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December Newsletter: 2021 in Review
In our final monthly newsletter of the year, it feels appropriate to reflect on all our team has achieved with the support and engagement of our network.

In 2021, the World Affairs Councils of America quickly pivoted and hosted its first virtual Carlos and Malú Alvarez Academic WorldQuest National Competition, welcoming almost 400 students from around the United States to our annual academic program. This past year, we also expanded our virtual programming, hosting 10 Cover to Cover author programs, 9 Engage America! Series programs, and 7 Best Practice sessions for Council staff and leaders.
This past month, we also returned to in-person programming with our 2021 National Conference. There was no better way to celebrate our 35th anniversary as a national association than to welcome over 170 guests to our first in-person event in almost 2 years. Over the course of 4 days, we held 20 sessions and have uploaded them to our YouTube channel. Additional sessions will be shared in the coming days, so make sure to subscribe to our channel. At the Conference, we awarded our Chairman's Individual Award to Ljubomir "L.J." Stambuk (pictured above), and our Council of the Year Award to WorldDenver, received by John Krieger (left).
WACA also welcomed the Nebraska World Affairs Council as the newest member of our Council network on November 19th!

Immediately following our 2021 National Conference, WACA President and CEO Bill Clifford and Executive Director of the Vermont Council on World Affairs, Patricia Preston, traveled with 9 student scholars to Doha for a leadership mission made possible by the Embassy of the State of Qatar. We also partnered with the World Affairs Council of Dallas for our first in-person Engage America! program of 2021 with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA on the "U.S.-Japan Alliance: Economic Impact on North Texas."

Looking back at this year, we have been able to offer unique and insightful programming and slowly return to in-person programming. This past year has been full of opportunities, and as we look ahead to 2022, the World Affairs Councils of America has plans to make our programming even more responsive and inclusive. With our new team members and your continued support and feedback, we look forward to everything the new year has to offer.

From the team here at WACA, we wish you and your families a healthy, restful, and happy holiday season.
Kathleen "K.C." Euler
Communications and Marketing Manager
WACA 2021 National Conference on YouTube
In Case You Missed It...
Watch the Closing Keynote on Revitalizing Democracy
Watch the CNAS Briefing on a National Technology Strategy for the U.S.
Star Speakers Around the Council Network
Christopher Painter
Global Forum on Cyber Expertise
Philip Dormizer
Vice President, Pfizer
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Mayor of Atlanta
Alejandro Celorio Alcántara
Mexico Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Michelle Bos-Lun
Vermont State Representative &
Co-Director, B.E. Change Fdn.
Theresa Cardinal Brown
Director of Immigration & Cross-Border Policy, BPC
Academic WorldQuest Study Guide
Pledge Forms Due December 10
This month, WACA announced the release of the Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2021-2022 Academic WorldQuest Study Guide! WACA provides a list of sources for each AWQ category in the official Academic WorldQuest Study Guide.

Council Staff, make sure to check your inboxes for the AWQ Study Guide release and submit your pledge forms by December 10, 2021.

Questions? Contact our Operations and Programs Associate, Keily Ramirez.
WorldQuest Weekly Quiz
This week's WACA WorldQuest Weekly is out! Test your global affairs awareness and dive into news stories that represent a broad spectrum of developments of interest and importance. Most of the questions are drawn from both WACA's Weekly World News Update, and a curated news Twitter feed @TNWAC #WACquiz.

In partnership with WACA, WorldQuest Weekly is produced by the Tennessee World Affairs Council, which offers customized subscriptions to the quiz for Council members. Contact pat@tnwac.org or visit tnwac.org/quiz for details.

Congratulations to the last week's winners (10/10)!
Cathy (Grand Rapids, MI) and Robert (Cathedral City, CA)
Support WACA This Holiday Season!
Finalizing your holiday online shopping? You can support the World Affairs Councils of America at no additional cost to you. If you shop your last minute holiday gifts through the Amazon Smile portal, a portion of your purchase will be donated to WACA. Select WACA as your charity of choice today!
Job Announcements in the Network
Global Minnesota seeks to hire an Administrative & Executive Coordinator, an International Exchange Coordinator, and an International Student Engagement Manager. Learn more.
International Institute of Buffalo seeks to hire a Bookkeeper, a Donations Coordinator, an Immigration and Domestic Violence Advocate, an Executive Director, a Domestic Violence Advocate, a Resettlement Case Manager, a Resettlement Program Coordinator, an AI Administrative Assistant, and a Professional Pathways Coordinator. Learn more.
Columbus Council on World Affairs seeks to hire a part-time Program Coordinator. Learn more.
World Affairs Council of Seattle seeks to hire a Program Officer, Global Leadership Exchange. Learn more.
All programs below are accessible online unless otherwise indicated.

Monday 12/6

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall presents “Member Screening: Who Are We?”

