April 13, 2020
WACA Weekly
Tomorrow: Zoom How-To Council Leaders Call; KNOW NOW on the Libyan Conflict; Star Speakers on Webinar; KEI Hosts a Webinar on South Korea's National Assembly Elections + WACA SK KNOW NOW; Council Virtual Programming; WACA's Members-Only Section; + more COVID-19 Resources!
Tomorrow! - Webinar for Council Leaders & Staff Only

Zoom How-To
Tuesday, April 14, at 1:00 PM ET
The goal of this webinar is to connect in-house Zoom experts to compare notes, share best practices, and aid other Councils in creating and perfecting a webinar series via Zoom. The discussion will be led by representatives from International Relations Council (Kansas City), WorldOregon, and the World Affairs Council of Connecticut.

*Council leaders received Zoom details and a registration link separately. We encourage you to share information with your staff as you see fit.


Professional Resources

*For more COVID-19 related materials, please see the resources section below.
WACA's KNOW NOW: Mohammed Ali Abdallah on the Libyan Conflict
Register now for WACA's KNOW NOW conference call Wednesday, April 15, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET, featuring Mohammed Ali Abdallah, Political Advisor for U.S. Affairs to the Prime Minister of Libya (leader of the U.S.-UN-recognized Government of Libya).

The conflict and violence that has handcuffed Libya's progress post-revoluation continues to plague Libyans’ efforts to revitalize and rebuild the war-torn country. In cooperation with the international community, Libyans established the interim Government of National Accord to unite the country’s factions and build a stable civil society. In April 2019, Khalifa Haftar and his forces launched an attack on Tripoli to overthrow the GNA, instigating a war that over the past year has killed more than 2,200 people, displaced over 200,000, and made oil-rich Libya the center of an international proxy. One year after Haftar began his advance on Tripoli, join Mr. Abdallah and WACA President and CEO Bill Clifford to discuss the state of the war in Libya, the role of external powers, and prospects for resolution.
Cover to Cover on Podcast
Listen as Daniel Markey, Senior Research Professor and Director of the School of Advanced International Studies' Global Policy Program at Johns Hopkins University, discusses his new book: China's Western Horizon: Beijing and the New Geopolitics of Eurasia, with WACA President and CEO Bill Clifford.
Star Speakers on Council Webinars
Robert Kuttner, Co-Founder and Co-Editor
The American Prospect
Peter Goettler, President & CEO, CATO Institute
Philip Yun
President and CEO
World Affairs
John Hope Bryant
Founder, Chairman, and CEO
Operation HOPE
Ambassador (ret.) Bonnie Jenkins
Founder and Pres., Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation
*View the Councils Go Virtual section below for all upcoming Council programs this week!
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Webinars Spotlight: Vermont CWA and WAC Cincinnati & N. Kentucky
Vermont Council on World Affairs hosts Edith Klimoski, Director of Give Way to Freedom, for “ Great Decisions: Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking," and a panel of experts for “ Human Trafficking: A View of the International, Local, and Individual Context,” on Wednesday, April 15.

*The Vermont events are ticketed - the Council will give 20 free tickets to WACA member Councils . If interested, use the promo code "WACAFREE" when registering to receive a 100% discount on your ticket(s). Please contact James Gunger at james@vermont.org with any questions.

World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky hosts Sean Brislin, Coordinator of Promotional Planning & Category Management for Meat and Seafood Merchandising at Kroger, and Elizabeth Coleman, Lead Data Scientist for Kroger Marketing Analytics & Insights at 84.51°, for " Kroger's Impact on Local and Global Markets Amid COVID-19," on Thursday, April 16.
KEI Presents a Webinar Discussion on South Korea's Recent Elections
The Korea Economic Institute, a WACA partner and sponsor, will host a Zoom webinar on Thursday, April 16 at 9:00 AM ET to discuss the implications of South Korea’s National Assembly election for South Korean policy during the remainder of the Moon administration and how South Korea worked to protect its elections during a time of global pandemic.

On April 15, South Korea will be one of the first nations to conduct an election since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. When voters head to the polls during this crisis, they will cast votes for all 300 seats in the National Assembly and have more choices than ever thanks to changes in how proportional voting seats are distributed. The elections will also serve as an opportunity for voters to assess the Moon administration’s first half and express their preferences for future policy strategy.

