Join WorldOregon and WACA for a rich discussion on "We Protest: Fighting For What We Believe In", with photojournalist Tish Lampert, Adrienne Belafonte Biesemeyer, activist and Executive Director of the Anir Foundation, and Portland’s Eric Ward, Executive Director of Western States Center, on Wednesday, August 26, at 3:00 PM ET (12:00 PM PT). Also, the event will feature featuring a special video introduction from Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist David Shipler.

In the last few years we have seen a wave of activism washed across our nation and inspire unprecedented protest and civic engagement. People came together in record-breaking numbers, outspoken and persistent. With the winds of resistance at their backs, people linked arms and set out to defend our freedoms and each other.

In her newly published book, We Protest: Fighting For What We Believe In, photojournalist Tish Lampert captures the spirit of the heroes and ordinary citizens on their activist journey to defend their American values during the most conflicted era in our recent history. Lampert boldly charts the chronology of social-change movements that have dominated the headlines over the past several years: the fight for women's rights and gender equality, immigration rights, civil liberties, gun violence, and the environment. Lampert takes us to the front lines of activism, where she has documented each protest and their respective leaders, as well as the legions of ordinary Americans standing together to protect the values of our great nation.

Director, Philadelphia Bail Fund, Inc.

House Republican Leader (R-CA)

Ambassador of Germany to the U.S.

Distinguished Professor, University of California

Save the Date! WACA's C-Suite Virtual Forum - September 29-October 1

WACA will host an all-virtual conference September 29-October 1, titled "Conversations with the C-SUITE: Powering Global Recovery and Change." Mark your calendars! Speakers TBA soon.

Register now for tomorrow's free live webinar featuring Ambassador Robert Blake discussing the Dynamics of Today's Supply Chain with Southeast Asia. Presented by the World Affairs Council Upstate, also known as Upstate International in Greenville, South Carolina, this is the first in a free series on supply chain issues and solutions. In just the last 4 months, WAC Upstate has covered hot global topics including: General (ret.) John Allen on "Leadership in These Turbulent Times", Ambassador John Herbst on "Foreign Policy in the Crosshairs: A Conversation", Steve Buckingham on "Checks and Balances: Presidential Powers in a Crisis", and many more, all of which are accessible free to the public on the Upstate International YouTube channel.

WAC Upstate continues to find opportunity during this crisis by highlighting global humanitarian efforts around the world and engaging the public in those efforts. The most recent on July 22 was "Beyond Health: How COVID-19 will Reshape International Development" with David Weiss and Carrie Hessler-Radelet, both of Global Communities, and "Turning Landmines into Farmland: Planting Sustainable Peace", with Heidi Kühn, Founder and CEO of Roots of Peace on May 26. Both webinars are available on the UI YouTube Channel.

Last week on August 12, the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy held its kick-off event for the Global Leaders Scholarship Fund (GLSF). As a legacy program of the 68th United Nations Civil Society Conference hosted by Salt Lake City in 2019, the vision of GLSF is to engage Utah's youth in global conversations and to aid in their ability to act on the theme of the conference "Building Inclusive and Sustainable Global Cities and Communities."

This is done by providing travel scholarships to youth, where selected recipients will travel in cohorts to international events in the United States and around the world, representing Utah and addressing the global challenges we face. To meet the minimum qualifications to apply, youth must be between the ages of 18-32, be in college or in the process of attending college, and can establish they do not have the financial means to travel to events in the United States or around the world.

Click here to read more about the program and scholarship application details.

In the 8 weeks leading up to the November 2020 presidential election, the International Relations Council (Kansas City) will host high-level speakers for "Choices: Foreign Policy in the 2020 Election." The 2020 presidential election will present the American people with consequential choices around international challenges and the future of U.S. foreign policy. Rather than advocate a particular approach or outcome, the nonpartisan Choices series will serve to inform voters through a presentation of historical context and a detailed examination of the foreign policy platforms of the major-party candidates.

