February 22, 2021
Embassy Row Live! with Ambassador of Haiti; EU Economic Outlook; Star Speakers; Council of the Month; Engage America Programs This Week; March Cover to Cover; Council Highlights; and more!
WACA's Embassy Row Live! with Haiti's Amb. Edmond

Haiti: The Path to a Stronger Democracy
TOMORROW, February 23 | Live Online
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Join us for WACA's fourth Embassy Row Live!: Conversations That Bring Diplomacy Directly to You. This new platform spotlights distinguished diplomats discussing new ideas, policy developments, and possible solutions to critical international challenges.
WACA 2021 Best Practices

Databases for Councils
Thursday, February 25 | Live Online
3:00 - 4:00 PM ET
This kick-off panel will focus on databases and how to think about the most effective system for your Council with insights into website integration, event registration, communication tools, gathering donations, and membership management.

We are delighted to feature Karen Harshaw, Founder & Principal Consultant of SPARK Philanthropy, and Michelle Harpenau, Executive Director of World Affairs Council - Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky, who will share their insights into their research and experience with these systems. Tim Horgan, Executive Director of the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire, will serve as moderator and will lead the audience Q&A.
Note: Council Members Only! Open to one attendee per Council (CEO or Development Director).
EU Medium-Term Economic Outlook

Vaccine and New Policy Developments Fuel Optimism
Thursday, February 25 | Live Online
1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
As the global economy emerges from the pandemic, the EU has launched an ambitious Recovery Plan that will underpin strong growth and a green, digital transformation.

With the pace of vaccine distribution set to increase steadily over the coming months and a Brexit deal on the books, there is good reason to be optimistic about the future. Although the second wave of the pandemic will inevitably delay the recovery of the EU economy, green shoots are beginning to show and the outlook for the second half of 2021 looks rosy.
Star Speakers This Week
Anja Manuel
Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel
Paul Krugman
Author and Economist
Rebecca MacKinnon
Director, Ranking Digital Rights
Rose Gottemoeller
Fmr. Deputy Sec-Gen, NATO 
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah
Member of Parliament, Ghana
Roberta Seret
Founder, Int'l Cinema Education
WACA's Engage America Speaker Series
Korea Economic Institute

Opportunities for Diplomacy: The United States and the Future of the Korean Peninsula
Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 6:00 PM ET
Young Han
 Desk Officer
U.S. State Department
Hyun-Kyung Kim
Political Officer, Embassy of the Republic of Korea
Kyle Ferrier
Fellow and Director of Academic Affairs, Korea Economic Institute
United States Institute of Peace

Options for Peace and U.S. Policy: Findings and Recommendations of the Afghanistan Study Group
Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7:00 PM ET
Michael Phelan
Senior Advisor, Africa and Asia
USIP
Council of the Month: Los Angeles WAC & Town Hall
Tahrir Square and the Arab Spring 10 Years On

On Wednesday, February 24, at 2:00 PM ET, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall will host Linda Robinson, Director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy, and Paul Amar, Director of the Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, to discuss what movements burgeoned, which ideas took hold, where things failed and how the outlook is as we step into the Biden era 10 years on from the Arab Spring. Register here!
The Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Dan Schnur's weekly "Politics in the Time of Coronavirus" livestreams every Tuesday at 2:00 PM ET.

The novel Coronavirus is rapidly altering our local, state, and federal political landscapes. While daily news outlets offer a constant stream of updates, our new weekly series, Politics in the Time of Coronavirus with Dan Schnur, takes an analytical approach to the biggest headlines of the week and elevates the stories you may have missed. This interactive digital forum connects the daily news to larger political trends, and seeks to answer your most pressing political questions. Dan, a politics professor at USC, Pepperdine and UC Berkeley, assesses the tactical actions taken by our political leaders, and also dive into broader topics that are intimately affected by our politicians and their policies. Learn more!
March Cover to Cover

Isolationism: A History of America's Efforts to Shield Itself From the World
Wednesday, March 3 | Live Online
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
WACA's March Cover to Cover presents Charles Kupchan, author of Isolationism: A History of America’s Efforts to Shield Itself From the World and Professor of International Affairs at Georgetown University, and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

In this definitive and magisterial analysis—the first book to tell the fascinating story of isolationism across the arc of American history—Charles Kupchan explores the enduring connection between the isolationist impulse and the American experience. He also refurbishes isolationism’s reputation, arguing that it constituted dangerous delusion during the 1930s, but afforded the nation clear strategic advantages during its ascent.
AWQ National Competition
The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2020-2021 Academic WorldQuest National Competition is scheduled to be held virtually on April 16-17, 2021.

AWQ Administrators
The National Competition will utilize MyQuiz.org and Zoom breakout rooms. More technical details on the National Competition format to be announced.

2021 New Guideline!
Due to the AWQ National Competition being virtual in 2021 and endeavoring to be as inclusive as possible, each Council may bring up to three teams to the National Competition - whether you have a local competition or not. Even if your Council joins another Council's competition remotely, each Council may bring up to three teams to WACA's virtual National Competition in April.

