February 24, 2020
WACA Weekly
Apply Now for WACA Engage America : Future of Korea 2020; Wednesday KNOW NOW With Colombian Presidential Advisor Felipe Munoz; Councils' Star Speakers; WAC Upstate Murder Mystery Night; Council of the Month; WAC San Antonio's International Citizen of the Year Award; + more Council Highlights!
WACA-KEI Engage America: Future of Korea 2020 - Apply Today!
WACA is pleased to continue our collaboration with the  Korea Economic Institute of America on our  Engage America : Future of Korea program series. The speaker program focuses on the diplomatic, political, economic, and cultural circumstances on the Korean Peninsula, as well as U.S.-Korea relations.

The centerpiece of each Council's Future of Korea 2020 program is a three-person panel discussion consisting of representatives from the U.S. Department of State, the Korean Embassy (from DC or a regional Korean Consulate representative), KEI, or other relevant institutions. In addition to the mandatory panel discussion, local Councils are also expected to deliver ancillary activities, with a particular interest in media meetings.

WACA invites applications from Member Councils, and  six will be selected to participate. Please submit your Application Form to WACA Communications and Marketing Associate Rachel Pastor at rpastor@worldaffairscouncils.org by COB ET Friday, March 13. See here for program details.
Wednesday on KNOW NOW:   Colombian Pres. Advisor Felipe Muñoz
Register now for WACA's KNOW NOW conference call Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 2:00-2:30 pm ET, featuring Felipe Muñoz, Advisor to the President of Colombia for the Colombia-Venezuela Border.

As a consequence of the economic and political collapse in Venezuela, more than 1.6 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees have crossed the border and fled to Colombia seeking safety and opportunities for their future. The government of Colombia is going to extraordinary lengths to provide humanitarian relief to this unprecedented influx of migrants and making tremendous efforts to integrate the migrants into society.

WACA COO Liz Brailsford will moderate the KNOW NOW call with Felipe Muñoz to provide our Network with information about the magnitude of the crisis, the efforts undertaken by the Government of Colombia, and the role that the U.S. and the international community play in matching the scale of the crisis.
Star Speakers at Councils
Scroll down to the Council Highlights section for more speaker and topic ideas!
H.E. Jonatan Vseviov
Amb. of Estonia to the U.S.
Lt. Gen. (ret.) Michael Nagata
Former Director, National Counterterrorism Center
Malia Du Mont
Chief of Staff and VP, Bard College
Alex Kuo-shu Fan
Director-General, Taipei Econ. and Cultural Office
Council Job Opening!

The Business Operations Manager leads general business operations and office management for a small, fast-paced office. The role requires consistency in delivering prompt, organized, dependable support with thoughtful prioritization, impeccable attention to detail, confidentiality, and unparalleled professionalism. Apply here by Monday, February 24.
WAC Upstate International Murder Mystery Night
Upstate International Month, a signature program of the World Affairs Council Upstate, is a month-long, ten-county program of internationally themed events designed to highlight, celebrate, and promote the rich cultural diversity found in the Upstate of South Carolina.  

This year, WAC Upstate is kicking off UI Month with an International Murder Mystery Night on Friday, February 28. Set in 1936 on a train ride through the Alps, you become a suspect in an international crime. A who-dun-it game with Bavarian dinner, a little wine, lots of sleuthing and a few prizes too. It's a great way to get join friends and colleagues, build team or company spirit, and earn bragging rights -- all while supporting and promoting Upstate’s cultural diversity.
Council of the Month: WAC Charleston

The World Affairs Council of Charleston produces a podcast series run by Council Vice President George Pope. The most recent installment features an interview from last week with WACA President and CEO Bill Clifford. Pope and Clifford discuss Clifford's background, current WACA programming, member benefits, and the future of the Council Network. Listen to the podcast here!
WAC San Antonio's International Citizen of the Year 2020
The World Affairs Council of San Antonio will host its annual International Citizen of the Year award dinner on March 5 , featuring a keynote address by Ambassador (ret.) Roman Popadiuk, Chairman of the WACA National Board of Directors.

