Distinguished Speaker Webinar | United Arab Emirates: 50 Years Young
2021-11-17 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
About the Program
On Wednesday, November 17, our Distinguished Speaker will be Ms. Shaima Gargash, Deputy Chief of Mission at the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington, D.C. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of U.A.E. as a united and independent country. This small, dynamic Middle Eastern country has recently launched the HOPE probe now orbiting around Mars, is aggressively investing in renewable energy sources back on Earth, and is hosting Dubai EXPO 2020 (the first-ever world’s fair in the Middle East). One of America’s strongest allies in the region, the UAE is exerting a leadership role in perennially dynamic Middle Eastern diplomacy.
Ms. Shaima will be interviewed by Pierre Atlas, PhD, who teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the Public Affairs and Criminal Justice Programs at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI. He was previously Professor of Political Science at Marian University where he served as the Founding Director of the Richard G. Lugar Franciscan Center for Global Studies and directed its annual speaker series. He writes a monthly opinion column for the Indianapolis Business Journal, and has been a board member of Indiana Council on World Affairs since 2020. A native of Texas, Pierre grew up in California and is a US Army veteran.

Disarray & Disaster in the Taliban's Afghanistan
2021-11-18 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Please join us for a special, exclusive event featuring Lt. Tom Schram, a former U.S. Navy intelligence officer, who specializes in the study and reporting on national security and political-economic events in China, the Western Pacific, the Middle East, and Afghanistan.
Thursday, November 18 at 6:30PM EST
via Virtual Zoom Presentation
The disaster and chaos in Afghanistan just keep getting worse. With the government unable to pay its bills, the infrastructure crumbling, the ruthless treatment of remaining Afghans who could not escape during the U.S./NATO airlift, the ruling Taliban are finding it complex and difficult to govern and manage as they change from fighting a war to state building, all in a failing economy with no workable financial system in place.
The Taliban’s approach to government has been and continues to be a strict Sharia law under a vicious theocracy. Their merciless approach to those not conforming exactly to these beliefs knows no mercy for those left behind following the U.S. departure. Women’s rights are almost non-existent.
Our evening presentation will touch on the history of the region, previous conquests, topographic challenges, war after 9/11, the evacuation debacle and the poor planning decisions by National Command Authority. Last but not least, our speaker will discuss the strategic implications for the U.S. and the world going forward.

Our Presenting Guest Speaker
Tom Schram holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1969. Tom also has an MBA degree in marketing and finance from the Shidler School of Business, University of Hawaii. He was commissioned in the Navy’s Restricted Line and
served 7.5 years as a special intelligence officer in the Naval Security Group. He was stationed in both Japan and Okinawa while serving on multiple deployments. In 1973, he was assigned to NSGA Anchorage, AK as Executive Officer. He resigned his commission in late 1976.
His specialty was electronic intelligence collection while serving in the Naval Security Group. He played a role in the Saigon evacuation in 1975. After leaving the Navy, he had an eclectic career starting with Procter & Gamble where he worked in manufacturing, research & development, advertising brand management, and sales. He was a co-owner of an advertising agency that he helped grow from $2M/year in revenue to $12M over five years. He ran a ballistics research firm for eight years, helped start a microbrewery and led an Internet security firm who had developed an unbreakable firewall.
Tom’s innovative approach in each of his endeavors led to patents and unique business opportunities. However, he never lost his interest in discovering and publishing about world events. For the past twenty years, he has been deeply involved in studying and reporting on geopolitical events around the world with special focus on the Middle East, Afghanistan, and China. His resurgence in learning about all things geopolitical began on 9/11/2001 when he lost his very close friend and USNA classmate in the South Tower of the World Trade Center during the attack on America. Most recently, Tom played a direct role in assisting 757 Afghan refugees flee in the recent aftermath of the Taliban takeover and is now currently assisting another group of refugees who desperately need to evacuate Afghanistan.

Role of International Organizations in a Global Pandemic
2021-11-30 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
The Covid-19 pandemic has thrust the World Health Organization (WHO) into the limelight, for better and for worse. While some of the Trump administration’s criticism of the organization was unfair, the response to the early stages of the pandemic left many experts wanting more from the WHO. What is the WHO’s role in responding to international pandemics? What can be done to improve the WHO’s response to future global health crises?
Dr. Samira Asma is the Assistant Director-General for Data, Analytics and Delivery for Impact at the World Health Organization where she leads WHO’s efforts to use timely, reliable and actionable data to drive progress towards the Triple Billion targets and health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgency to strengthen country health information systems. By aligning with countries and partners, Dr. Asma is working to ensure every country has a robust data and health information system, to make health data accessible, and to use data to improve health.

The World in Context with Ambassador Charles Shapiro
2021-12-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
Please join Ambassador Charles Shapiro, former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela and the departing President of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, as he discusses the state of the world in 2021 and into the future. We’ll cover Ambassador Shapiro’s role in the world affairs councils and what to look out for in the years to come.
Join us as we tackle questions like, what can we do to change the state of the world right now?
You won’t want to miss this. RSVP now.
World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, World Affairs Council of Atlanta, and World Affairs Council of Connecticut

Global Economic Outlook 2022
2022-02-10 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
Are you worried about the volatility of the stock market?
Do you have concerns about ongoing inflation and its impact on your wallet?

Despite pandemic stress and global supply chain woes, the U.S. economy grew last year at its fastest pace since 1984, rebounding from a sharp but limited coronavirus-driven recession in March 2020. The nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of all goods and services produced, expanded by 5.7 percent in 2021, the Commerce Department reported last Thursday. Growth accelerated even faster during the period from October to December, rising to 6.9 percent on an annualized basis. All good news right? Not so much as signs of volatility continue to rock the market.