This event will be livestreamed on Zoom with an interactive Q&A session. Please register here to receive the webinar link on the day of the event. Panelists include:

  • Song Hochang, Managing Director of Asia Strategy at FiscalNote and former Member of the National Assembly
  • Kang Insun, Deputy Managing Editor for Diplomacy and National Security and former Washington Bureau Chief at Chosun Ilbo
  • Scott Snyder, Senior Fellow for Korea Studies and Director of the Program on U.S.-Korea Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations
  • Troy Stangarone (Moderator), Senior Director and Fellow at the Korea Economic Institute
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WACA's KNOW NOW: Ambassador Kathleen Stephens on South Korea
Register now for WACA's KNOW NOW conference call Tuesday, April 28, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET, featuring Ambassador (ret.) Kathleen Stephens, President and CEO of the Korea Economic Institute.

Ambassador Stephens will join WACA President and CEO Bill Clifford to discuss the South Korea's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and U.S.-South Korea relations.

*Please note that this program was originally a Zoom webinar, but will now be held as a regular conference call with the standard dial-in details provided in the registration confirmation email.
Monday 4/13 

World Affairs Council of Connecticut hosts Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, for " U.S. vs. China: Competition for Credibility and a Cure."

Naples Council on World Affairs hosts Dean Eliot Cohen, School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, for “ Coronavirus and the Authoritarian Tide."

Tuesday 4/14 
 
World Affairs Council of Philadelphia hosts Robert Kuttner, Co-Founder and Co-Editor of The American Prospect, and Peter Goettler, President and CEO of the CATO Institute, for “ How Does the U.S. Economy Recover from This?”

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Jamey Edwards, Co-Founder and CEO of Cloudbreak Health, for “ Telemedicine’s Time to Change Global Healthcare."

Montana World Affairs Council hosts Dr. Jennifer Westrup, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Beacon Hospital, for “ Dr. Jennifer Westrup, Doctor, Oncologist, and Mother in Pandemic.”

World Affairs Council of Western Michigan hosts Kristin Sharp, Partner at Entangled Solutions, for “ Global Trends Shaping the Future of Work.” 

Wednesday 4/15 

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts Philip Yun, President and CEO of World Affairs, for “ International Career Mentor Webinar.”

World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts John Hope Bryant, Founder and CEO of Operation HOPE, for “ Financial Hope in Times of COVID-19.”

Vermont Council on World Affairs hosts Edith Klimoski, Director of Give Way to Freedom, for “ Great Decisions: Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking." *The Vermont events are ticketed - the Council will give 20 free tickets to WACA member Councils . If interested, use the promo code "WACAFREE" when registering to receive a 100% discount on your ticket(s). Please contact James Gunger at james@vermont.org with any questions.

Vermont Council on World Affairsand a panel of experts for “ Human Trafficking: A View of the International, Local, and Individual Context.” *The Vermont events are ticketed - the Council will give 20 free tickets to WACA member Councils . If interested, use the promo code "WACAFREE" when registering to receive a 100% discount on your ticket(s). Please contact James Gunger at james@vermont.org with any questions.

World Affairs Council of Connecticut hosts Ambassador (ret.) Bonnie Jenkins, Founder and President of Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation, for " Why We Need the Global Health Security Agenda."

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Amanda Johnson, Diplomat in Residence at the University of Oklahoma, for “ Careers in Foreign Service."

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, for “ COVID-19, Ongoing Strategies & Lessons for the Future"

World Affairs Council of Upstate hosts professor Brent Nelson, Furman University, and professor Tom Smythe, Florida Gulf Coast University, for “ Bracing for Impact: Coronavirus and the Global Economy.”

Los Angeles World Council & Town Hall hosts a panel of experts for “ How the UAE and Gulf States Are Responding to COVID-19.”

Thursday 4/16  

WorldOregon hosts Ambassador Harriet Isom, former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon, for “ From Wheatfields to the World.”

World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts Joseph Cirincione, President of Ploughshares Fund, for “ Rethinking National Security in the Age of Pandemics.”

World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky hosts Sean Brislin, Coordinator of Promotional Planning & Category Management for Meat and Seafood Merchandising at Kroger, and Elizabeth Coleman, Lead Data Scientist for Kroger Marketing Analytics & Insights at 84.51°, for " Kroger's Impact on Local and Global Markets Amid COVID-19."

