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September 2013

 

In this Issue
News from the National Office
Recommended Speakers
What's Happening in the Network
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2013 National Conference Sponsors

Our Sponsors

 

Aviation Leasing

 

Barclays Capital

 

BP

 

 1918 Society Members

 

Carnegie Corporation of New York

 

Cisco

 

Chevron

 

The Claremont Group

 

Duke Energy

 

ExxonMobil

 

The Gambrinus Company

 

German Marshall Fund of the U.S.

 

Goldman Sachs

 

Heydar Aliyev Foundation

 

Hutchins Family Foundation

 

IRELI

 

Johnson + Sterling

 

Merrill Lynch -

Mr. Michael Phillip

 

NATO

 

Northrop Grumman

 

Raytheon

 

Steelcase, Inc.

 

Tomassian, Throckmorton & Inouye LLP

 

Thomson Reuters

 

Turkish Cultural Foundation

 

Weber Shandwick

 

News from the National Office
 

 

Early-Bird Rate for Members Expires Midnight Tonight

Prices:
$455 World Affairs Council Member ($495 after midnight)
$545 Non-Member 
$430 World Affairs Council CEO/Staff/Board Member 
 
Join the Discussion! 
Speaker Highlights: Middle East

The Middle East is requiring some of the most determinant national security decisions before us as a country today. Join our Keynote Plenary discussion and take advantage of a special opportunity to engage on these issues directly with the leading experts and policymakers who are our special guests:

  

Keynote Panel Discussion: Middle East: On the Brink

  

  

Ambassador Ross Wilson

Former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey; Director, Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center, Atlantic Council; Lecturer, The George Washington University, on the Middle East

 

  

  

  

Tarek Masoud
Associate Professor of Public Policy, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, JFK School of Government, Harvard University, on the Middle East
  

  

  

  

  

Barbara Slavin

Senior Fellow, Atlantic Center's South Asia Center; and Washington Correspondent, Al-Monitor, on the Middle East

  

  

  

 

Robin Wright

Joint Fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; and author of Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic world, on the Middle East 

 

  

  

  

Charles Sennott, Moderator
Vice President, Editor-at-Large and co-founder,Global Post
   

  

  

 

Click here to see the list of confirmed speakers

  

Councils, a flyer is available for your use to promote the National Conference to your members. Download Flyer

 

Held annually for over two decades, the World Affairs Councils of America's National Conference engages our regional leaders and members drawn from the business, civic, and education communities with leading policy-makers and experts. The National Conference launches the National Network's year-long discussion of the Six Top Issues for 2014 selected by our network leadership across the country and helps plan our programming for the coming year. 

 

The Six Top Issues selected by the National Network's leadership as the most important national security issues for the coming year are: 

  • Cybersecurity
  • U.S. Energy Independence
  • Global Economic Realignment
  • Middle East
  • Global Environment Issues
  • U.S. Education

The World Affairs Councils of America will host its 2013 National Conference, Six Top Issues for 2014at the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel. 

  

Register for 2013 National Conference

  

Reserve Hotel Room at The Liaison

 

Tentative Agenda

Wednesday, November 13

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM: Fall Leadership Meeting for Council CEOs and Staff/Annual Membership Meeting

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM: Opening Dinner  

 

Thursday, November 14

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM: Main Plenaries

5:30 PM - 8:00 PM: Embassy Receptions

  • Embassy of Canada
  • Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco
  • Embassy of the United Arab Emirates

Friday, November 15

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM: 1918 Society Breakfast

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM: Main Plenaries

Conference concludes at 3:00 PM 

 

Thank you to our generous sponsors: Chevron, NATO, 
The Gambrinus Company, Raytheon, ExxonMobil, BP, Duke Energy, Goldman Sachs, and Coca-Cola

 

Deadline: National Conference Scholarships

The National Board of Directors of the World Affairs Councils of America is proud to announce that we will be offering 25 scholarships for college students from our national network to attend the 2013 National Conference, U.S. National Security: Six Top Issues in 2014, November 13-15, 2013 in Washington, DC at the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel. For more information on how to apply, click here. The deadline is this Friday, September 6.

 

Councils, a flyer is available for your use to promote the National Conference to your members, which Ian J. Byrne has sent out. If you did not receive it, please send an email to ibyrne@worldaffairscouncils.org.  