If you have questions about AWQ, please email Laura Duncan at lduncan@worldaffairscouncils.org.
Monday 2/22

Naples Council on World Affairs hosts Daniel Alpert, Founding and Managing Partner at Westwood Capital, for “The Global Economy in a Post Covid-19 World.” 

Tuesday 2/23

World Affairs Council of Jacksonville hosts Anja Manuel, Director of the Aspen Strategy Group and Aspen Security Forum, for “This Brave New World: India, China, and the United States.” 

World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts author and producer Ira Rosen to discuss his book Ticking Clock: Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes. 

World Affairs (Northern California) hosts Scott Jasper, Lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School Department of National Security Affairs, for “How Should the U.S. Respond to Foreign Hacking Operations?”  
 
Sarasota World Affairs Council hosts Michael O’Hanlon, Director of Research at Brookings Institution, for “Restructuring Security Alliances for Future Challenges.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts Stephen Morrison, Senior VP for Health Programs at CSIS, for “COVID-19: Vaccine Rollout & Worrisome Variants.” 
 
World Affairs Council of the Quad Cities hosts Elizabeth Lawrence, Assistant Professor of History at AugustanaCollege, for “ East Asia and the Olympic Games.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Charleston hosts Michael Thomas, Professor of Cyber Warfare Studies with the Air Force Cyber College, for “A Webinar on Cybersecurity.” 
 
Cleveland Council on World Affairs hosts Paul Pillar, Senior Fellow of the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University, and Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association, for “The United States and Iran: What Will the Next Four Years Hold?” 
 
Montana World Affairs Council hosts Ambassador Joseph DeTrani, Fellow at the Institute of Korean-American Studies, for “Dealing with a Nuclear North Korea.” 

Wednesday 2/24

Institute of World Affairs (Milwaukee) hosts Paul Angelo, Fellow for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Roy Norton, Former Consul General of Canada and adjunct professor Balsillie School of International Affairs, for “Global Perspectives on the New U.S. Administration: Latin America and Canada.” 
 
Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall hosts Linda Robinson, Director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy, and Paul Amar, Director of the Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, for “Tahrir Square and the Arab Spring 10 Years On.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Connecticut hosts Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, for “Iran Deal: Revive, Renegotiate or Reject?” 
 
Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs hosts Matthew Kroenig, Director of the Global Strategy Initiative at the Atlantic Council, for “The Return of Great Power Rivalry.” 
 
International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Kurdistan Regional Government Representative to the U.S., for “The Middle East From Kurdistan’s Perspective.” 
 
World Affairs Council of New Hampshire hosts James Goldgeier, Brookings Senior Visiting Fellow, and Emma Ashford, Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, for “Returning to the Global Community: Breaking Down Biden’s Foreign Policy.” 
 
Santa Fe Council on International Relations hosts a panel of experts for “The Russian Disruption: Assassination at Home and Abroad.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts “White House Insiders Tour and Launch Party.” 
  
Thursday 2/25

World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts David O'Sullivan, former European Union Ambassador to the United States, for “The Future of the Transatlantic Relationship.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman to discuss his book Arguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better Future. 

World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana hosts Rebecca MacKinnon, Founding Director of Ranking Digital Rights, for “Digital Rights and Privacy in an Age of Disinformation.” 

World Affairs Council of Albuquerque hosts Rose Gottemoeller, Frank E. and Arthur W. Payne Distinguished Lecturer at Stanford University, for “Challenges for Arms Control.” 

World Affairs Council of Orange County hosts Melissa Griffith, Public Policy Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, for “Emerging Technologies and Great Power Competition.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts journalist Ioan Grillo to discuss his book Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels.  
 
WorldDenver hosts Shanthini Naidoo to discuss her book Women Surviving Apartheid’s Prisons. 
 
World Affairs Forum (Stamford) hosts Roberta Seret, Founder of International Cinema Education, for “Toni Erdmann.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Tennessee hosts Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association, for “Global Town Hall: Iran and the Nuclear Deal.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts the Honorable Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Member of Parliament in Ghana, for “AFCFTA: Meet the World’s Largest Free Trade Area.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Rhode Island hosts Professor Richard Lobban, Rhode Island College, for “Mapping the Slave Trade: A Cartographic History of Slavery.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Charlotte hosts Michael Marsicano, President and CEO of Foundation for The Carolinas, for “Philanthropy's Response to COVID-19, Racial Justice, and the Future of Our Community.” 
 
Santa Fe Council on International Relations hosts journalist Karen Coates and Jessica Onsurez, award-winning news director, for “Democracy’s Hidden Infrastructure.”  

Friday 2/26

World Affairs Council of Greater Houston hosts Antony DSouza, Senior Vice President and the Regional Manager of DNVG, for “Global Connections: Outlook for the Global Maritime Industry.” 
 
Alaska World Affairs Council hosts Doug Rogers, Director Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies at Yale University, for “Russian Oil in the Far North: Culture, Companies, and Climate.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts Maurice Hobson, Associate Professor of African American Studies at Georgia State University, for “The Black Middle Class: A Myth?” 
 
Peoria Area World Affairs Council hosts Dr. Laurie Bergner, Clinical Psychologist, for “Ethiopia’s Hamar Tribe: Way of Life and Cultural Traditions.” 
 
World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky hosts a panel of experts for “International Education and COVID-19.”