The 2020 International Citizen of the Year award recipient is native San Antonian and philanthropist Gordon Hartman. Hartman began his career building houses for low-to-moderate-income families. Since then, his company grew into the largest locally-owned home building and land development enterprises in San Antonio. In 2005, Hartman sold his companies and established The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation, in pursuit of his families dream of helping children and adults with special needs - inspired by his daughter Morgan, born with cognitive and physical challenges. Over the past decade, Hartman has been recognized for his amazing design and ingenuity in opening multiple non-profit, fully-accessible theme parks for special-needs individuals: Morgan's Wonderland, Morgan's Inspiration Land, and STAR (South Texas Area Regional) Soccer Complex are just a few. The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation has raised over $50M for the betterment of those with special needs. 
WACA Engage America : The Alliance Working in America
As part of WACA's Engage America Series: The Alliance Working in America, the Utah Council of Citizen Diplomacy will host a panel discussion to explore how U.S.-Japan relations serve U.S. national and regional interests. Sponsored by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, the delegation will consist of Yasuhiro Uozumi, Executive Director of Keidandren USA; Amb. James Zumwalt, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA and Chairman of the Japan-America Society of Washington, DC; and Lee Carter, CEO and President of Rakuten Bank America, on Tuesday, March 10, for " The Alliance Working in Utah: The Impact and Importance of U.S.-Japan Relations."
Councils: Register Your Teams for the 2020 AWQ National Competition
Registration for the Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2020 Academic WorldQuest National Competition is now open! The AWQ championship weekend program will be held in Washington, DC on April 24-25.

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 Friday, March 27. Register your AWQ team!

This year's competition will be held on Saturday, April 25 , at the United States Institute of Peace.

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 Westin DC City Center (1400 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005) at a special rate of $169 / night plus tax. The block will expire April 2. Reserve today!

Thank you to our sponsors!
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Council Highlights
Monday 2/24

World Affairs Council of Western Michigan hosts Steve Dalzell, Senior Defense Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation, for “Regional Security in the Red Sea.” Details

Tuesday 2/25

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts H.E. Jonatan Vseviov, Ambassador of Estonia to the U.S., and professor Jonathan Hughes, Loyola Marymount University, for “NATO, Transatlantic Relations, and a Building Economy.” Details

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Tracy Walder, former Staff Operations Officer at the CIA Counterterrorism Center Weapons of Mass Destruction Group and Board Member of Girl Security, for “Past Life in Intelligence: Taking Down the World’s Most Notorious Terrorists.” Details

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts Terry Vogt, Managing Director of Terra Global Capital, for “East Bay: Politics, Turmoil, and Travel in Northern California.” Details

World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts Anthony Welcher, Vice President of Compact Operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, for “How the Millennium Challenge Corporation Approaches Women’s Economic Empowerment.” Details

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Farah Pandith, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, for “How We Win: How Entrepreneurs, Political Visionaries, and Social Media Can Defeat the Extremist Threat.” Details

World Affairs Council of Philadelphia hosts director and producer Maurice Fitzpatrick, for “Documentary Screening: ‘John Hume in America.’” Details

World Affairs Council of the Quad Cities hosts professor Sayonnha Mandal, St. Ambrose University, for “Cybersecurity.” Details

World Affairs of the Mid-Hudson Valley hosts professor Selwayn Cudjoe, Wellesley College, for “William Hardin Burnley: The Slave Master of Trinidad.” Details

Wednesday 2/26

World Affairs Council of Maine hosts Nate Nickerson, Executive Director of Konbit Sante, for “Reflections on Global Health: How Maine's Own Konbit Sante Is Improving Health in Northern Haiti.” Details

World Affairs Council of Albuquerque hosts Nicholas Kralev, Executive Director of the Washington International Diplomatic Academy, for the “The Shifting Role and Impact of Diplomacy in a World in Disarray.” Details

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts Karen Sherman, President of Akilah Institute, for “Building Hope and Opportunity for Women Around the World.” Details