Naples Council on World Affairs hosts Christopher Painter, President of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, for “Responding to Nation-State, Criminal and Other Threats in Cyberspace: Can We Build a More Secure Future?” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Palm Beach hosts Patrick Mulloy, trade lawyer and consultant, for “How America Helped China Build Its Wealth and Power” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Charlotte hosts Tara Kangarlou, award-winning journalist, for “The Heartbeat of Iran: Real Voices of a Country and Its People”

Santa Fe Council on International Relations with World Affairs Council of Connecticut, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, and World Affairs Council of Western Michigan hosts Kati Marton, author, for “The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel”


World Affairs Council of Philadelphia hosts Ambassador David Hale, career diplomat, for “The Importance of Diplomacy” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Austin presents “Farewell Reception for Tech Business Delegates from Chile” (In Person)

Tuesday 12/7

World Affairs Forum (Stamford) hosts Philip Dormitzer, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of RNA and Viral Vaccines at Pfizer, for “Vaccine Innovation in Global Perspective”

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta, for “60th Mayor of Atlanta” (In Person)

Santa Fe Council on International Relations and World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth host Tom Standage, deputy editor of The Economist, for “The Year Ahead: 2022”

San Diego World Affairs Council hosts Trygve Olson, Founder of Viking Strategies LLC, for “Belarus: The Long Road to Freedom”

World Affairs Council of Orange County hosts Greg Treverton, former Chairman of the National Intelligence Council, for “Annual Holiday Event: Around the World in the Year Ahead” (In Person)

Indiana Council on World Affairs presents “ICWA Holiday Party” (In Person)

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Ben Martin, State Advocacy Captain for Americans for the Arts, for “A Visitor’s Perspective on Cuba in Transition”

World Affairs Council of Charlotte presents “Young Professionals of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte Annual Holiday Social Mixer” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Western North Carolina hosts Larry Wilson, Educational Consultant, for “Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Houston hosts Eric Botts, Director of Global Cyber Security Program at the University of St. Thomas, for "The Geopolitics of Cyber Security" (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Upstate presents “Gluhwein Party 2021” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Seattle presents “The Euro Challenge 2022”

Wednesday 12/8

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Alejandro Celorio Alcántara, Legal Advisor at Mexico Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for “Stopping the Violence at the Source: Mexico’s Lawsuit Against U.S. Gun Manufacturers”

WorldDenver presents “International Night at the Denver Christkindlmarket” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts Dafna Zur, Associate Professor of East Languages & Cultures at Stanford University, and Crystal S. Anderson, Assistant Director of Korean Studies at George Mason University and Director of Kpop Collective, for “Korea: K-Pop + K-Food + K-Drama = K-Power”

World Affairs Council of Maine hosts Sarah Chayes, former NPR Journalist, for “Corruption: What’s At Stake?”

World Affairs Council of Greater Reading hosts Irene Langran, professor and chair of the Political Science Department at Albright College, for “The WHO and Global Health Governance: Lessons from the Pandemic”

World Affairs Council of Charleston hosts Christian Curriden, Defense Analyst at the Rand Corp, for “North Korea: From Pariah State to Major Challenge - How Did It Happen?” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Brett Scharffs, Rex E. Lee Chair, Professor of Law, and Director of the International Center for Law and Religious Studies at Brigham Young University, and JaLynne Prince, Chairman of the Madison House Autism Foundation, for “Everyone Everywhere: The Rights That Unite Us – Bill and Barbara Benac Human Dignity and Fairness for All Lecture” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts (Ret.) Ambassador Mark Lippert, former Ambassador to Korea, and (Ret.) Lieutenant General Charles Hooper, Senior Counselor at the Cohen Group, for “U.S. China Competition: What’s At Stake for the Indo-Pacific”

Thursday 12/9

Global Ties Arizona hosts Michelle Bos-Lun, Vermont State Representative, Co-Director of B.E. Change Foundation, and international exchange expert, for “Destination Series Featuring India”

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Jeffrey Robinson, Film Writer and Director of ACLU Trone Center for Justice and Equality, Emily Kunstler, Film Co-Producer, Director, and Editor, and Sarah Kunstler, Co-Producer and Director, for “A Conversation With the Filmmakers of ‘WHO WE ARE A Chronicle of Racism in America’”

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts Penny Edwards, Associate Professor in the Department of South and Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, for “Burma on the Brink”

World Affairs Council of Sonoma County hosts Anna Vassilieva, Professor of Russian Studies and Director of the Monterey Initiative in Russian Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California, for “Is a Constructive Agenda With Russia Possible?”

Sarasota World Affairs Council hosts Theresa Cardinal Brown, Managing Director of Immigration and Cross-Border Policy of the Bipartisan Policy Center, for “Immigration Reform: Fact, Fiction, and Future” (In Person)

Savannah Council on World Affairs hosts Thomas Patterson, Professor of Government and Press at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, for “How America Lost its Mind: Our Misinformation Crisis” (In Person)

Peoria Area World Affairs Council hosts Shelley Epstein, journalist, for “Global Peoria – International News Round Up”

Worcester World Affairs Council hosts Andrew Weber, Senior Fellow at the Council on Strategic Risks, for “Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction”

Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs hosts Jerry Hultin, Chair and Co-Founder of Global Futures Group LLC, for “The Future From Three Perspectives: Cities, Work, and Nation States”

World Affairs Council of Hilton Head presents “Book Club: War - How Conflict Shaped Us” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Upstate presents “Stride and Stroll(er) with UIWG” (In Person)

Olympia World Affairs Council hosts Chris Kendall, Professor at the University of Puget Sound, for “The International Criminal Court: Human Rights Beacon or Threat to Sovereignty?”

World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts Christina Jennings, Owner of Jennings Yarn, Shant Meguerditchian, Co-Founder of Inovine, and Diane Najm, Founder and CEO of PhotoPad, for “YPIN – Launching Your Startup or Business: The DOs and DON’Ts”

Friday 12/10

Alaska World Affairs Council hosts (Ret.) Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn AO for “National Resilience is a National Security Issue”

World Affairs Council of Atlanta presents “Young Leaders End of Year Social” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Harrisburg hosts Peter Martin, Defense Policy and Intelligence Reporter for Bloomberg News, for “The Rise of China”