Peoria Area WAC as a member in 1991. She also teaches at Bradley University. Of her reappointment to this position Angela said, "I love what Peoria Area WAC and WACA do, so it was an honor to be selected again."
Cover to Cover: Pakistan Under Siege
Over the last fifteen years, Pakistan has come to be defined exclusively in terms of its struggle with terror. But are ordinary Pakistanis extremists? And what explains how Pakistanis think?

In Pakistan Under Siege , using rigorous analysis of survey data, in-depth interviews in schools and universities in Pakistan, historical narrative reporting, and her own intuitive understanding of the country, Madiha Afzal gives the full picture of Pakistan’s relationship with extremism.  

Join the April  Cover to Cover  conference call to discuss Afzal's new book, Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Society, and the State , on  Wednesday, April 18, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET .
KNOW NOW: Preventing International Conflict
Violent conflict is a common thread that runs throughout history and across all cultures. It disrupts local, national, and international communities, and results in war, displacement, and death.

One strategy to address violent conflict is through a public health approach. The Violence Prevention and Restoration (PAR) Model, developed by the International Center for Compassionate Organizations (ICCO) explains how violence begins, spreads, and infects others like a thought-borne pathogen or virus. Understanding the origins of violence may help prevent it.

Join WAC Kentucky and Southern Indiana's Xiao Yin Zhao as she hosts Ari Cowan and Tony Belak, Director General and Associate Director of ICCO, to discuss how the proliferation of international conflict and violence can be prevented by utilizing the PAR Model on Tuesday, April 24, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET.
Spring Leadership Meeting Hotel Block Open!
WACA and the World Affairs Council of San Antonio have arranged a special group rate at the  Hotel Valencia  for the  May 17-18 Council Leadership and May 19 Board Meetings .  

To take advantage of our hotel block at  $169/night  (plus tax), please book your room by  April 25 . Reservations can be made by following this link:  WACA  or by calling  855-596-3387 and referring to the World Affairs Councils of America group .

Please stay tuned for the Leadership and Board Meeting agendas.
Academic WorldQuest 2018
The  Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2018 Academic WorldQuest National Competition program will be held at The National Press Club in Washington, DC on  April 27-28, at 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM .

This year's program will once again feature a welcome reception at the  United States Institute of Peace  (USIP) on  Friday, April 27, at 4:00-6:00 PM . Ambassador William Taylor , Executive Vice President of USIP, will give welcoming remarks.

For topics, study guide, and other information about this year's competition, please click  here .

Please stay tuned for the competition agenda!
Thank you to our generous sponsors!
New Hampshire and San Antonio Councils Are Hiring!
World Affairs Council of New Hampshire  is hiring an international visitor exchange program manager .
World Affairs Council of San Antonio  is conducting a search for a new development director.
Council Highlights
Monday, April 9

WorldBoston hosts Daniel Kurtz-Phelan, Executive Editor at Foreign Affairs Magazine, and Nicholas Burns, Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School, to discuss Kurtz-Phelan's book, The China Mission: George Marshall's Unfinished War. Details

World Affairs Council of Greater Reading hosts Darren Davis, Lilly Presidential Fellow at University of Notre Dame, for "Race, Perseverance, and Catholicism." Details

World Affairs Council of Greater Reading hosts Mohammed Darawshe, Director of The Center for Equality & Shared Society at Givat Haviva, for "From Coexistence to Shared Society." Details

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts a panel of experts for "The Wealth Chasm: Extreme Disparity in Asia's Emerging Countries." Details

Tuesday, April 10

World Affairs Council of New Hampshire hosts Thomas Pickering, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, for "Leadership on the World Stage: A New World for the U.S.?" Details

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq, for "U.S. Foreign Policy in Afghanistan and Iraq." Details

World Affairs Council of Hilton Head hosts Ben Kinnas, Chairman and CEO of Teracotta Advisors, for "Populism, Trade Protectionism, and Economic Threats." Details

World Affairs Council of Palm Beach hosts Nicholas Papanicolaou, Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, for "Is Islam Compatible with the U.S. Constitution?" Details

