LUNCHEON KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Thursday, Nov. 17

Russia's brutal war since invading Ukraine six months ago has shattered peace in Europe. At the NATO Summit in Madrid, Allies agreed that Russia is the most significant security threat in the Euro-Atlantic area. Also this year, NATO endorsed a new Strategic Concept, updating its 2010 blueprint. It describes today's global strategic realities, reaffirms NATO's values, and guides future political and military development to ensure Allies' collective defense.

General Philippe Lavigne assumed his post as SACT in May 2021. He will address questions such as; How will NATO continue to support Ukraine and prevent Putin's unprovoked war from spreading? What capabilities is NATO developing to take on challenges posed by China, by cyber and space domains, and climate change? What role does Allied Command Transformation, NATO's warfighting command, play to sharpen strategic thinking and decision making to foster a more resilient, cohesive Alliance?

The World Affairs Councils of America is excited to welcome all of you to the WACA 2022 National Conference this November 15-18 at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC! Get ready for high caliber speakers, groundbreaking panels, expanded networking opportunities, and more!

The WACA Board has announced that 25 scholarships will be provided to undergraduate students to attend the 2022 National Conference: Navigating a Fractured World. Councils are welcome to solicit applications from today and nominate one scholarship candidate. The scholarship includes $1,000 per undergraduate student, to be used towards travel, lodging, and/or incidentals, plus complimentary registration. For details about eligibility, applications, and the nomination process please click here.

Be sure to take advantage of our Early Bird discounts, good through Friday, September 9. (We apologize for earlier announcements that indicated an incorrect expiration date.)

Register for individual and multiple tickets and visit our Conference website for regular updates on our developing agenda, distinguished speakers, and special activities. Councils can purchase a Table of 8 benefit from a deeper discount and preferred seating locations!

We are pleased to share that the hotel block is now open at the special rate of $294 / night plus tax (this rate applies to reservations as early as Nov. 14 and as late as Nov. 19). Given that the WACA Conference hotel block sells out early, we encourage you to book your room now!

WACA and Global Santa Fe present author Elliot Ackerman on Wednesday, August 31, at 2-3 PM ET.

Timely publication of Ackerman's latest book, The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan, comes on the first anniversary of President Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Elliot Ackerman is both a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. He is the author of the novels, Red Dress In Black and White, Waiting for Eden, Dark at the Crossing, and Green on Blue, as well as the memoir Places and Names: On War, Revolution and Returning.

This virtual Cover to Cover program will be moderated by Global Santa Fe's Jim Falk .

The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia and Citizen Diplomacy International Philadelphia announced an exciting and historic merger last Thursday. See the full press release.

The combined organization, to be led by WAC Philadelphia President & CEO Lauren Swartz (second from right), brings more than 130 years of collective focus on engaging internationally and locally, offering a range of enriching educational programs and robust people-to-people exchanges, for the benefit of the Greater Philadelphia region. Thanks to the vision of the two organizations' Boards of Directors, they will pursue that international connectivity as a single nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

Going forward, the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, already one of the largest Councils in WACA, becomes the 29th member of our association to also hold membership in Global Ties U.S. WACA and Global Ties share interests, support each other's national meetings, and take pride in the work that our common member organizations accomplish. The leadership and best-practices sharing from these common members resonate across both national networks.

WACA congratulates Lauren and her Council and Citizen Diplomacy colleagues on this momentous merger and wishes them great success in harnessing the promise, the talent, and the synergies to come!

The World Affairs Councils of America was profoundly saddened to learn that Wendy Anderton, former Executive Director of Global Ties Arizona (2016- 2021), has passed away. Under Wendy’s leadership, hundreds of industry professionals selected for the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program engaged with their Arizona counterparts to exchange best practices and promote peace between nations and enduring bonds of friendship. We are grateful to Wendy for her dedicated service; she will be deeply missed by the Global Ties and WACA communities and colleagues nationwide.

"Wendy was a pro and a warm, genuine person," said WACA President & CEO Bill Clifford. "She had a wicked sense of humor and was an inspired dancer." Our thoughts are with all who knew and loved her. Wendy is survived by her beloved wife Heather and her family, which asked that gifts in her memory be directed to Global Ties Arizona. If you wish to support the family, please contact Kristin Allen.