First up on Tuesday, September 8 at 7:30 PM ET (6:30 PM CT) is Ambassador Ron Kirk, Senior Of Counsel in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Dallas and Washington, D.C. offices, discussing Tariffs and Trade. Click here to view more information, registration links, and the full speaker lineup.

If Councils are interested in sharing this series with their membership, please feel free to share and reach out to IRC Executive Director Matthew Hughes at [email protected] with any questions.

WACA encourages all Councils to host a local Academic WorldQuest program for high school students in your area. Please read WACA's 2021 Operations Paper to learn more about launching an AWQ competition. Additionally, please use these materials to promote the AWQ program to teachers, students, and sponsors for the 2020-2021 AWQ season: Teacher's Guide and AWQ Flyer. There is no minimum or maximum number of teams that are required for local AWQ competitions, and WACA encourages Councils to engage as many regional high schools as possible.

AWQ is WACA's flagship youth education program, now in its 19th year. WACA has expanded the program to some 50 Councils that host local AWQ competitions annually that engage nearly 5,000 high school students nationwide. The program culminates in the Carlos and Malú Alvarez Academic WorldQuest National Competition each spring in Washington, DC (a virtual National Competition is being considered for 2021). Too many American students today fall behind their counterparts from other countries in their knowledge and understanding of world history, geography, and current international events. The mission of Academic WorldQuest is to close the gap. Learn more here.

WACA partner, the American Academy of Diplomacy (AAD) invites you to nominate qualified individuals (or groups of individuals) for consideration for the 2020 Arthur Ross Award for Distinguished Reporting and Analysis on Foreign Affairs.

The awards, endowed by and given in honor of the late Arthur Ross, seek to recognize individuals or groups of individuals (e.g., a news bureau) whose reporting and analysis on diplomacy and foreign affairs is making a singular contribution to public understanding of the critical role played by diplomacy in the furtherance of America’s foreign policy interests. AAD gives one award to a journalist/reporter and another to a commentator/columnist. Each of the two awards includes a cash prize of $5,000 and is customarily presented at AAD’s Annual Awards Luncheon ceremony in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the U.S. Department of State in the late fall/early winter.

For additional details about the award, prior recipients, eligibility criteria, and nomination instructions, please visit AAD's website and see the Nomination Form. Please contact AAD Program Director Maria Reissaus at [email protected] with any additional questions.

World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh -- Development Officer

WAC Pittsburgh seeks a passionate and qualified individual to lead its development initiatives, seeking out meaningful partnerships from across sectors to support revenue generation and budget growth. Reporting directly to the President and CEO, the position’s primary responsibility is to support fundraising efforts, including individual giving, corporate sponsorships, foundation relations and grant writing, government funding, and special events. Apply here.

WACA's KNOW NOW conference call series features global thought leaders, as well as local authorities in government, business, academia, and cultural fields. We invite Councils to submit KNOW NOW speaker suggestions and moderate these calls!  If a Council leader moderates a KNOW NOW call in 2020, their Council will receive a $100 rebate back on Council Dues. *Please note that this rebate offer only applies to Councils who are current on their 2020 Dues.

View our KNOW NOW conference call podcast archives here!

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Dan Eberhart, CEO of Canary Oil LLC, for “An Inside Look at the Future of U.S. Oil and Energy.”

World Affairs Council Upstate hosts Ambassador (ret.) Robert Blake, Senior Director at McClarty Associates, for “The Dynamics of Today’s Supply Chain With Southeast Asia.”

World Affairs Council of Philadelphia hosts Malik Neal, Director of the Philadelphia Bail Fund Inc., and a panel of experts for “What Are the Approaches to Police Reform?”

World Affairs Council of Orange County and World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth host Mira Rapp-Hooper, Senior Fellow for Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss her book, Shields of the Republic: The Triumph and Peril of America’s Alliances.

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Professor Ian Hall, Griffith University, to discuss his book Modi and the Reinvention of Indian Foreign Policy.