In 2021, stocks were at a record high even with rising inflation, supply chain problems, and pandemic driven pressures. Unfortunately, the stock market has had its worst start to the new year since 2016. Because of this shift in 2022, the bull market is now facing significant uncertainty. Does this mean we are headed into a bear market?

Wage growth remains elevated in the U.S. However, consumer spending fell in December as Americans stayed home with spiraling coronavirus numbers and retailers struggled to keep up with demand due to holiday shopping disruptions. What is the Federal Reserve doing to reduce the impact of inflation on consumers? How many times will the Federal Reserve raise interest rates in 2022?

World food prices jumped 28 percent in 2021 to their highest level in a decade, and hopes for a return to more stable market conditions this year are slim, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). What does this mean for the working poor and the middle class who are already stretched thin?

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte on Thursday, February 10, 2022 with Dr. Jay Bryson, Managing Director and Chief Economist for Wells Fargo’s Corporate and Investment Bank. Bryson will share his expert insight into the global economic outlook for 2022, referencing domestic and major economies worldwide while addressing major challenges stemming from the pandemic and its impact to your bottom line.

WACC Distinguished Speaker Series (Virtual)
Thursday, February 10, 2022

Global Economic Outlook 2022

Dr. Jay Bryson
Managing Director and Chief Economist for Wells Fargo’s Corporate and Investment Bank

Presentation and Q&A (VIA ZOOM)
12:00 – 1:00 PM EST
Cost:
WACC & YPWACC Member / Student / Teacher Ticket:
FREE
UNC Charlotte Faculty / Students / Staff:
FREE
Non-member Ticket: $12

For non-online payments: Please call 704-687-7762 or mail your check to “World Affairs Council of Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223)

Standing Against Authoritarianism: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus’ Opposition Leader on Fighting the Lukashenko Regime from Exile
2022-03-03 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
Sponsored by World Affairs Council of Orange County
Conversation moderated by:
Melinda Haring, Deputy Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center
—
Hosted in Partnership with UCLA Center for European and Russian Studies
—
A Zoom webinar event
Thursday, March 3, 2022, at 9:00 AM PST
Speaker Bio:
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces who independent observers agree won the presidential election on August 9, 2020, against the autocratic President Aliaksandr Lukashenka.
As the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement, she has visited 26 countries, gathering support and advocating for the release of almost a 1000 of political prisoners and a peaceful transition of power through free and fair elections. In meetings with President Biden, Chancellor Merkel, President Macron, President von der Leyen, President Charles Michel, and other world leaders, Tsikhanouskaya emphasized the need for a braver response to the actions of the Belarusian dictatorship.
Tsikhanouskaya’s story began when she entered the race after her husband Siarhei Tsikhanousky was arrested for voicing his presidential aspirations. Lukashenka publicly dismissed her as a “housewife,” saying that a woman cannot become president. Nonetheless, Tsikhanouskaya united and successfully led the democratic coalition along with two other leaders, Maria Kalesnikava and Veranika Tsapkala. Following her forced exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya inspired unprecedented peaceful protests in Belarus, with some rallies numbering at least 200,000 people.
In 2020–2022, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya became a symbol of the peaceful struggle for democracy and strong female leadership. Among dozens of distinctions, she is a recipient of the Sakharov Prize awarded by the European Parliament, 2022 International Four Freedoms Award, and Charlemagne Prize. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Members of the Norwegian Parliament. Tsikhanouskaya has been recognized in Bloomberg’s Top 50 Most Influential People, Financial Times’ Top 12 Most Influential Women, and Politico’s Top 28 Most Influential Europeans.
Moderator Bio:
Melinda Haring is the deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Previously, she was the editor of the Atlantic Council’s popular publication, the UkraineAlert blog. She is the author of the report Reforming the democracy bureaucracy (FPRI, 2013) coauthor of Biden and Ukraine: a strategy for the next administration (Atlantic Council, 2021), Biden and Belarus: a strategy for the next administration (Atlantic Council, 2021), Ukraine’s internally displaced persons hold a key to peace (Atlantic Council, 2017), and a contributor to Does democracy matter? (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017).
Haring has worked for Eurasia Foundation, Freedom House, and the National Democratic Institute, where she managed democracy assistance programs in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia. A graduate of Georgetown University, she holds an MA in Government with a certificate in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies.
Haring is the vice-chair of the board of East Europe Foundation in Kyiv, Ukraine, a member of the supervisory board of Right to Protection in Kyiv, Ukraine, and a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. She is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

DEMOCRACY & THE PRESS
2022-03-03 18:00 - 19:00 | NKU Griffin Hall
JOIN US FOR DEMOCRACY & THE PRESS
with AP photojournalists in conversation about how the free press plays an essential role in sustaining an informed democracy

March 3, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
NKU’s Griffin Hall, admission is free – or attend virtually
RSVP by CLICKING HERE
Presented with support from Kentucky Humanities

Community friends,
Even as democracy is threatened in the world, it has been under fire, too, in our own nation. On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed in police custody – awakening national protests. On Jan. 6, 2021, the nation’s Capitol was stormed by a mob that wanted to overturn a presidential election.
Covering both was the Associated Press, the stalwart news service that provides coverage of events in our home communities, in the nation and around the world. As I write this, AP reporters and photographers are in Ukraine, covering the outbreak of a war.
Next week, on Thursday, March 3, at 6 p.m., three AP photojournalists who have been in the thick of the events of the past few years, will visit Northern Kentucky University to talk about their work. The powerful images have helped to tell the story of America in our times.
The three are:

Kim Johnson Flodin, a deputy news directors based in Chicago, and one of AP’s photo editors who direct coverage.
Julio Cortez, staff photographer, and part of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize winning team of AP photographers – his widely published photo taken on the night of May 28 in riot-torn Minneapolis shows a lone, silhouetted protester running with an upside-down American flag past a burning liquor store.
Andrew Harnik, staff photographer, is based in Washington, DC, and was among the AP team who covered the storming of the Capitol. His work has taken him around the world with top U.S. diplomats and all over the country with presidents and candidates for president.

