Hot Topics Conference Call on North Korea

Join the World Affairs Councils of America for a Hot Topics Conference Call on Blast Off: Implications of North Korea's Successful Missile Test with Dr. Michael J. Green, Senior Vice President for Asia and Japan Chair, Center for Strategic and International Studies, this Thursday, December 20 at 3:00 PM EST.

Thursday, December 20 at 3:00 PM EST 

Call-in Number: 1-605-475-6350

Access code: 502507

Please RSVP to Ian J. Byrne by responding to this email or at ibyrne@worldaffairscouncils.org 

if you plan to join the call.

Michael J. Green is a senior vice president for Asia and holds the Japan Chair at CSIS, as well as being an associate professor of international relations at Georgetown University. He previously served as special assistant to the president for national security affairs and senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council (NSC), from January 2004 to December 2005, after joining the NSC in April 2001 as director of Asian affairs with responsibility for Japan, Korea, and Australia/New Zealand. His current research and writing is focused on Asian regional architecture, Japanese politics, U.S. foreign policy history, the Korean peninsula, Tibet, Burma, and U.S.-India relations. Following North Korea's unsuccessful missile test in April 2012, Dr. Green testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Read his testimony, "Explaining and Responding to the North Korean Missile Launch."  

Join the 1918 Society

As 2012 comes to an end, please consider making a tax-deductible gift to support the World Affairs Councils of America's mission to educate and engage Americans on global issues by joining the 1918 Society. Benefits include:

• Special recognition as an individual sponsor of the World Affairs Councils of America on our website and in all materials, which are distributed to our vast national network throughout the year.  

• Access to exclusive, off-the-record 1918 Society Hot Topics Conference Calls where members are given first-hand access to distinguished policymakers, journalists, and experts on today's pressing news items. 

• An invitation for two to join the 1918 Society Breakfast at the World Affairs Councils of America's National Conference.   

• National Conference benefits include access to the hospitality "green room" suite and the opportunity to meet guest speakers and other leaders attending the conference, and priority seating at lunches and the opening banquet dinner.  

• Eligibility to apply for Leadership Missions, which overseas visits by delegation made up of civic and business leaders from around the national network to learn about a host country. 

Travel the World Program with Todd Culpepper

Cuba: People-to-People Program - January 19-26, 2013

Last week to sign up: Space is still available on this 7-night program featuring five nights in Havana and two nights in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Trinidad, Cuba. The World Affairs Councils of America's flagship Travel the World program, organized by the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, has a two-year license from the Treasury Department to offer a series of programs featuring meetings with political scientists, economists, architects and artists. Visit a cooperative farm, school, medical clinic, senior center and cultural heritage sites. Todd will bring his journalism experience to go beyond the "canned" experience and really engage with the Cuban people. To facilitate flights and visas, please immediately contact Joan Russell or Shoshana Altrichter at 800-942-5004 x 209 or x 217 or visit us at www.wacphila.org/travel.

From the Cuban Missile Crisis to Iran

The World Affairs Councils of America is excited for the December events for the Engage America Speaker Series entitled, From the Cuban Missile Crisis to Iran: Confronting the Nuclear Threat. The program is made possible by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York. More Information

Upcoming December events include:

December 18 -- New America Foundation National Security Fellow Tim Naftali speaks to the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth 

 

December 18 -- CSIS Pacific Forum Senior Fellow for Nonproliferation and Disarmament David Santoro speaks to the World Affairs Council of Houston

 

December 18 -- Stimson Center Co-founder and Distinguished Fellow Barry Blechman speaks to the World Affairs Council - Washington, DC 

 

Spotlight on Turkey 2013

The World Affairs Councils of America is pleased to have announced the World Affairs Councils participating in the Spotlight on Turkey Program. This is the seventh year of collaboration with the Turkish Cultural Foundation on the National Spotlight on Turkey program. More Information

Upcoming December events for 2012 Spotlight on Turkey:

Tuesday, December 18 -- The Cleveland Council on World Affairs hosts Dr. Zeki Saritoprak, Professor, John Carroll University

 

Academic WorldQuest 2012-2013

Pledge Participation Now

Local competitions are underway across the country. We are looking forward to seeing the following schools in April!

 

November 13 -- World Affairs Council of St. Louis

Winner: Ladue Horton Watkins High School 

 

November 13 -- World Affairs Council of Jacksonville

Winner: Stanton College Preporatory School 

 

November 13 -- World Affairs Council of Charlotte

Winner: Charlotte Country Day School

 

November 14 -- World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads

Winner: Tallwood High School Global Studies and World Languages Academy

 

November 17 -- Asian and Pacific Affairs Council

Winner: Punahou School 

 

November 17 -- Peoria Area World Affairs Council 

Winner: Peoria Regional High School

 

December 13 -- World Affairs Council of the Desert

Winner: Desert Christian Academy 

 

The Study Guide  for the 2012-2013 Academic WorldQuest Competition is now available here. The National Competition will take place Saturday, April 27, 2013 at Georgetown University. 

 

2012-2013 Categories 

• US Economic Competitiveness 
• US Education:Competing Globally
• US Energy Policy
• Middle East 
• Afghanistan/Pakistan
• China
• UN Millennium Goals: Environmental Sustainability
• Geography
• Current Events
• Cuban Missile Crisis: 50th Anniversary

A Teacher's Guide is available to help Councils reach out to schools and explain how to get involved in Academic WorldQuest. Teacher's Guide

 

European Union Educational Outreach Program

in the United States 2012

The World Affairs Councils of America's European Union Educational Outreach Program is in its final months. The program is being conducted in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union to the United States and has brought EU diplomats and officials to 10 World Affairs Councils and their local communities. The objective of the program is to engage American students and teachers on a personal level to deepen their understanding and knowledge of the European Union. More Information

Upcoming events include:

 

December 18 -- WorldBoston hosts Giuseppe Pastorelli, Consul General of Italy

 

December 19 -- WorldBoston hosts Rolf Sch�tte, Consul General of Germany

2012 National Conference

Last call: We invite you all, whether you attended this year's conference or not, to take our quick National Conference survey. We have over 70 responses so far, but want as many as possible as we begin to plan for next year's conference. We especially want to hear your thoughts on the timing of the conference, your motivations for attending, and what we can improve upon.

Take the National Conference Survey

Photos are up on our Facebook page from the Wednesday evening, November 7 opening dinner at the National Conference. Videos of the panel discussions have been posted to our YouTube page.

 

John Rash, who attended the conference from the Minnesota International Center and spoke on their Great Decisions program, wrote about his experience at the National Conference in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He discusses each of our Six Top Issues in his article, "A global tour of Obama's second term." 

 

Check out the other coverage the National Conference received in Newsweek, The Washington Post, Maryland's regional papers, and for you Mandarin readers, Duo Wei.

 

C-SPAN recorded all of the morning and afternoon panel discussions on Friday, November 9. They have aired on C-SPAN2 and can be watched on C-SPAN's website here.