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for “A Conversation With House Republican Leader.”

Global Minnesota hosts John Caulker, Founder and Executive Director of Fambul Tok, and Sara Terry, Producer/Director of Fambul Tok, for “Learning from Sierra Leone: Fambul Tok and the Power of Forgiveness.”

World Affairs Council of Hilton Head hosts Richard Thomas, Founder and President of Legacy Leadership, for “Summer Forum.”

World Affairs Council of Greater Reading hosts Nicholas Millward, President of the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies, for “Clash of Cultures: China’s Expansion and the Steppe People of Central Asia."

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Angela Stent, Director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies at Georgetown University, for “Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest.”

World Affairs Council of Kentucky & Southern Indiana hosts Christine Dal Bello, Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. Department of State, for “Diplomacy in the National Parks.”

World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts H.E. Emily Haber, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the U.S., for “U.S.-Germany: Strained Alliance?”

Indiana Council on World Affairs hosts Kevin Cassidy, Director and Representative to the Bretton Woods and Multilateral Agencies at the International Labor Organization, for “Tripartite Global Engagement and the Future of Work.”

World Affairs Council of Charlotte hosts Nadia Theodore, Consul General of Canada in Atlanta, for “USMCA: What the New Trade Deal Means for Canada & NC.”

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Jay Sjerven, Senior Editor at Sosland Publishing, for “The United Nations.”

Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Professor Dan Schnur, University of Southern California, for “Politics in the Time of Coronavirus.”

World Affairs Council of Sonoma County hosts Adjunct Professor Thomas Hout, Tufts University, for “Hong Kong Not Going Gentle Into That Good Night - But What Next?”

San Diego World Affairs Council hosts author Susan Lindsey to discuss her book Liberty Brought Us Here: The True Story of American Slaves Who Migrated to Liberia.

Santa Fe Council on International Relations hosts a panel of experts for “Rebuilding the Shattered Rule of Law Foundation to Survive Future Earthquakes.”

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts a panel of experts for “The Role of Corporations in Curbing Climate Change.”

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Distinguished Professor Ellen DuBois, University of California, for “Suffrage: Women’s Long Battle for the Vote.”

International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Melissa Miller, Senior Manager of the World Trade Center Kansas City, for “International Trade.”

We have recently debuted WACA's Speaker Database 2.0. In this new iteration, we have expanded our list of speakers and made it easier than ever for you, as Council staff and board members, to engage with it. We want your speakers! Please submit your speakers through the "Submit Your Speakers" button on our website.

You need to have an account through our website in order to view and interact with the database and submit your speakers. To check if you have an account, please visit your Council Member page on the WACA website and see if you are listed as a staff or board member. If you are not, you will not be able to interact with the database yet.

If you do not have an account or are having issues accessing the website and/or the Speaker Database, please email Rachel Pastor.

The World Affairs Councils of America is an independent, nonpartisan organization dedicated to engaging the public and leading global voices to better understand the world, America’s international role, and the policy choices that impact our daily lives and our future.

Your generous contributions will strengthen our capacity to support the World Affairs Council Network through educational and civic initiatives - any amount helps.

WACA is busy preparing a number of additional resources for the Members-Only section! WACA strives to provide Councils with easy access to tools, guidelines, events, and more that add value to our Members both personally and professionally, to our Councils' overall operations, and to the Network as a whole. This is a top priority for the National Office, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. That is why we've added two resource sections dedicated to COVID-19 related information and digital programming available to the public by Councils.

The goal is to make the Members-Only section a one-stop shop for all Council needs. However, these sections are only as good as the information contained within, so we are calling on all Councils to please submit any documentation per the categories below, or any other information helpful to the Network.

The Members-Only section is a private benefit for our Council Members. Please contact Rachel Pastor at [email protected] for login details and account creation.

*To view Council Member Resources on the WACA website, you must be a Council leader, staff, or board member and have an account

Please contact Rachel Pastor at [email protected] if you don't have an account.