Dear Friends,

The most recent WACA 2022 National Conference took more than the usual effort to plan produce but was all the more satisfying to execute. We continue to welcome survey responses from those who attended, and we hope those of you who were not able to join us will watch the compelling videos below and view our photo gallery.

The November 17 Reception for Ambassadors, at which I actually performed a swan song (thank heavens for piano accompaniment, will be a fond memory forever. As will the "Expressions" book that was presented to me with letters from so many colleagues - I will always treasure this special gift. 

One excerpt, which was delivered by its author Patrick Terrien at a serene (not) after-party, is "A Wicked Cool Limerick for Bill Clifford" perhaps deserved a wider audience that night. So here it is:
To China, to Qatar we flew
Only half sure what we would do
But when we got there
One thing was clear
We'd end each long day with a beer

And Bill's kind feisty, wicked, and smart
Works hard, plays fair, the Network his art
He loves a good giggle
Dances with wiggle
But mostly is made out of heart.

From Boston to DC came Bill
Hoping his bucket to fill
Instead he got us
All comments and fuss
But now gets to do his free will.
Bill sings an impromptu operetta for the patrons of this Qatari mall in Doha, Oct 2018
Thank you, Patrick! Thank you, everyone. I did indeed get you - sometimes I even understood you :) - but the getting - the work we got to do together - has been a professional dream come true. I'll pen another note next month, before passing the baton to my successor.

Meanwhile, congratulate yourselves on a truly good and well spent year of doing what we do, and enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones!


Yours sincerely,
Bill Clifford
President and CEO
WACA 2022 National Conference
Navigating A Fractured World
November 15-18
Session and Attendee Photos Now Posted!
Visit WACA's National Conference Photo Gallery for all the best Conference photos - you may see yourself!
In Case You Missed It . . . Session Recordings
Keynote Conversations
Opening Keynote with
Politico's Ryan Heath
NATO and the Future of Warfare
Whole of Nation:
You and Your Air Force
Special Presentations and Panels
Women in the Frontline of the Iran Revolution
GREAT DECISIONS:
Ukraine, Russia & World Order
Revitalizing Europe with
Sandro Gozi
Averting a Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis
Spotlight on Iran
Opening Our Eyes to a
War in Myanmar
Cover to Cover: The New Global
For all 2022 Conference session recordings, check out WACA's YouTube Channel.
Mark Esper
Fmr. U.S. Secretary of Defense
Oleksiy Goncharenko
People's Deputy of Ukraine
Susan Shirk
Chair of the 21st Century China Center
UC San Diego
Uzra Zeya
Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
WACA's Cover to Cover webinar next month featuring renowned philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum, of the University of Chicago, to discuss her new book, Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility, this Friday, Dec. 9 at 2 PM ET. 

World Wildlife Fund reports that global wildlife populations have sunk 69% since 1970. Forest clearing, polluted oceans, and human exploitation have led to the rapid emptying of wildlife in the natural world. In her brilliant new book, Professor Nussbaum sets out to find a solution by taking a revolutionary approach to animal rights, ethics, and law.
The WorldQuest Weekly quiz will end its run as a WACA Weekly Newsletter feature at the end of the month. Councils that would like to subscribe to the customized “What in the World? Weekly Quiz" service offered by the Tennessee World Affairs Council should check TNWAC.org/quiz or email Pat Ryan at Pat@TNWAC.org

WACA thanks the Tennessee WAC for providing this always interesting current events quiz in 2022.

Last week's winners! (10/10)! Suzanne (Traverse City, MI), John (Annapolis, MD), Clayton (Portland, OR), Carol (Worcester, MA), Serge (Bloomfield Hills, MI), Marvin (Santa Rosa, CA), Hudson (Willamsburg, MI)
The team at WACA is looking forward to the 2022-2023 Carlos and Malú Alvarez Academic WorldQuest National Competition. The annual competition will be held in person in Washington, DC on April 28-29, 2023.

If you have not already submitted your Council's pledge form, we are extending the deadline through Friday, December 16, 2022. Please make sure to submit your pledge form so that we can send additional materials to committed Councils and teams.

Please contact our Global Education Coordinator, Kaela Rider, with any questions.
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
The World Affairs Councils of America, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging the public and leading global voices to better understand the world, has opened applications for a Programs Intern and a Communications Intern.

The successful candidate must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate-level program or have graduated within the last calendar year. Interns must be based in Washington, DC. The internship period will run from February to early May 2023.

Applications are due Friday, January 20 to krider@worldaffairscouncils.org. Candidates should submit a resume and cover letter. For more information, head to our website.

Looking for a Volunteer Opportunity?

Are you based in Washington, D.C.? We are seeking volunteers to support our annual high school educational program, Academic WorldQuest. Volunteers will support the day-of operations of this national program held at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Interested candidates must submit their resumes to krider@worldaffairscouncils.org by Tuesday, April 18.
Global Minnesota seeks a World Affairs Event Manager.
Applications will be reviewed as received.
World Affairs Council of Kentucky & Southern IndianaM seeks a seeks a Membership & Development Coordinator. Applications will be reviewed as received.
World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh seeks to hire a Strategic Programming Manager and a Youth Programming Coordinator. Applications will be reviewed as received.
World Affairs Council of New Orleans seeks a WACNO Fellow and Board Members! Applications will be reviewed as received.
International Institute of Buffalo seeks to hire multiple positions
Applications will be reviewed as received.
Monday, 12/5

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Mark Esper, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, for "'A Sacred Oath': An Evening With Former United States Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark Esper” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Jacksonville hosts Maria Ressa, CEO of Rappler and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, for “The Battle for Truth in the Digital Age” (In Person)

