Programs on Ukraine; Program with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarusian Opposition Leader; Cover to Cover; WorldQuest Weekly; Watch Embassy Row Live!; Job Announcements in the Network; Council Highlights & more!
Letter to the Network
Responding to Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine, the U.S. and its allies are intensifying sanctions. We note historic policy responses by Germany, NATO, and the European Union, while Moscow escalates threats to global security. Councils immediately published statements on the crisis (WorldOregon, WAC Atlanta, Vermont CWA) and are convening experts almost daily (see below). WACA has invited former Board Chair Roman Popadiuk, the first U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine (1992-1993), to comment for this newsletter.
I enjoyed visiting with many of you during the informative and successful WACA National Conference in November. Since then, the international community has faced a mounting challenge from Russia – most alarmingly, Putin’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine. As WACA national chair, I had the opportunity to participate in Ukraine-related discussions with several Councils. I would like to take this opportunity to share some thoughts and to start a dialogue on issues that the war raises.

In the lead up to Russia’s February 24 invasion, public discourse about supporting Ukraine centered on the need to bolster democracy, stop Russian imperialism, and uphold international law. As we focus on these strong incentives for supporting Ukraine and its people, we must at the same time bear in mind the broader strategic challenge: Ukraine may well be the opening gambit in a much larger contest.
 
After World War II, the United States and its allies helped structure an international order based on two pillars: a system of values exemplified by human rights, democracy, free markets, and the rule of law; and an institutional structure, including the United Nations and other multilateral organizations, to help advance and protect these principles. This framework, despite some shortcomings, has been underpinned by United States leadership and has served to maintain international stability and economic progress, helping to spread the benefits of democracy and economic development to many countries.
 
We are now at a major crossroads. Russia and China both view themselves as victims rather than as participants in this post-war international system and are seeking to remake the world order to meet their needs. In place of the current order's values, both states dismiss human rights, oppose democracy, and favor a state-controlled economy. Rather than respecting the individual, both powers extol the importance of the state over the individual. Both states seek to remake the international institutions or to supplant them, to structure an international system based on their authoritarian values and to recapture lands that have broken free from them. We are thus witnessing a concerted effort to change the rules of the game by actors who want to assert their preferences and set new rules.
 
While Russia and China appear to have drawn closer, there are differences that will eventually make their relationship fray. Their authoritarian values will plant seeds for their own downfall over time. In the near term, however, they can do much harm in the international arena. Their actions can embolden other authoritarian regimes, give initiative and support to anti-democratic forces in various countries, disrupt the international economic system, spark further aggression, and limit the freedom of choice of other nations.
 
The international community must understand that the rules of the game may be changing, and a more innovative and concerted approach is necessary to meet the challenges Russia and China pose. Ukraine has emerged as a crucial test case.
 
The international community is uniting and working to support Ukraine and, while it is too early to tell how events will unfold, it is not too early to examine the various questions the war raises and expand dialogue among WACA members. Such a dialogue can help the American public to better understand the conflict, to examine policies to deal with such situations, and to better appreciate the importance of the U.S. role in the world.
Roman Popadiuk
U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, 1992-1993
Former Board Chair of WACA, 2015-2020
This Week: The Russia-Ukraine War
Fiona Hill
Senior Fellow, Brookings
Sarah Henderson
Associate Professor
Oregon State University
Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges
Center for European Policy Analysis
Hanna Shelest
Director of Security Programmes
Foreign Policy (Odessa, Ukraine)
Mehrdad Kia
Professor
University of Montana
James Coyle
Fmr. Chair
WAC Orange County
Coming up in March


Please note that given the urgency of developing events, these events are subject to be rescheduled based on speakers' availability.

For those interested in exploring charitable support for Ukraine, see this list. WACA is not endorsing these charities and has not vetted them; WACA encourages you to research further.
Standing Against Authoritarianism
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarusian Opposition Leader
Thursday, March 3 at 9:00 AM PT/12:00 PM ET
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s story began when she entered the race after her husband Siarhei Tsikhanousky was arrested for voicing his presidential aspirations. President Lukashenko publicly dismissed her as a “housewife,” saying that a woman cannot become president. Nonetheless, independent observers recognized Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces after the 2020 presidential election.

On March 3, she will speak with the World Affairs Council of Orange County about her fight from exile with the Lukashenko regime. WACA is delighted to serve as a promotional partner for this event.
Academic WorldQuest
Reserve WACA's Hotel Block!
WACA is pleased to announce our discounted block rate at the Westin Washington, D.C. City Center of $169/night + tax (single) $189/night (double). Through the work of our dedicated staff, WACA has secured this discount since AWQ 2016-2017! We are excited to offer this rate to your teams and look forward to welcoming you all to the Westin!
Congratulations to Local AWQ Champs!
Our Member Councils are hosting their local Academic WorldQuest competitions! The winners of local competitions have a chance to compete at the national Carlos and Malú Alvarez Academic WorldQuest on April 30, 2022.