World Affairs Council of Western Michigan hosts David Hooker, Associate Professor of the Practice of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding at the University of Notre Dame, for "Searching for a Reconfigured 'We the People': Embracing Counter Narratives for Just and Civil Discourse." Details

World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts Cyrus Habib, Lieutenant Governor of Washington, for "Washington State and Trade Dependency." Details

WorldDenver hosts Christopher Hill, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, and Floyd Ciruli, Director of the Crossley Center for Public Opinion Research, for "The New Authoritarianism: Can America Meet the Challenge?" Details

Wednesday, April 11

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts James Lindsay, Senior Vice President at the Council on Foreign Relations, for "American Influence: The Cost of American Nationalism." Details

World Affairs Council of Charleston hosts Trita Parsi, Founder of the National Iranian American Council, for "The Iran Nuclear Deal - How It Happened, Where Is It Headed, and What Does It Mean for U.S.-Iran Relations?" Details

WorldOregon hosts Will Layman, Executive Director of the Centennial for the Walsh School of Foreign Service, for "Dizzy Diplomacy: Jazz Ambassadors and Cold War Culture." Details

Global Minnesota hosts Jonathan Stromseth, Senior Fellow in the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, for "China and America - The New Geopolitical Equation." Details

Columbia World Affairs Council hosts Mario Del Pero, Professor of International History and U.S. Foreign Relations at the Institut D'etudes Politiques of Paris, for "Barack Obama and the Dilemmas of American Leadership." Details

Alabama World Affairs Council hosts General Michael Hayden (Ret.), former Director of the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency, for "Global Security." Details

Thursday, April 12

Foreign Policy Association hosts Victor Cha, Senior Adviser and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, for "The Future of the Korean Peninsula." Details

World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh hosts Rami Shehadeh, Senior Advisor at the UN Department of Political Affairs, for "The Syrian Conflict: Politics, Policy, and Law." Details

World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts hosts Harry Dumay, President of Our Lady of the Elms College, for "Higher Education, Immigration, and the Public Good." Details

WorldOregon hosts Mel Gurtov, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Portland State University, to discuss his book, Engaging Adversaries - Peacemaking and Diplomacy in the Human Interest. Details

World Affairs Council of Austin hosts Josh Busby, Distinguished Scholar at the University of Texas at Austin Strauss Center, for "National Security and Climate Change." Details

Santa Fe Council on International Relations hosts Steve Horowitz, retired Peace Corp Volunteer, for "A Cultural Tour of Iran Through Stories." Details

Friday, April 13

Alaska World Affairs Council hosts Dr. Michael Bruce, Epidemiology Team Leader at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Arctic Investigations Program, for "Can the Zombie Apocalypse Happen in the Arctic?" Details
Travel the World with WAC Philadelphia
Travel with  Council Leaders - hear them lecture on Travel the World tours from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia!
2018 travel schedule includes trips to: 

  • Bill Clifford, President and CEO, World Affairs Councils of America, Inside Japan: Mar. 31 - Apr. 12
  • Craig Snyder, President and CEO, World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Poland & Moscow Seminar: July 14-22
  • Jim Falk, President and CEO, World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, Cruise the Rhine, July 11-29
  • Megan Torrey, Executive Director, World Affairs Council of Hartford, Himalayan Kingdoms, Sept. 11-25
  • Dixie Anderson, Executive Director Emerita, World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, Romance of the Douro River: Sept. 15-26
  • Mimi Gregory, Vice President of Programs, Naples Council on World Affairs, Inside Botswana: Oct. 4-16
  • Joyce Davis, President, World Affairs Council of Harrisburg, Town & Country Life in Languedoc: Oct. 6-14
  • Derrick Olsen, President, WorldOregon, Inside New York: Oct 21-26
  • Don Samford, Board President, Peoria Area World Affairs Council, Cuba: Nov. 4-12

Contact  www.wacphila.org/travel  or call  1-800-942-5004 , ext.  209  or  217 .
World Affairs Councils of America | 202-833-4557
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