WACA National Conference; Upcoming Cover to Cover Programs; Star Speakers; WorldQuest Weekly Quiz; Councils are Hiring; Council Highlights; & more!
WACA 2021 National Conference:
Bridging Divides at Home and Abroad
November 16-19
Special Pre-Conference Program
The United States Institute of Peace will welcome Council leaders and staff from around the country to its iconic headquarters on the National Mall for a special pre-conference program Tuesday, November 16, at 2:00-4:00 PM.

This event will include a welcome from Lise Grande, USIP's new President and CEO, and opportunities to engage with other USIP leaders and experts on the most pressing peace and conflict issues worldwide. Space is limited. Stay tuned for more details!
Register today for the WACA 2021 National Conference this November 16-19 at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, where we will celebrate our 35th Anniversary as a national association. Be sure to take advantage of individual Early Bird discounts for the WACA 2021 National Conference, good through September 10!
Student Scholarships
Through the generous support of The Gambrinus Company and Mr. and Mrs. Carlos and Malú Alvarez, WACA will offer a limited number of scholarships for undergraduate students from the Council network to attend our 2021 National Conference. Thank you to our generous sponsor!

The nominated student must submit their Application Form, their resume, and a 1-2 page Letter of Intent. The Council must submit the Nomination Form and a Letter of Recommendation from the Council head explaining why the student has been selected. We encourage Councils to publicize the undergraduate scholarship award as soon as possible, since the deadline for nominations and applications is Friday, September 17.
Cover to Cover: Tomorrow and Sept. 9
The Washington Post's Craig Whitlock: The Afghanistan Papers
Tomorrow at 2:00 PM ET
WACA's Cover to Cover webinar on Tuesday, August 31 at 2:00 PM ET features Craig Whitlock, a reporter for The Washington Post and a three-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

The Afghanistan Papers contains startling revelation after revelation from people who played a direct role in the war, from leaders in the White House and the Pentagon to soldiers and aid workers on the front lines. In unvarnished language, they admit that the US government’s strategies were a mess, the statistics were distorted, the nation-building project was a colossal failure, and that drugs and corruption gained a stranglehold over their allies in the Afghan government.
Financial Times' Philip Stephens on Brexit
Thursday, Sept. 9, 2:00 PM ET
WACA's Cover to Cover webinar on Thursday, September 9 at 2:00 PM ET features Philip Stephens, Director of the Editorial Board and Chief Political Commentator at the Financial Times on his new book Britain Alone: The Path from Suez to Brexit . Register now!
ICYMI: WACA's Aug. 18 Cover to Cover featured Mei Xu, founder and CEO of Yes She May and Chesapeake Bay Candle. See the program on our YouTube channel!
Star Speakers at Councils This Week
Amb. Reyna Torres Mendivil
Consul General of Mexico
Phil Zelikow
Director of the 9/11 Commission
Michael Mazarr
RAND Corporation
Colonel Richard Downie
Delphi Strategic Consulting
Zaher Wahab
Professor, Lewis & Clark
Mark Ward
Fmr. International Medical Corps
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.

Last Week's Winners (9/10 Points):
Rebecca (Esopus, NY) and Carina (Cleveland, OH) - Congratulations!
Job Announcements in the Network
Santa Fe Council on International Relations is hiring for an Executive Director. Learn more.
World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana is hiring for an Communications and Marketing Coordinator. Learn more.
World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is hiring for a Membership and Development Director. Learn more.
World Affairs Council of New Hampshire is hiring for an Events and Education Coordinator. Learn more.
Cleveland Council on World Affairs is hiring for a Program Associate, International Exchanges and an Office Coordinator. Learn more.
Columbus Council on World Affairs is hiring for a Program Manager and an Administrative & Office Assistant. Learn more.
World Affairs Councils of America is hiring for a Programs and Operations Associate. Learn more.
Programming on Afghanistan
In recent weeks, our member Councils have provided extensive insight into recent developments in Afghanistan. World Affairs (Northern California) has aired a podcast "Escape from Kabul" and held a "Virtual Town Hall: Supporting Local Aid to Afghanistan."

WAC Atlanta has shared resources for the Hotline for SIV Applicants and resources for U.S. Government Implementing Partners.
Upcoming Programs:


Past Programs:
All programs below are accessible online unless otherwise indicated.
 
Monday 8/30 

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Michael Stewart, faculty member at Indigenous and American Indian Studies Department at Haskell Indian Nations University, for "Lexicon: Choctaw."

Tuesday 8/31 

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Christopher Rendo, Deputy Consul General at the United States Consulate in Belfast, for "A Kansas City Diplomat: Updates from Belfast."

Wednesday 9/1 

Peoria World Affairs Council hosts Ambassador Reyna Torres Mendivil, Consul General of Mexico in Chicago, for "Jumpstarting Mexico-U.S. Relations."

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Michael Burke, U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, for "News and Views: The Role of the American Embassy."

Columbia World Affairs Council hosts Irina Nakhova, an artist whose work is featured in The Ironic Curtain exhibition, Dr. Elena Osokina, internationally published and esteemed professor of Russian history at University of South Carolina, and Dr. Gordon Smith, distinguished professor emeritus in the political science department at University of South Carolina, for "Life Underground."

Thursday 9/2 

WorldOregon hosts Mark Ward, former Diplomat at the U.S. State Department, and Zaher Wahab, former Minister of Higher Education in Afghanistan, for "Afghanistan—Inside Out."  

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Phil Zelikow, Executive Director of the 9/11 Commission, for "9/11, Twenty Years On: A Look Back at the Investigation, the Commission’s Findings, and Subsequent Events." 

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Michael Mazarr, senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, and Colonel Richard Downie, Managing Director for Delphi Strategic Consulting, for "Military and Intelligence Perspectives on the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan."

World Affairs Council of Austin hosts a panel of experts for "Export Reset 2021 Conference."