Some Councils have already held local Competitions. The team at the World Affairs Councils of America congratulates all participating students and has the full list of winning teams available here. Have an update on your Council's winning team? Send your updates to 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 last week's winners (10/10)! Carol (Worcester, MA) Serge (Bloomfield Hills, MI), Clarice (Indianapolis, IN), Liz (Minneapolis, MN), and Alexa (La Quinta, CA)
NEW! Cover to Cover on the Future of U.S. Intelligence
Wednesday, March 23
Join the conversation with author Amy Zegart, one of the country’s leading experts on intelligence and a professor at Stanford University. To help us better understand the threat of the U.S.'s diminishing intelligence advantage, Dr. Zegart has written Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence.

Her book discusses the past, present, and future of American Intelligence, and outlines what's urgently needed to protect our nation today. She explores why intelligence analysis is so challenging, a discussion about turncoats and double agents. and many revealing "day in the life" stories from intelligence officials.
ICYMI: Embassy Row Live! with Pakistani Ambassador
If you missed last week's Embassy Row Live!, you can watch the full program on our YouTube channel. Ambassador Khan, Pakistan's Ambassador to the U.S., shared insights on Pakistan's relationships with the U.S., China, Afghanistan, India, and more.
Job Announcements in the Network
World Affairs Councils of America seeks to hire a Global Education Coordinator. Learn more.
World Affairs Councils of Philadelphia seeks to hire a Digital Content Manager. Learn more.
International Relations Council seeks to hire a Membership and Engagement Coordinator. Learn more.
Columbus Council on World Affairs seeks to hire an Administrative and Office Assistant. Learn more.
World Affairs Council of Harrisburg seeks to hire a Program Manager. Learn more.
World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth seeks to hire an Institutional Membership and Grants Manager. Learn more.
World Affairs Council of Jacksonville seeks to hire a Director of Operations and Administration. Learn more.
International Institute of Buffalo seeks to hire a Grant Compliance Administrator. Learn more.
Monday 2/28

Montana World Affairs Council hosts Amb. (Ret.) Michael McKinley, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, for "Roundtable Discussion" (In person)

International Relations Council (Kansas City) presents "Middle East/North Africa Roundtable"

World Affairs Council of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky hosts a panel of experts for "Clear Skies at Last: Is 2022 the Year the Aviation Industry Makes Its Return?"

Tuesday 3/1

Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall hosts Dan Schnur, Professor at UC Berkeley and Pepperdine, for "Biden at a Crossroads: What We'll Learn from His State of the Union Speech"

World Affairs Council of Austin hosts Levan Beridze, Consul General of Georgia in San Francisco, for "Kozmetsky Forum"

Indiana Council on World Affairs hosts Joe Pelton, Dean Emeritus of the International Space University, for "The New 'Space Race'"

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Frank Klimas, U.S. Air Force Officer, for "What's Happening in Syria?"

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Maria Fernanda Bozmoski, Deputy Director of Programs at the Atlantic Council, for "The Northern Triangle: Should We Pivot to the South?"

Wednesday 3/2

World Affairs Council of Connecticut presents "International Women's Day: Combatting Violence Against Women"

World Affairs Council of Philadelphia hosts James Schoff, Senior Director of the U.S.-Japan NEXT Alliance at Sasakawa, and Yuki Tatsumi, Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center, for "The Future of U.S.-Japan Defense Collaboration" (In person)

Montana World Affairs Council hosts Oliver Schramm, Consul General of Germany, for "Roundtable Discussion" (In person)

World Affairs Council of San Antonio presents "International Citizen of the Year Award Celebration" (In person)

Thursday 3/3

Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall hosts Mayor Eric Garcetti, 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles and Nominee for U.S. Ambassador to India, for "Los Angeles Mayoral Series: Outgoing Mayor Eric Garcetti"

World Affairs Council of Houston hosts Robert Mosbacher, Chairman of the Board of Mosbacher Energy Company, for "U.S. vs. China: Dominating Business in the Developing World"

World Affairs Council of Harrisburg hosts Shirley Warshaw, Professor at Gettysburg College, for "Great Decisions: Biden's Agenda"

Montana World Affairs Council hosts Amb. (Ret.) Ted Osius, former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, for "Roundtable Discussion" (In person)

WorldBoston hosts Fatema Sumar, Vice President of Compact Operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, for "The Development Diplomat"


Colorado Springs World Affairs Councils presents "Great Decisions 2022"

International Relations Council (Kansas City) presents "News and Views: Insecurity in China's Neighborhood"

World Affairs Council of Maine presents "Virtual Coffee and Discussion"

Friday 3/4

WorldOregon hosts Rudabeh Shahid, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, for "The Quad Alliance"

World Affairs Council of Hilton Head hosts Joby Warrick, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, for "Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria"

Sunday 3/6

World Affairs Council of the Desert hosts Satu Limaye, Director of the Asia Matter for America Initiative, for "India at Home and in the World" (In person)