April 20, 2020
WACA Weekly
Announcing 'CxC: Amplified' New Initiative + Putting the World Back Together Ideas Summit; WACA CEO on Japan Society Webinar: U.S.-Asia Relations - COVID-19; Star Speakers on Webinar; KNOW NOW on South Korea Relations; WAC Dallas CEO Postpones Departure; Councils Virtual Programming; + more!
Announcing New 'CxC: Amplified' Initiative!

Putting the World Back Together
An ideas summit presented by World Affairs Councils nationwide
May 4-8, 2020
The World Affairs Council of Connecticut proposed to WACA the brilliant idea of putting together a week-long, Network-wide extravaganza of virtual programming in which all Councils are welcome to participate. The aim is to harness our mutual convening power to amplify what Councils are doing locally and to present these opportunities for members and the public as an ideas summit.

Virtual programming will be dedicated to discussing the personal and professional, economic and foreign policy, and local and global impacts of COVID-19. The CxC: Amplified summit will include webinars, discussion groups, happy hours, and more virtual programming hosted by Councils across the U.S.

Each day will be anchored by a keynote webinar event, and the lineup will range from a variety of different topics, formats, and formality. We invite you and your members to take advantage of this cross-Council event-sharing opportunity.

All events submitted are welcome and will be included in the summit. To add an event, send event details, speaker bios and headshots, and event links to Amanda Jolly at ajolly@ctwac.org and Rachel Pastor at rpastor@worldaffairscouncils.org. We encourage you to be creative!

The virtual agenda will evolve day by day. Please stay tuned for the announcement of the official summit website and program components.

Confirmed Speakers
Tuesday, May 5, 12:00 PM ET
General (ret.) David Petraeus
Chairman, KKR Global Institute
Global Leadership in Crisis
WAC Connecticut
Wednesday, May 6, 2:00 PM ET
Dr. Nina Ansary
UN Women Global Champion
WACA
Friday, May 8, 12:00 PM ET
General (ret.) John Allen
President, Brookings Institution
The World After COVID-19
WAC Connecticut
WACA CEO on Japan Society Webinar: U.S.-Asia Relations - COVID-19
Tomorrow! The Japan Society will host a webinar event Tuesday, April 21, at 4:00 PM ET with a discussion and Q&A about " Promoting Our Mission in the Age of COVID-19: U.S. Relations With Japan, Asia, and the World."

In the age of COVID-19-related restricted international travel and exchanges, U.S. non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting and strengthening U.S. relations with the rest of the world have an ever more important role to play and must overcome current challenges. Leaders of the Japan Society, Asia Society, and the World Affairs Councils of America will discuss their experiences and lessons-learned thus far in responding to the impact of COVID-19 in their respective communities. Tune-in to the  webinar to learn what they are hearing from other countries about the current situation and their perspectives on COVID-19 implications for the future of U.S.-Japan relations, U.S. presence in Asia, and U.S. global leadership.

Speakers:

Moderator:
Dr. Joshua W. Walker, President and CEO,  Japan Society

Admission:
This is a free event. You must  register for the webinar to receive the login details. Registrants will receive a link to access the live webinar one day before the event.

If you have questions about the event, please contact us at  info@japansociety.org.
Star Speakers on Council Webinars
Luz Gonzalez, Exec. Director, Pretty Busy Club
Tarik Nally, Founder, Kale and Flax
Soner Cagaptay, Director
Turkish Research Program, Washington Institute
Attah Obande
Director of Dream Fulfillment, Spring GR
Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster
Fouad & Michelle Ajami Sr. Flw., Hoover Institution WAC Hilton Head - Fri., April 24 
*View the Councils Go Virtual section below for all upcoming Council programs this week!
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.
Jim Falk Postpones Departure as CEO of WAC Dallas Due to Coronavirus
Jim Falk, President and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, announced late last week that he will postpone his previously announced departure to help the Council through the current pandemic. Like many others, WAC Dallas/Fort Worth has transitioned to online events in response to the outbreak and is now focused on its financial future.

Having led the organization for nearly two decades, Falk originally planned to leave his position by the end of the year. “We are now focused on how the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting economic situation will affect the Council’s current business operations and its future,” Falk said in a written statement. He is working with the organization’s executive committee to leave the council in the “strongest position possible."

“We are grateful that Jim is putting his personal plans on hold,” said Board Chairman Jorge Baldor. “The board is working alongside Jim to ensure the Council emerges in the same financially sound and well-structured condition it had achieved when he made his plans to retire.”
Monday 4/20 

Montana World Affairs Council hosts Robert O’Driscoll, Consul General of Ireland in San Francisco, for “ Talking Transatlantic - Ireland, Montana, and the U.S.”

World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley hosts Umar Ahmad and Mirza Ashraf, WAC Mid-Hudson Valley Board Members, for “ Great Decisions: India and Pakistan.” 
 
Tuesday 4/21  

Tennessee World Affairs Council hosts Ambassador (ret.) Charles Bowers, former U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, for “ Global Engagement: A Review of News and Issues in World Affairs.” 