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Steven Youngblood, Founding Director of the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University, for “ COVID-19 in the Media.”
 
World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Robbie Gramer, Diplomacy and National Security Reporter at Foreign Policy, for “ Pandemic Diplomacy.”  

Indiana Council on World Affairs hosts Sarwar Kashmeri, Fellow at the Foreign Policy Association, for “ China’s Grand Strategy: Weaving a New Silk Road to Global Primacy.”

Montana World Affairs Council hosts Kathleen McLaughlin, former Beijing Correspondent at Science Magazine, for “ Epidemics & Coverups: Learning from China’s Mistakes.”
 
World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts hosts professor Muqtedar Khan, University of Delaware, for “ The Rise of Hindu Nationalism in India: Implications for the U.S. and the World."
 
Los Angeles World Council & Town Hall hosts professor Dan Schnur, University of Southern California, for “ Politics in the Time of Coronavirus.”

Santa Fe Council on International Relations hosts a panel of experts for “ Demolishing the Foundations: Worldwide Consequences of America’s Assault on the Rule of Law.”

Friday 4/17 

World Affairs Council of Connecticut hosts Major General Francis J. Evon, Jr., Adjutant General of the Connecticut National Guard, for " CT National Guard Pandemic Response."

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Sheila Smith, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, on her book Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power.  

World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts Signi Schneider, Responsible International Business Consultant, for " How to Be a Good Corporate Citizen in a Pandemic."
Access Council Virtual Programming via WACA's Members-Only Portal
WACA is busy preparing a number of additional resources for the Members-Only section! WACA strives to provide Councils with easy access to tools, guidelines, events, and more that add value to our Members both personally and professionally, to our Councils' overall operations, and to the Network as a whole. This is a top priority for the National Office, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. That is why we've added two resource sections dedicated to COVID-19 related information and digital programming available to the public by Councils.

The goal is to make the Members-Only section a one-stop shop for all Council needs. However, these sections are only as good as the information contained within, so we are calling on all Councils to please submit any documentation per the categories below, or any other information helpful to the Network.

The Members-Only section is a private benefit for our Council Members. Please contact Rachel Pastor at rpastor@worldaffairscouncils.org for login details and account creation.
COVID-19 Updates & Tracker

Health & Wellness

Educator Resources
  • Ohio Council for the Social Studies Resource Document -- Bill Hilt, President/CEO, WAC Northwest Ohio
  • To help alleviate some of concerns with distance learning and explaining the current health crisis, the list is a compilation of K-12 Social Studies lessons, activities, and resources. It also has guidelines for explaining COVID-19 to young people.
  • Zoom CEO announcement of free platforms for K-12 schools

WACA Updates: Messages from President and CEO Bill Clifford

  • Monday, April 6 Update
  • Friday, April 3 Update
  • Thursday, April 2 Announcement
  • Tuesday, March 31 Announcement
  • Monday, March 30 Reminder
  • Friday, March 27 Reminder
  • Monday, March 23 Announcement
  • Tuesday, March 17 Update
  • Monday, March 16 Update
  • Thursday, March 12 Update
  • Monday, March 9 Announcement

*To view Council Member Resources on the WACA website, you must be a Council leader, staff, or board member and have an account

Please contact Rachel Pastor at rpastor@worldaffairscouncils.org if you don't have an account.
Councils on Podcast
WAC Philadelphia CEO Craig Snyder to Step Down in September
Craig Snyder, President and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, will step down after almost 8 years at the Council. His official last day will be September 30, 2020 , and the search is on for his successor - job description and application details are forthcoming.

Under Snyder's leadership, WAC Philadelphia celebrated its 70th Anniversary and launched numerous new initiatives. The anniversary celebration included a capital campaign that yielded $2 million - over and above the Council's annual operating budget. And in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, WAC Philadelphia rolled out a new Daily Digest newsletter, as well as a webinar series to keep Philadelphians connected during this period of social distancing.

The WACA National Office will continue to rely on the advice and leadership of Snyder, a WACA National Board Member since July 2015, in the coming months. We are proud of his accomplishments and contributions to the Council Network, and we wish the Council good luck in the search for his successor.
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.