“Challenges of Leadership in Our Democracy” With Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
2022-03-08 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
“Challenges of Leadership in Our Democracy”
With Sec. Leon Panetta
(Secretary of Defense, 2011-2013
Director of the CIA, 2009-2011)
A Zoom Webinar event
Tuesday, March 8th, 2021 at 1:00 PM PST
Conversation moderated by Dr. Richard Downie
—
Speaker Bio:
The son of Italian immigrants, born and raised in Monterey and graduate of Santa Clara University and Santa Clara University School of Law, Secretary Panetta began his long and distinguished public service career in 1964 as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army, and upon discharge went to work in Washington as a legislative assistant to United States Senate Minority Whip Tom Kuchel of California. In 1969, he was appointed director of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare’s Office for Civil Rights, where he was responsible for enforcing equal education laws. Later, he served as executive assistant to the mayor of New York City. He then returned to Monterey, where he practiced law until his election to the United States House of Representatives in 1976.
Serving in Congress for sixteen years, Secretary Panetta was a key participant in agriculture, healthcare, ocean and federal budget issues. From 1989 to 1993, he chaired the House Budget Committee. He authored a wide range of legislation, including the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988, Medicare and Medicaid coverage for hospice care for the terminally ill, and numerous measures to protect the California coast, including creation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
In 1993, Secretary Panetta left Congress to serve as director of the Office of Management and Budget for the Clinton administration. There, he was instrumental in developing the policies that led to a balanced federal budget and eventual surpluses. In 1994, he accepted appointment as the president’s chief of staff, and immediately brought order and focus to White House operations.
Upon leaving the Clinton administration in 1997, Secretary Panetta joined with his wife Sylvia to establish and co-direct The Panetta Institute for Public Policy, based at California State University, Monterey Bay. Reflecting Secretary Panetta’s own ideals and personal example, the nonpartisan, not-for-profit study center seeks to attract thoughtful men and women to lives of public service and prepare them for the policy challenges of the future.
Returning to public service in the Obama administration as director of the CIA, he ran the operation that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, and, as Secretary of Defense, led the effort to develop a new defense strategy, helped bring two wars to an end, and opened up opportunities for everyone to serve in the military.
Secretary Panetta returned to the Panetta Institute as chairman on February 27, 2013 and resumed his role as moderator of the renowned Leon Panetta Lecture Series. He chronicles his life in public service in his best-selling memoir Worthy Fights, which was published in 2014.

Small World Cafe: Contextualizing the Crisis in Ukraine
2022-03-14 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
Monday, March 14, 1pm EST
After the February 24 Russian invasion of Ukraine the world watched in horror as the situation rapidly escalated into a full-on war and refugee crisis. As Americans struggle to follow this crisis, we cannot begin to understand a possible outcome without a full picture view of the historical events and motivations that have shaped Russia’s actions. To contextualize this crisis, Dr. Steven Miner of Ohio University will share with us a history of Russia’s foreign policy aims since the end of the Cold War, Ukraine’s priorities and challenges as a young democracy, and Putin’s nationalistic rhetoric and motivations for pursuing Ukraine.
Speakers:
Dr. Steven Miner, Professor, Department of History, Ohio University
Steven M. Miner is Professor in the Department of History. He is a specialist in recent Russian/Soviet and East European history. He is currently at work on a history of the Soviet Union during the Second World War, tentatively titled The Furies Unleashed: The Soviet People at War, 1941-1945, to be published in the United States by Simon and Schuster and in Great Britain by Bloomsbury.
**This program takes place via Zoom from 1-2 PM EST as part of the 2022 Small World Cafe series with the World Affairs Council of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and Gulf Coast Diplomacy of Pensacola, Florida.

NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS (NFTS) AND THE GLOBAL ART MARKET
2022-03-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Event
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are best described as “bitcoin for art.” NFTs allow pictures, videos, music, or anything other form of visual or digital culture to be to be traded, stored or authenticate. NFTs allow artits to see and protect their digitial creations as the block-chain technology means NFTs cannot be duplicated without permission. However, because there is no real oversight or regulation, NFTs are easy to exploit. Louise Carron, an associate at Klaris law, will be helping us understand this new frontier in the global art trade.
Louise Carron is an Associate at Klaris Law who is passionate about advising entrepreneurs, start-ups, and nonprofits across creative industries. Primarily focusing on contract matters, copyright use, and new technologies, Louise particularly enjoys helping artists protect their creations, rights, and legacies.
Prior to joining Klaris Law, Louise spent three years as the Executive Director of the Center for Art Law, where she ran daily operations, taught workshops on legal basics for artists, and mentored interns. She also worked on various transactional and litigation matters with J. Greenberger PLLC.
Louise has written on numerous topics at the junction of art and law, including street art and NFTs, and she is a regular contributor to the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law (EASL) Journal published by the New York State Bar Association. She appeared on various panels and podcasts, co-chairs the EASL Pro-Bono Steering Committee, and is a member of the Art Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association. She also serves as secretary of the Center for Art Law’s board of directors.
Louise grew up Paris, France, where she pursued a double Bachelor’s in French Law and Common Law and a Master’s in Comparative Business Law. She also earned an LL.M from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (NY) with a concentration in Fashion, Art, Media and Entertainment Law. She lives in Brooklyn and is admitted to practice in New York State.