In partnership with WACA, WorldQuest Weekly is produced by the Tennessee World Affairs Council, which offers customized subscriptions to the quiz for Council members. Most of the questions are drawn from both WACA's Weekly World News Update, and a curated news Twitter feed (@TNWAC). Contact pat@tnwac.org or visit tnwac.org/quiz for details.

Some 60 colleagues in the WACA network joined our August 18 Best Practices Webinar: Membership as a Revenue Growth Strategy. Find the recording on the WACA website's Member Resources Page.

Global Minnesota seeks to hire a President. Applications will be reviewed as received.

Montana World Affairs Council seeks a Development Coordinator.

Applications will be reviewed as received.

Global Santa Fe seeks to hire multiple positions, a Marketing and Membership Coordinator Applications will be reviewed as received.

World Affairs Council of New Orleans seeks to hire a Board Member/Fellow. Applications will be reviewed as received.

International Institute of Buffalo seeks to hire multiple positions, a Director of Finance, a Business Leader Interpreting and Translation, an Operations Leader, a Bookkeeper, and a Case Manager: Human Trafficking Services. Applications will be reviewed as received.

Columbus World Affairs Council seeks to hire a Development Manager and Youth Programming Coordinator. Applications will be reviewed as received.

World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh seeks to hire a Development Manager and a Youth Programming Coordinator. Applications will be reviewed as received.

Vermont Council on World Affairs seeks to hire an AmeriCorps Vista Youth Program Coordinator. Applications will be reviewed as received.

International Relations Council (Kansas City) presents “South Asia Roundtable Meeting” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky hosts Jason Barkeloo, Founder & CEO of Open Therapeutics, Debbie Kramer; Senior Director of Privacy at The Kroger Co.; and Michael Wilhite, VP, Enterprise Standards 84.51°, for "Open Data Promise and Peril in Modern Data Flows" (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts David Harris, Chief Executive Officer of the American Jewish Committee, for “Lessons from a Lifetime of Global Jewish Advocacy” (In Person)

International Relations Council (Kansas City) presents “Global Experience: The French Art of Tea: Culture to Cultivation” (In Person)

World Affairs Council Upstate presents “International Women’s Group: Coffee at Panera” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Vitalii Tarasiuk, Consul General of Ukraine in Houston, for “In Recognition of the Independence Day of Ukraine” (In Person)

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts Nicola Smith, UK Telegraph Asia correspondent and Tommy Walker, freelance journalist, for “Field Reporting: On the Ground in Hong Kong, Ukraine & Taiwan” (Virtual)

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Michael Makara, Professor of Political Science at the University of Central Missouri, for “What's Happening in Yemen?” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Inland Southern California presents “International Trivia Night” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Maine hosts Akhil Bery, Director of South Asia Initiatives, for “Wednesday Night Webinar: Sri Lanka in Crisis” (Virtual)

Columbia World Affairs Council Presents “CWAC Happy Hour” (In Person)

Tennessee World Affairs Council hosts Ambassador John Kornblum, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany and Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs and Marieta Velikova, Professor of Economic and Director of the Center for International Business Belmont University, for “In Focus: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council Miami hosts Brian Reynolds, U.S. Diplomat; Martin Chen, Economic Division Director of TECO; and Amino C.Y.Chi, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami, for “C-The Future Series: Taiwan” (In Person)

Peoria Area World Affairs Council hosts Robert Atkinson, Founder and President of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), for “What a New Industrial Policy Means for Economic, Cyber and National Security.” (In Person)

Montana World Affairs Council presents “Teacher Support for EconoQuest and GeoQuest Platforms” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Albuquerque hosts Robert Leland, Director of the Climate Change Security Center at Sandia National Laboratories, for “Climate Change and National Security” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Seattle presents “Networking Happy Hour with Global Washington and Global Leadership Forum” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of New Hampshire hosts Andy Martin, Republican Primary Candidate for the U.S. Senate, for “On Foreign Policy: U.S. Senate Candidates Views on the U.S.’ Role in the World” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky presents “NKY Back-to-School Educator Appreciation Event” (In Person)