 

DC Recap in Virtual Library: Focus on Syria

virtual libraryWith the President asking Congress for the authorization to use military force against Syria to hold them accountable for their use of chemical weapons, the American people are directly engaged in this important decision. In accordance with our mission, the World Affairs Councils of America's National Office aims to provide the most up-to-date information regarding the decision-making process and will be updating the WACA Virtual Library with information on the decision as it becomes available over the next two weeks 

 

Syria  

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on the Authorization of the Use of Force in Syria

 

President Obama Speaks on Syria -- The White House 

 

Government Assessment of the Syrian Government's Use of Chemical Weapons on August 21, 2013 -- The White House

 

President Obama Meets with Congressional Leaders on Syria -- The White House

 

Text of draft legislation submitted by Obama to Congress -- CNN

 

Visit the WACA Virtual Library

 
Academic WorldQuest 2014: Study Guide Released

The 2014 Academic WorldQuest National Competition will take place Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, DC. Read about the 2013 Academic WorldQuest National Competition here.

 

The 2013-2014 Study Guide has been released, as well as information and resources for councils and teachers. More Information

 

Engage America Series: European Union

The World Affairs Councils of America has been invited by the Delegation of the European Union to the U.S. to submit a national bid for a grant for an Engage America Program designed to raise awareness about the EU and the EU-U.S. relationship. More Information

 

The events will take place on or around Europe Day, May 9, 2014. We are requesting councils to propose events to be included in this national grant proposal to the Delegation. Proposals are due September 15, 2013.

Not My Life
 Programs Underway

Our newest national program series focusing on human trafficking and modern-day slavery is underway. The program features screenings of the documentary film Not My Life by Robert Bilheimer and Worldwide Documentaries at over 35 World Affairs Councils. The program is made possible by a generous grant from Carlson & The Carlson Family FoundationClick here to see the participating councils. This month's events include:

 

September 5 -- World Affairs Council of Las Vegas

 

September 10 -- World Affairs Council of Harrisburg

 

September 24 -- World Affairs Council of Connecticut

 

September 25 -- World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana

 

September 29 -- Tennessee World Affairs Council

 

World Affairs Councils in the News

World Affairs Council of New Hampshire

Teachers return from Turkey tour -- Foster's Daily Democrat 

 

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth

DFW World Affairs Council takes travelers on unforgettable adventures around the globe -- CultureMap Dallas 

 

World Affairs Council of Jacksonville

Workspace: Trina Medarev, executive director, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville -- Jacksonville Financial News & Daily Record

 

World Affairs Council of Atlanta

World Affairs Council Chair Encourages SMEs to Explore New Markets -- Global Atlanta

 

Vermont Council on World Affairs

Vermont teachers bring back lessons from Turkey -- Burlington Free Press

 

World Affairs Council of Seattle

Cheryl Shaw named president of World Affairs Council -- Northwest Asian Weekly

Recommended Speakers Database
Leadership NetworkThe World Affairs Councils of America has recently completed its most recent update of the Recommended Speakers Database on the WACA Leadership Network

Please log into the WACA Leadership Network and take advantage of this great resource. 

What's Happening in the Network 

There are over 80 World Affairs Council events across the country scheduled in September. Visit News from the National Network on our homepage for updates from around the network that include programs you can attend, participate in virtually, get ideas about speakers, or model format. Also be sure to check out travel programs offered by World Affairs Councils on our homepage. We encourage you to follow-up with the sponsoring council for more information. If we missed something or if you have a program that you would like highlighted on our website or in the WACA Weekly, please contact Ian J. Byrne at ibyrne@worldaffairscouncils.org.

Be Part of the WACA Newsletter!

If you would like to highlight an upcoming program, email Ian J. Byrne at ibyrne@worldaffairscouncils.org with the relevant information (a description of 200 words or less). Of course, if there is anything else we can do to help promote your programs within the network, please let us know.

The World Affairs Councils of America 

1200 18th St., NW, Suite 902, Washington, DC 20036

Phone (202) 833-4557  Fax (202) 833-4555

Email waca@worldaffairscouncils.org Website www.worldaffairscouncils.org