The View of Ukraine from Capitol Hill - A Town Hall Discussion with Senator Portman
2022-03-23 18:30 - 19:15 | Virtual Event
Join us for this World Affairs Council town hall event featuring Senator Robert Portman (OH) Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus! Senator Portman will share his perspective on the rapidly unfolding war in Ukraine and the current efforts the Senate Ukraine Caucus followed by an open Q&A session with the community moderated by the World Affairs Council.

Fractured Himalaya: Understanding India-China Bilateral Relations with Nirupama Rao
2022-04-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
The World Affairs Council of Orange County presents:
“Fractured Himalaya: Understanding India-China Bilateral Relations”
With
Nirupama Rao
(Indian Foreign Secretary (ret.), Indian Ambassador to China, Sri Lanka, United States)
Moderated by Lisa Curtis
(Sr Fellow and Director, Indo-Pacific Security Program
Center for a New American Security (CNAS))
and Clayton Dube
(Director of U.S.-China Institute, University of Southern California (USC)
Faculty, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism)
A Zoom Webinar event
Thursday, April 14th, 2021 at 9:00 AM PDT, 12:00 PM EST
—
Speaker Bio:
Nirupama Rao is a former Indian Foreign Service officer. She retired as Foreign Secretary to the Government of India, the senior most position in the Foreign Service, being the second woman to occupy the post (2009-2011). She was the first woman spokesperson (2001-02) of the Indian foreign office. She served as India’s first woman High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Sri Lanka (2004-2006) and to the People’s Republic of China (2006-2009).
She was Ambassador of India to the United States from 2011 to 2013. In retirement she has taught at various universities, including as a Senior Visiting Fellow in International and Public Affairs at the Watson Institute at Brown University where she has taught an undergraduate senior’s course on “India in the World” and George Ball Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Ambassador Rao was a Fellow at the India-China Institute of The New School, New York in 2016, Public Policy Fellow at The Wilson Center, Washington D.C. in 2017 and Pacific Leadership Fellow at the School of Global Politics and Strategy, University of California at San Diego in 2019. She was a Jawaharlal Nehru Fellow from 2015-2016 and a Practitioner-in-Residence at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center in Italy in 2017.
She is a member of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, a member of the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore, on the Board of the Indian Council for Research in International Economic Relations (ICRIER), and a Councilor on the World Refugee and Migration Council. She is also a Member of the Board of Directors of the US India Business Council. She has an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (2012) from Pondicherry University, India. She is a staunch believer in the power of social media as an advocacy platform for policy and currently has over 1.3 million followers on Twitter.
If you are interested in purchasing Rao’s book, you can find it here: https://amzn.to/3hKcpq6
Moderator Bios
Lisa Curtis is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). She is a foreign policy and national security expert with over 20 years of service in the U.S. government, including at the NSC, CIA, State Department, and Capitol Hill. Her work has centered on U.S. policy toward the Indo-Pacific and South Asia, with a particular focus on U.S.- India strategic relations; Quad (U.S., Australia, India, and Japan) cooperation; counterterrorism strategy in South and Central Asia; and China’s role in the region.
Ms. Curtis served as Deputy Assistant to the President and NSC Senior Director for South and Central Asia from 2017-2021 under three successive National Security Advisors. During her tenure at the NSC, she coordinated U.S. policy development and implementation of the South Asia Strategy approved by the President in 2017 and was a key contributor to the Indo-Pacific Strategic Framework, which included expanding Quad security cooperation. She coordinated policies designed to strengthen the U.S.-India defense, diplomatic, and trade partnership, resulting in a widely recognized elevation of the relationship. Ms. Curtis also coordinated development of the U.S. Strategy toward Central Asia, to include facilitating new partnerships with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
From 2006–2017, Ms. Curtis was Senior Fellow on South Asia at The Heritage Foundation, where her responsibilities included research, writing, regular media appearances, and frequent Congressional testimony. She also served as Professional Staff Member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, handling the South Asia portfolio for former Chairman of the Committee, Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) from 2003–2006. Before that, she worked as a Senior Advisor in the South Asia Bureau at the State Department, where she developed and coordinated U.S. policy on India-Pakistan relations. In the late 1990s, she worked as a senior analyst on South Asia at the CIA, and from 1994–1998 served at the U.S. Embassies in Pakistan and India.
Ms. Curtis has published commentary in Foreign Policy, The National Interest, CNN.com, NPR.org, and other media outlets and made multiple appearances on CNN, Fox News, BBC, PBS, MSNBC, and C-SPAN.
Ms. Curtis received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Indiana University in December 1990.
—
Clayton Dube:
As director of the USC U.S.-China Institute since 2006, Clayton Dube oversees a variety of research, training, and outreach initiatives. Dube first lived and taught in China in 1982-85. A historian, he examined how economic and political change in China since 1900 affected the lives of ordinary people. He’s gone on to focus on how Americans and Chinese see each other and how governments work to influence those views. He’s currently focused on 1) the promise and limits of U.S.-China economic, scientific, and cultural collaboration and 2) strengthening teaching about China and the rest of East Asia through the USCI’s professional development programs.
Dube headed the team producing the twelve-episode Assignment: China documentary series on American media coverage of China and he’s consulted on other films. He guides US-China Today, a student-driven web magazine. For years he wrote USCI’s popular Talking Points newsletter. He is frequently called upon by American and Chinese broadcast and print media to comment on current affairs.
Dube serves as a director of the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia and on the editorial board of Education about Asia. He was associate editor of Modern China and he’s served on the executive committees of the USC Center for International Studies and the Center for International Business Education and Research and on the advisory board of television’s LinkAsia. Since 2012, Dube has managed Chinapol, a large private discussion list for China specialists in research, media, and government.
Prior to coming to USC, Dube led several UCLA Asia Institute programs. These included teacher training efforts and AsiaMedia and Asia Pacific Arts, both of which had over one million readers annually. The author of several teaching guides, Dube has earned teaching awards at three universities. In 2012 he received the Perryman Fund Social Studies Educator of the Year award.