World Affairs Council of Charleston hosts Daniel Schlegel, Vice President of Operations at KION North America Corporation, for “German Luncheon.” Details

World Affairs Council of Charlotte hosts Lieutenant General (ret.) Michael Nagata, former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, for “Is America Winning?” Details

Colorado Springs World Affairs Council hosts Greg Treverton, former Chair of the National Intelligence Council, for “The Intelligence Community: What Is It? And Where Does It Need to Go.” Details

Indiana Council on World Affairs hosts Perfecto Caparas, Associate Director of Graduate Programs for Indiana University McKinney School of Law, for “Great Decisions: Philippines.” Details

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Gregory Brew, Postdoctoral Fellow at Southern Methodist University, for “From Friends to Foe: The Decline of U.S.-Iran Relations.” Details

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts professor Abhishek Kaicker, University of California, for “Modi’s Hindu Nationalism and the Occupation of Kashmir.” Details

World Affairs Council of Inland Southern California hosts a panel of experts for “Dispelling Myths: What We Know About Coronavirus.” Details

Thursday 2/27

World Affairs Council of Austin hosts Nicholas Kralev, Executive Director of the Washington International Diplomatic Academy, for “The Shifting Role and Impact of Diplomacy in a World in Disarray.” Details

World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley hosts Malia Du Mont, Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategy and Policy at Bard College, for “China’s Road Into Latin America.” Details

Institute of World Affairs (Milwaukee) hosts a panel of experts for “Safeguarding Elections in a Digital Age.” Details

Friday 2/28

Alaska World Affairs Council hosts Alex Kuo-shu Fan, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, for “The New Taiwan.” Details

WorldOregon hosts professor Priya Kapoor, Portland State University, for “India and Pakistan.” Details

Saturday 2/29

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Greg Shaffer, Security Consultant at the Shaffer Security Group, for “Personal Security 101.” Details
WACA's National Speaker Database Needs You!
We have recently debuted WACA's Speaker Database 2.0. In this new iteration, we have expanded our list of speakers and made it easier than ever for you, as Council staff and board members, to engage with it. We want your speakers! Please submit your speakers through the " Submit Your Speakers" button on our website.

You need to have an account through our website in order to view and interact with the database and submit your speakers. To check if you have an account, please visit your Council Member page on the WACA website and see if you are listed as a staff or board member. If you are not, you will not be able to interact with the database yet.

If you do not have an account or are having issues accessing the website and/or the Speaker Database, please email Rachel Pastor.
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!

2020 travel schedule includes trips to: 

  • Ambassador Heather Hodges, President and Ambassador in Residence, Cleveland Council on World Affairs, Barcelona: April 18-26, 2020
  • Lise Falskow, President & CEO, Alaska World Affairs Council, Scottish Isles and Norwegian Fjords: May 16-24, 2020
  • Dr. Pamela Zeiser, Education Liaison, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, Berlin Uncovered: May 24-31, 2020
  • Jim Falk, President & CEO, World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, Arctic Expedition: Voyage Under the Midnight Sun: June 9-19, 2020
  • Ljubomir (LJ) Stambuk, President & CEO, World Affairs Council of Charlotte, Sailing Ancient Trade Routes: Helsinki to Copenhagen: June 27-July 9, 2020
  • Craig Snyder, President & CEO, World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Ukraine Seminar: July 5-16, 2020
  • Mimi Gregory, Vice President and Program Chairman, Naples Council on World Affairs, Cruising the Adriatic and Aegean Seas: September 9-17, 2020
  • Bill Clifford, President & CEO, World Affairs Councils of America, Ancient Greece Odyssey: October 22-30, 2020
  • Don Samford, Chairman of the Education Outreach and Program Committees, Peoria Area World Affairs Council, Legendary Turkey: October 2-16, 2020
  • Derrick Olsen, President, WorldOregon, Romance of the Douro River: October 13-24, 2020

Contact  www.wacphila.org/travel   or call  800-942-5004 , ext.  209  or  217 .