Worcester World Affairs Council hosts Frederic Wehrey, Senior Fellow in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, for “Frederic Wehrey at Worcester World Affairs Council” (In Person)

Columbia World Affairs Council hosts Jim Chow, Senior Partner at Columbia Skin Clinic and Retired Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force, for “2022 Global Vision Award” (In Person)

International Relations Council (Kansas City) presents “Southeast Asia and Oceania Roundtable Meeting” (Virtual)

Montana World Affairs Council presents “Community Pint Night” (In Person)

Global Santa Fe presents “Global Santa Fe Member Holiday Open House” (In Person)

Tuesday, 12/6

World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts Pekka Toveri, Major General (retired) from the Finnish Defense Force, for “Nordic Defense: Countering Russian Aggression” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Oleksiy Goncharenko, People’s Deputy of Ukraine since 2014 and Member of the European Solidarity Faction, for “The Outlook from Kyiv & the War Ahead” (Virtual)

San Diego World Affairs Council hosts Carl Nettleton, founder of Nettleton Strategies and Openoceans Global, for “Ocean Plastic Pollution and Politics: An International Perspective” (In Person)

Sarasota World Affairs Council hosts Kelley Currie, former U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues and U.S. Representative at the UN Comission on the Status of Women, for “The Uncertain Future of Human Rights” (In Person)

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Richard Wike, Director of Global Attitudes and Trends at the Pew Research Center, for “Citizen Engagement in a Digital Age: What Do People Around the World Think About the Impact of Social Media on Democracy?” (Virtual)

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Professor Dan Schnur, USC, UC Berkeley and Pepperdine, for “Dan Schnur Political Report: December” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Central Illinois hosts Professor Amanda Poole, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, for “There is No Future Here: Refugee Education and Forced Migration in Northern Ethiopia” (In Person)

Montana World Affairs Council presents “Academic WorldQuest Category: Arctic Council with State Department” (Virtual)

Foreign Policy Association hosts Kal Raustiala, professor at UCLA International Institute, for “The Absolutely Indispensable Man: Book Launch with Kal Raustiala” (In Person)

Tennessee World Affairs Council hosts Ambassador John Kornblum, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany and Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, for “In Focus: Russia’s Invasion to Ukraine” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Dallas/ Fort Worth hosts Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning Author and Bestselling Presidential Historian, for “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts Emily Benson, Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and Yong-Chool Ha, Korea Foundation Professor of Korean Social Science, for “Korea, the United States, and the Indo-Pacific Framework for Prosperity: Transforming Economies and Managing the Threat from China” (Virtual)

Wednesday, 12/7

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts Professor Andrew Reddie, Berkeley’s School of Information, for “Marin: Artificial Intelligence in Military Operations” (In Person)

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts Mark Jacobson, Director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program at Stanford University, for “Peninsula - No Miracles Needed: Low-Cost Climate Change Solutions” (In Person)

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Abdul Halim Qarizada, Former Directorate General of the Americas, Acting Deputy Director, USA Desk at the Officer Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan in Kabul, for “What’s Happening in Afghanistan?” (In Person)

Montana World Affairs Council hosts Fahad Nazer, Official Spokesperson of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for “The Importance of U.S.-Saudi Arabia Relationship” (Virtual)

WorldOregon hosts Dr. Trina Helderman, Emergency Medicine Physician, and Joe DiCarlo, Medical Team International’s Global Ambassador, for “Emergency Response in Ukraine: On the Ground with Medical Teams International” (Virtual)

Vermont Council on World Affairs presents “2022 Annual Meeting and 70th Anniversary Celebration” (In Person)


Thursday, 12/8

World Affairs Council of Orange County hosts Susan Shirk, Chair of the 21st Century China Center at UC San Diego, for “Overreach: How China Derailed Its Peaceful Rise” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Sonoma County hosts Professor Mikhail Tsypkin, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, for “Russia: The Failure of Democracy in Russia and the War Against Ukraine” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Miami hosts Kelley Currie, former U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues and U.S. Representative at the UN Comission on the Status of Women, for “A Conversation on the Global Status of Women with Ambassador Kelley Currie” (In Person)

Global Minnesota hosts Uzra Zeya, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, for “Democracy, Human Rights, and U.S. Foreign Policy: A Conversation with Under Secretary Uzra Zeya” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Rochester hosts Nevan Fisher, Associate Vice President for Global Programs and Executive Director of the Center for International Education in Center for International Education, for “China” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Hilton Head book club discusses "Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy by Henry Kissinger” (In Person)

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Richard Dearlove, former Head of British Secret Intelligence Service, for “'C'-ing Clearly: The Intelligence Perspective on the Year” (Virtual)

WorldOregon hosts Tarvat Talepasand, Iranian artist, and Robert Asaadi, Iranian-American political scientist, professor at Portland State University, for “Woman, Life, Freedom: Perspectives on the Protests in Iran” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Anniken Ramberg Krutnes, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to the U.S., for “Luncheon with the Ambassador” (In Person)

Olympia World Affairs Council hosts Brian Roraff, Director of the Office of Northern European, Baltic, and Arctic Security Affairs, for “The Baltics and Russia Today” (Virtual)

World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts Frederick Lorenz, Former U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate, for “YPIN: Crimes of Aggression in Ukraine with Professor Frederick Lorenz” (Virtual)

World Affairs (Northern California) presents “2022 Education Program Mixer” (In Person)

Friday, 12/9

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Kristjan Prikk, Estonia’s Ambassador to the U.S., for “Russian War In Ukraine: What's At Stake And What We Should Do About It” (In Person)

Saturday, 12/10

World Affairs Council of Seattle presents “Student Workshop: Career Pathways to International Relations” (Virtual)