EACC Coffee & Commerce: Economic Development - Millions of Miles, Thousands of Stories
2022-04-20 08:00 - 09:30 | Lindner Family Tennis Center
Join us for our third Coffee & Commerce event. In collaboration with the City of Mason, we would like to pay tribute to Neil Hensley who started and led the Greater Cincinnati International Economic Development Attraction Program for the CincinnatiUSA Regional Chamber for 30 years and is finishing a 40 year career.
Let Neil take you on a journey of his regionally impactful career recruiting foreign investment and jobs from all corners of the globe. His story is historical and at times, hysterical. The results & relationships that he seeded are visible and felt today by all of us who continue this mission.

Soledad O’Brien Promises of Change: Journalism Through an Equity Lens
2022-04-20 10:30 - 23:30 | Virtual Event
WorldOregon presents the 2022 International Speaker Series: Intersections
Celebrating its 22nd season, WorldOregon’s International Speaker Series puts you virtually in the room with the global leaders, visionaries, and inspiring voices that are changing our world.  This year’s series, presented exclusively online, brings to WorldOregon audiences four of the globe’s brightest, boldest thinkers and advocates discussing race and social justice, sovereign rights, confronting aggression, and resilience and humanity in the face of crisis.
April 20, 7:30 PM
Soledad O’Brien
Promises of Change: Journalism Through an Equity Lens
Award-winning Broadcast Journalist
Twitter: @soledadobrien
May 10, 7:30 PM
Rebecca Nagle
Nations within a Nation: Tribal Sovereignty 101
Activist-Writer and Citizen of the Cherokee Nation
Twitter: @rebeccanagle
May 26, 6:30 PM
Fiona Hill
Balancing Act: Russia, U.S., & the World
Senior Fellow, Center on the U.S. & Europe, Brookings Institution
June 7, 6:30 PM
Lynsey Addario
Of Love & War: Humanity & Resilience on the Front Lines
Pulitzer Prize-winning Photojournalist
Twitter: @lynseyaddario
The 2022 International Speaker Series will be streamed live online | Note: all times are PDT*
* Ticket-purchasers will receive a password-protected link following the online event to view or re-watch the program within a limited, 2-day window.

Taking Action: Using Service-Learning to Develop Global Competency for Teachers
2022-04-21 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
Teacher Professional Development Workshop

How can we inspire students to apply concepts that they’ve learned in the classroom to the real world? In this session, we will discuss how service-learning creates opportunities for students to take action and develop the planning, leadership, and cultural and community awareness skills necessary for success in this interconnected world. Educators and other professionals working with service-learning initiatives will share their insights on what components are necessary for a successful service-learning experience and how teachers can implement these experiences in their own school or classroom.
This session is open for middle and high school teachers of all subject areas and teachers have the opportunity to earn CEU/contact hour credit for participating in this session.
Learning Outcomes
Teachers will be able to:

Identify how service-learning addresses the “Take Action” domain of the Asia Society Global Competence matrix and P21’s Leadership and Responsibility skills.
Explain how service-learning can lead to an enhanced understanding of academic content.
Identify resources they can use to develop and implement a service-learning project in their classrooms.
Discuss best practices for implementing service-learning in an educational setting and making experiences meaningful and relevant to students.

Speakers
Ms. Rachel Kemper (’91), Saint Ursula Academy, Director of Global and Service Learning
Wendy Silvius, Indian Hill High School, Social Studies Department | Experiential Learning & Internships

Munich Sister City Association May Meeting
2022-05-04 18:30 - 19:30 | Northern Row Taproom
The May meeting is scheduled for:
Wednesday, 5/4/22 from 6:30-7:30 pm
Hallo,
The Munich Sister City Association will host Marty Kunkel from the Donauschwaben to talk about their History in WW I.
Join us at the Northern Row Taproom 111 w McMicken
Near Philippus Church in OTR
Please RSVP 513 582-7525 or email
Utemunich@icloud.com
Check out Northern Row’s website here!
Sincerely yours
Ute Päpke President

Responding to Global Health Challenges
2022-05-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Event
How do global health challenges affect people living in New Hampshire? How can the United States best cooperate with other nations to achieve the common good of public health? How do we best prepare to respond to pandemics in the future?
The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire is happy to host a discussion on responding to global health challenges, with Mark Lagon of the Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The organization exists to advocate support in the U.S. for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), an independent, multilateral financing entity designed to raise significant resources and accelerate efforts to end the AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria epidemics. The Global Fund has also played a major role in COVID-19 response efforts in countries that receive its support through its “COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM)”. After Lagon’s opening remarks, a moderated Question and Answer session will follow.
We hope you can join us for this important online event!
Online – www.wacnh.org

About the Speaker
Mark Lagon is a specialist on global health, human rights, human trafficking, and global institutions. He is Chief Policy Officer at Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria—where he coordinates the non-profit’s Administration and congressional outreach, policy advocacy and coalition management, and research content. He is also Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum, and Adjunct Professor in the Masters of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) Program at Georgetown University.
He previously served as President of Freedom House, a non-profit that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights. Before that he was Executive Director and CEO of the leading anti-human trafficking nonprofit, Polaris.
In the Executive Branch, he served in three successive roles at the Department of State: member of the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff; Deputy Assistant Secretary of International Organization Affairs; and finally Ambassador-at-Large directing the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
He is co-editor of the 2014 book, Human Dignity and the Future of Global Institutions. He received his Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University, and A.B. from Harvard University.