World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana hosts Luz Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Pretty Busy Club, and Tarik Nally, Founder of Kale and Flax, for “ From Crisis to Opportunity: How Entrepreneurs Across the Globe Approach COVID-19.”  

WorldBoston hosts Dave Fortier, President of One World Strong, for “ One World Strong: Building Global Connections Through Fitness.”  

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts Ian Lesser, Vice President of the German Marshall Fund of the U.S., for " The View from the EU: A Conversation on COVID-19."

World Affairs Council of Connecticut hosts James Lindsay, Senior Vice President of the Council on Foreign Relations, for “ Foreign Policy in the Election.” 

World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts professor Laurie Blank, Director of the International Humanitarian Law Clinic at Emory University School of Law, and professor Carrie Lee, Air War College, for “ Convert Military Ops: Strategy vs. Legality.” 

World Affairs Council of Philadelphia hosts Adam Garfinkle, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Nanyang Technological University, for “ Three Shooting Wars: Can Anything Be Done?” 

Montana World Affairs Council hosts professor Jonathan Westrup, Irish Management Institute, for “ Ireland’s Economic Renaissance: Insights for Montana.” 

WorldOregon host professor Shawn Smallman, Portland State University, for “ Fear, Fiction, and Fact: COVID-19’s Origins & Spread.” 

Wednesday 4/22  

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Ambassador David Rank, former acting U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, for “ COVID-19's Impact on China's Economy, the Communist Party, and Relations With the U.S. and the World.” 

World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts James Story, Charge d’Affaires (Acting Ambassador) at the Venezuela Affairs Unit, for “ Venezuela’s New Political Threat: COVID-19.” 

World Affairs Council of Connecticut hosts Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute, for " COVID-19 Crisis: Iran's Pathway to the Bomb."

World Affairs Council of New Hampshire hosts Soner Cagaptay, Director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute, for “ Erdogan's Empire.”

World Affairs Council of New Jersey hosts Greg Treverton, former Chair of the National Intelligence Council, for “ COVID-19 as a Wicked Problem.” 

Foreign Policy Association hosts Joseph Nye, Distinguished Service Professor at Harvard University, for his book, Do Morals Matter? 

Global Minnesota hosts professor Alexander Stille, Columbia University, for “ Italy Today.”  

World Affairs Council of Greater Reading hosts professor Kirwin Shaffer, Pennsylvania State University, for “ U.S. Relations With the Northern Triangle.” 

World Affairs Council of Upstate hosts professor Weston Dripps, Furman State University, and Nathan Stock, Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute, for “ America & the World.” 

Montana World Affairs Council hosts poet Gary Jermyn, for “ A Terrible Beauty Is Born - Ireland, Yeats, and the Easter Rising.” 

Alaska World Affairs Council hosts a panel of experts for “ Bringing the World Together During a Time of Challenge and Uncertainty.”  

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts a panel of experts for “ Supplying and Sustaining a Prepared Public Health Infrastructure.” 

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts a panel of experts for “ Continental Cooperation: How the U.S, Mexico, and Canada Are Aligning to Confront COVID-19.” 

Thursday 4/23  

World Affairs Council of Western Michigan hosts Attah Obande, Director of Dream Fulfillment at Spring GR, for “ Entrepreneurs' Experiences in the Changing Economy - Local Perspectives.” 

World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana hosts John Zogby, Founder of John Zogby Strategies, for “ 2020: There Is Still an Election.” 

World Affairs Council of San Antonio hosts Tim Morrow, President & CEO of the San Antonio Zoological Society, for “ Animal Diversity and Diplomacy in the International Arena.” 

World Affairs Council of Charlotte hosts Shannon Binns, Founder and Executive Director of Sustain Charlotte, for " Charlotte's Role in Global Sustainability."

Montana World Affairs Council Hosts John Reynolds, Director of the National Concert Hall in Ireland, for “ Christy Moore: Musical Touchstone.” 

World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts David Rennie, Beijing Bureau Chief for The Economist, and Robyn Curnow, CNN Anchor, for “ Inside COVID-19's Ground Zero.”  
**This event is a membership benefit only, please reach out to Fernanda Luchine Ishihara at fluchine@gsu.edu to register.

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts David Rohde, Executive Editor for News at The New Yorker, for “ The Truth About America’s ‘Deep State’.” 

Sante Fe Council on International Relations hosts Todd Greentree, Research Associate at the Changing Character of War Programme, for “ The Coronavirus Pandemic: Black Swans and Pink Flamingos.” 

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts professor Dan Schnur, University of Southern California, for “ Politics in the Time of Coronavirus.” 

WorldOregon hosts professor Christopher McKnight Nichols, Oregon State University, for “ What We Can Learn from the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-19.” 

Friday 4/24 

World Affairs Council of Hilton Head host Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster, 26th National Security Advisor, for “ Battlegrounds: The Fights to Defend the Free World.” 

Montana World Affairs Council hosts Elaine Coughlan, Founder and Managing Partner of Atlantic Bridge, for “U .S.-Irish Investment Beyond COVID-19.”

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts David Rohde, Executive Editor for News atThe New Yorker, for his book, In Deep: The Truth About America’s ‘Deep State’.  
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
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.