Rebecca Nagle - Nations within a Nation: Tribal Sovereignty 101
2022-05-10 10:30 - 23:30 | Virtual Event
WorldOregon presents the 2022 International Speaker Series: Intersections
Celebrating its 22nd season, WorldOregon’s International Speaker Series puts you virtually in the room with the global leaders, visionaries, and inspiring voices that are changing our world.  This year’s series, presented exclusively online, brings to WorldOregon audiences four of the globe’s brightest, boldest thinkers and advocates discussing race and social justice, sovereign rights, confronting aggression, and resilience and humanity in the face of crisis.
May 10, 7:30 PM

Rebecca Nagle
Nations within a Nation: Tribal Sovereignty 101
Activist-Writer and Citizen of the Cherokee Nation
Twitter: @rebeccanagle
May 26, 6:30 PM
Fiona Hill
Balancing Act: Russia, U.S., & the World
Senior Fellow, Center on the U.S. & Europe, Brookings Institution
June 7, 6:30 PM
Lynsey Addario
Of Love & War: Humanity & Resilience on the Front Lines
Pulitzer Prize-winning Photojournalist
Twitter: @lynseyaddario
The 2022 International Speaker Series will be streamed live online | Note: all times are PDT*
* Ticket-purchasers will receive a password-protected link following the online event to view or re-watch the program within a limited, 2-day window.

An Evening with Lech Walesa, Former President of Poland, Nobel Peace Prize-Winning Leader
2022-05-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Event
Join us for a conversation with former President of Poland Lech Walesa. Ticket sales will go towards assisting Ukrainian refugees.

About this event

*PLEASE NOTE THIS IS THE PAGE FOR LIVESTREAM /VIRUAL TICKETS ONLY
FOR LIVE IN PERSON TICKETS use this link

Join us in conversation with President Lech Wałęsa, former president of Poland, Nobel Peace Prize-winning leader, and founder of the Lech Wałęsa Institute.
We’ll explore how President Wałęsa pulled Poland into the democratic fold, what Russia’s invasion of Ukraine means for the region, and how we can help Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis.
All ticket proceeds from this event will go to the Lech Wałęsa Institute in aid of Ukrainian refugees.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Co-Presented With:
UCONN Dodd Center for Human Rights
World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts
World Affairs Forum – Stamford, CT
World Affairs Council Dallas Fort Worth
Global Santa Fe World Affairs Council New Jersey
World Affairs Council of Maine
World Affairs Council of El Paso
World Affairs Council of Jacksonville
World Affairs Council of San Antonio
World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana
Columbus Council on World Affairs
World Affairs Council of Tacoma
World Affairs Council of Northwest Ohio
World Affairs Council of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky
World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
World Affairs Council of Greater Houston

Outer Space with Charles Doarn - SOLD OUT
2022-05-13 13:00 - 15:00 | UC’s Victory Parkway Campus, 2220 Victory Pkwy, Cincinnati, OH, 45206
A partner program with OLLI at UC

How should the United States approach the new crowded outer space? The launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957 marked the beginning of the space era and of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the 21st century, there are many more participants in space, including countries such as India and China, and commercial companies such as SpaceX. How will the United States fare in a crowded outer space? This session is part of the Great Decisions program through Foreign Policy Association and the World Affairs Council partners with OLLI at UC to bring you this program.
Speaker Biography
Charles Doarn serves as the inaugural director of UC’s Space Research Institute for Discovery and Exploration. In addition, he is a Research Professor and the MPH Program Director and Division Director of Public Health Sciences, Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine. He also has academic appointments at the full professor level in Political Science at UC, Aerospace Medicine at Wright State University, and Emergency Medicine at George Washington University. He currently provides subject matter expertise in aerospace medicine to NASA’s Chief Health and Medical Officer and serves as the co-chair of Federal Telehealth Working Group for the U.S. Government. Professor Doarn has worked closely the NATO, the Department of Defense, and the Department of State as a Fulbright Specialist.
He received his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences (Microbiology) from The Ohio State University in 1980 and an MBA from the University of Dayton in 1988. Additional training includes the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, Ashburn, VA and Advanced Program Management at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, VA.
As the Editor-in-Chief of the Telemedicine and e-Health Journal (since 2005), Doarn is a recognized leader in telemedicine and telehealth as a scholar and teacher, having published 7 books, over 400 manuscripts, editorials, federal reports and nearly 50 book chapters. Doarn is an editor of the 4th edition of Space Physiology and Medicine: Evidence to Practice (ISBN 978-1-4939-6650-9); an editor of A Multinational Telemedicine System for Disaster Response: Opportunities and Challenges. NATO Publication (ISBN 978-1-61499-727-6); an editor of Engineering, Life Sciences, and Health/Medicine Synergy in Aerospace Human Systems Integration. The Rosetta Stone Project. NASA SP-2017-633. (ISBN 978-1-62683-044-8); and Telemedicine, Telehealth, and Telepresence: Principles, Strategies, Applications and New Directions. Editors. R Latifi, CR Doarn, RC Merrell. Springer, New York. ISBN 978-3-030-56916-7. 2021. He recently completed NASA’s Mishap Investigation Flight Surgeon Handbook – NASA SP-2020-5006891.
Professor Doarn is a fellow of the ATA and the Aerospace Medical Association, a member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), an Honorary NASA Flight Surgeon, and recipient of the Astronaut’s award, the Silver Snoopy for his work in Telemedicine for NASA worldwide. In May 2016, Professor Doarn was recognized by the ATA with the 2016 Individual Leadership Award for his efforts nationally and internationally in telemedicine. He and his co-authors were recognized with the IAA’s 2018 Luigi Napolitano Book Award in the Life Sciences.
Interested in reading more, make sure to check out these books:
1. Engineering, Life Sciences, and Health/Medicine Synergy in Aerospace Human Systems Integration. The Rosetta Stone Project. Editors. RS Williams and CR Doarn. NASA SP-2017-633. NASA, Washington DC. ISBN 978-1-62683-044-8.
Free by looking at this website.
2. Space Physiology and Medicine – from Evidence to Practice, 4th edition. Editors: A Nicogossian, CL Huntoon, RS Williams, CR Doarn, V Schneider, and JD Polk. 2016. Springer, New York. DOI-10.1007/978-1-4939-6652-3. ISBN 978-1-4939-6650-9 / e-book – ISBN 978-1-4939-6652-3

Small World Cafe - Disinformation around the World
2022-05-17 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
Join us for this Small World Cafe event brought to you in partnership with the World Affairs Council – Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky and Gulf Coast Diplomacy. In the month of May we’re exploring the impact of misinformation and disinformation around the world with Dr. Jeffrey Blevins of the University of Cincinnati!

Dr. Blevins is a Professor in the Journalism Department. Tenured in the Department of English & Comparative Literature, he also holds affiliate appointments in Department of Political Science and The Cincinnati Project. His Scholarship is grounded in U.S. telecommunication law and policy and engages critical political economy theory. Dr. Blevins’ published research has examined media ownership regulation, First Amendment jurisprudence on media ownership regulation, Internet media policy and the politics of the telecommunication policymaking process. He has provided expertise on electronic media regulation and Federal Communications Commission policymaking to international, national, regional and local news media. In 2009 Dr. Blevins served as a federal grant reviewer for the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program administered by the National Telecommunication and Information Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce. He is a frequent opinion-editorial columnist for major news outlets, including USA Today, The Cincinnati Enquirer, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and other venues.

Fiona Hill - Balancing Act: Russia, U.S., & the World
2022-05-26 09:30 - 10:30 | Virtual Event
WorldOregon presents the 2022 International Speaker Series: Intersections
Celebrating its 22nd season, WorldOregon’s International Speaker Series puts you virtually in the room with the global leaders, visionaries, and inspiring voices that are changing our world.  This year’s series, presented exclusively online, brings to WorldOregon audiences four of the globe’s brightest, boldest thinkers and advocates discussing race and social justice, sovereign rights, confronting aggression, and resilience and humanity in the face of crisis.

May 26, 6:30 PM
Fiona Hill

Balancing Act: Russia, U.S., & the World
Senior Fellow, Center on the U.S. & Europe, Brookings Institution
June 7, 6:30 PM
Lynsey Addario
Of Love & War: Humanity & Resilience on the Front Lines
Pulitzer Prize-winning Photojournalist
Twitter: @lynseyaddario
The 2022 International Speaker Series will be streamed live online | Note: all times are PDT*
* Ticket-purchasers will receive a password-protected link following the online event to view or re-watch the program within a limited, 2-day window.

Senior Fellow, Center on the U.S. & Europe, Brookings Institution

Taft Business Roundtable: Hybrid Onshore/Offshore Strategies for Suppliers/Buyers
2022-05-31 08:30 - 10:00 | 1819 Innovation Hub
Join us for a discussion with experts, specialists and innovators on the topic of Hybrid Onshore/Offshore Strategies for Suppliers/Buyers. We are the epic center for goods and services distribution. Find out how geopolitics, technological innovations and other factors will impact how entrepreneurs can create, market and distribute products across the country and around the world.
Agenda:

8:30 Registration & lite refreshments
8:45 Opening remarks
9:00 Panel discussion
9:45 Q&A
10:00 Closing remarks

Some of the questions the panel may attempt to answer include:

Lessons learned from the supply chain bottlenecks
Just in time (JIT) dead or alive?
Is offshore manufacturing and supply chain obsolete?
How to reshore/onshore and what it means to cost and inflation?
Is there a hybrid onshore/offshore model for supply chain?
China-US decoupling or recoupling? Are there legitimate Indo Pacific substitutes to Chinese suppliers?

Lynsey Addario Of Love & War: Humanity & Resilience on the Front Lines
2022-06-07 09:30 - 10:30 | Virtual Event
WorldOregon presents the 2022 International Speaker Series: Intersections
Celebrating its 22nd season, WorldOregon’s International Speaker Series puts you virtually in the room with the global leaders, visionaries, and inspiring voices that are changing our world.  This year’s series, presented exclusively online, brings to WorldOregon audiences four of the globe’s brightest, boldest thinkers and advocates discussing race and social justice, sovereign rights, confronting aggression, and resilience and humanity in the face of crisis.
June 7, 6:30 PM

Lynsey Addario
Of Love & War: Humanity & Resilience on the Front Lines
Pulitzer Prize-winning Photojournalist
Twitter: @lynseyaddario
The 2022 International Speaker Series will be streamed live online | Note: all times are PDT*
* Ticket-purchasers will receive a password-protected link following the online event to view or re-watch the program within a limited, 2-day window.

IDEA Summit 2022
2022-06-10 07:30 - 12:00 | St. Elizabeth Training and Education Center
The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce (NKY Chamber) and St. Elizabeth Healthcare are partnering to host the first IDEA Summit – Building an Inclusive Community: The Business Case for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion powered by Fifth Third Bank. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to Noon on Friday, June 10, at the St. Elizabeth Training and Education Center (3861 Olympic Blvd., Erlanger, Ky., 41018) and will address removing barriers to employment, effective talent attraction and retention strategies, the importance of an inclusive workplace culture and building a plan for supplier diversity.
Tentative Event Schedule
7:30am – 8am: Registration/Breakfast/Networking
8am – 9am: Welcome and Keynote Speaker Stephanie A. Smith from Fifth Third
9am – 10am: Panel Discussion – All hands on deck: Removing Barriers to Employment. Panel moderator Dr. Eddie Howard, VP of Student Affairs at NKU.
Panel: John Hawkins MPI Consulting, Catrena Bowman-Thomas NKCAC, Alecia Webb-Edgington Life Learning Center, Paco Tello, Pefetti Van Melle
10am – 12pm: Break Out Sessions (Topics TBD)

Cost to Attend

Member Rate
$55

Future Member Rate
$70

NKYP Pass Rate
$50

Pre-registration is required. Click the “Register” button to reserve your seat! The NKY Chamber has a 48-hour cancellation policy for all events.

Industrial Policy Discussion
2022-06-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
Will a more involved U.S. government help the economy revive? The current discussion of industrial policy in the United States is not simply about whether or not to support specific companies or industries, but about trust or mistrust of the government and its ability to manage the economy and deal with a rising China. The upheaval in supply chains during the pandemic exposed weaknesses in the international economy. What policies can the United States implement to deal with trade and the economy?
This session is part of the Great Decisions program through Foreign Policy Association and the World Affairs Council partners with OLLI at UC to bring you this program.

Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit
2022-06-16 | Hybrid
Join us as we explore Emergent Strategies for an Equitable, Climate Prepared Region.
In-person tickets to all days of events are limited. Please secure your spot early.
Award nominations and speaker, field trip and art submissions have closed.
Learn more about opportunities to sponsor the Summit.​
Our program includes a keynote, plenary, breakout sessions and short talks covering a broad range of relevant topics, including:

Healthy & Resilient Communities

Business & Green, Circular Economy

Government & Policy

Healthy, High-Performing Infrastructure

Creating a Food Secure Community

Climate Justice, Equity & Inclusion

Emergency Preparedness

Expo Community Conversation
2022-06-23 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Join us for this Expo Community Conversation event brought to you in partnership with the World Affairs Council – Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky, Global Ties, the U.S. Department of State and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Join us for a discussion on how we bring Expos back to the United States and do so in a more inclusive way that highlights our country’s diversity as a strength of our democracy. Expos, also known as World’s Fairs, are the world’s oldest and largest mega event, held every three-five years in host cities around the world since their inception in 1851 in London. Similar to the Olympics, which are world festivals of sports, Expos are festivals of culture, technology, innovation, design, and human excellence. Past Expos have seen a multitude of countries showcase innovations such as the mobile phone, the X-Ray Machine, and the ice cream cone.
Though Expos have not captured many U.S. citizens’ imaginations, for those who experienced the events within the United States and overseas the last sixty years, the experiences impacted simultaneously their worldviews and views of their communities.
The physical legacies of Expos in New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, and Seattle—four of the last ones hosted inside the United States, between 1960-1984—are well established. But the “felt” legacies are underexplored and powerful. With geopolitics rapidly shifting, these soft power platforms are critical to illuminating U.S. values to international audiences. We also have an opportunity to rethink how we bring Expos back to the United States and do so in a more inclusive way that highlights our country’s diversity as a strength of our democracy.
Join us for a conversation on a groundbreaking oral history project to explore the future of International Expositions and the United States’ role in them. The event will also feature Oral Historian, Anna F. Kaplan, PhD, and Paul Kruchoski, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director of the Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy.

Let’s Talk Oil - Energy Security and Transition Virtual Event
2022-07-27 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
Professor Theresa Saboni-Helf, PhD, an international energy expert & Georgetown professor, will share insights on how energy, technology & governments intersect, including discussing questions like:

How does the quest for adequate energy shape international relations?
How do policies, technologies and markets interact in the realm of energy?
How do states balance among technological risk, environmental risk, economic risk and political risk?
How do climate goals change the energy strategies of states?
As the United States simultaneously faces the long-term threat of climate change and the near-term threat of Russian behavior in Europe, what policies are emerging, and how are they prioritized?

Theresa Sabonis-Helf is a Professor of the Practice in the Georgetown School of Foreign Service Master’s Degree program, and serves as the Inaugural Chair of the Science, Technology and International Affairs concentration. Prior to joining Georgetown, she was a Professor of National Security Strategy at the National War College in Washington DC. She has lived and worked in seven countries of the Former USSR, has assisted two nations with the development of their first National Security Strategies, has written a textbook on Caucasus regional energy issues, and has co-edited two volumes on Central Asia’s political and economic transition. She has also published and lectured extensively on energy security, climate change policies, post-Soviet energy and environmental issues, regional water politics, energy transition, and the politics of electricity. She is a frequent advisor to the US Department of State and USAID and is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She holds a PhD in Political Science from Emory University, and an MPA in International Affairs from Princeton University.
Register here.

The 5th Annual Cincinnati Festival of Faiths
2022-07-31 - 2022-08-07 | Multiple
