World Affairs Councils Of America

SEE PART III, LINE 1.

SPEAKER PROGRAM - ENGAGE AMERICA:1. THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS OF AMERICA (WACA) SPONSORS AN ENGAGE AMERICA SPEAKER SERIES TITLED "WUNDERBAR TOGETHER" THAT, IN THE FALL OF 2020, FOCUSED ON WHAT 30 YEARS OF A REUNITED GERMANY MEANS FOR TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS AND THE WORLD. THIS SERIES, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GOETHE-INSTITUT, CONVENED PROMINENT GERMAN DIPLOMATS, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, AND OPINION LEADERS AND ACADEMICS IN GERMANY AND THE U.S. TO EXPLORE GLOBAL ISSUES SUCH AS GLOBAL HEALTH, REFUGEES & MIGRATION, CONTEMPORARY ANTI-SEMITISM, AND GERMANY'S RELATIONS WITH EUROPE AND THE U.S.2. NATO: WACA LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM - NATO 2030: STRENGTHENING THE ALLIANCE TO ADDRESS NEW SECURITY THREATS - THAT PRESENTS HIGH-LEVEL NATO OFFICIALS AND AMBASSADORS FROM ALLIED COUNTRIES TO EXAMINE NATO'S APPROACH TO: ARMS CONTROL & RUSSIA RELATIONS; CLIMATE CHANGE; OUTER SPACE AS AN OPERATIONAL DOMAIN; ENERGY SECURITY, TRADE, AND RESILIENCE; AND CYBERSECURITY.3. WACA SPONSORS A PROGRAM ON THE FUTURE OF KOREA IN COLLABORATION WITH THE KOREA ECONOMIC INSTITUTE. THE PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON BROADENING AND DEEPENING THE UNDERSTANDING OF KOREA AND THE U.S.-KOREA RELATIONSHIP AMONG OPINION LEADERS AND ACADEMICS. THE CENTERPIECE OF THE PROGRAM IS A THREE-PERSON PANEL DISCUSSION, USUALLY CONSISTING OF ONE REPRESENTATIVE EACH FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, THE KOREAN EMBASSY, AND KEI. 4. USIP: THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS OF AMERICA, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE, IS A PROGRAM THAT EXPLORES PEACEBUILDING AS A NATIONAL SECURITY PRIORITY, IN AN ARRAY OF PUBLIC FORUMS AND SCHOOLS VISITS THAT FEATURE THE USIP PRESIDENT AND SENIOR VP.5. SASAKAWA: THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS OF AMERICA HAS PARTNERED WITH SASAKAWA PEACE FOUNDATION USA FOR A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM ON THE TOPIC OF U.S.-JAPAN RELATIONS AND JAPAN'S POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE AREAS OF THE ECONOMY, TRADE, AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE AND CULTURAL TIES.6. THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS OF AMERICA AND THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM USA (WFP USA) ARE 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 LIVES. THIS 2020 ENGAGE AMERICA SPEAKER SERIES WAS DEDICATED TO FOSTERING DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF ISSUES AND PRIORITIES OF WFP USA, SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE & HUNGER; WOMEN & HUNGER; AND HUNGER & FOOD WASTE. THESE FORUMS AFFORDED CITIZENS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH EXPERTS IN THESE AREAS.7. THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS OF AMERICA RENEWED ITS COLLABORATION WITH THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DIPLOMACY ON AN ENGAGE AMERICA: STATE OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMACY SPEAKER SERIES WITH THE AIM OF ANSWERING: HOW HAS TRUMP'S TRANSACTIONAL DIPLOMACY CHANGED THE PUBLIC'S UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS DIPLOMACY AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT? AND WHO ARE U.S. ALLIES AND WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF ALLIANCES AND TREATIES?

NATIONAL CONFERENCE:THE ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE HAS EARNED A REPUTATION AS THE PREEMINENT GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP EDUCATIONAL FORUM WHERE LEADING NATIONAL SECURITY POLICYMAKERS AND ANALYSTS, AS WELL AS EXPERTS IN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT, ENGAGE WITH 275 OF OUR NETWORK'S CITIZEN LEADERS DRAWN FROM THE BUSINESS, CIVIC, AND EDUCATION COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE IS TO HELP OUR REGIONAL LEADERSHIP DETERMINE THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES IN THE COMING YEAR, AS WELL AS MEET POTENTIAL SPEAKERS FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. WACA'S 2020 NATIONAL CONFERENCE, PRESENTED VIRTUALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME, WAS EXPANDED TO FIVE DAYS AND FOCUSED ON "NEW FRONTIERS IN DIPLOMACY AND NATIONAL SECURITY" WITH LEADERS OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, DC-BASED THINK TANKS, TOP DIPLOMATS, POLICYMAKERS, AUTHORS, AND JOURNALISTS.

OTHER PROGRAMS:1. ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST IS THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS OF AMERICA'S FLAGSHIP STUDENT EDUCATION PROGRAM. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE YEAR-LONG PROGRAM IS TO INFORM AND ENGAGE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS. MORE THAN 5,000 STUDENTS, ORGANIZED IN TEAMS OF FOUR, TEST THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, IN REGIONAL ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST COMPETITIONS HOSTED BY WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THE REGIONAL CHAMPIONS THEN COMPETE IN THE NATIONAL COMPETITION, HELD DURING THE SPRING OF EACH YEAR IN WASHINGTON, DC. PART OF THE WEEKEND EXPERIENCE IS EXPOSURE TO THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL THROUGH RECEPTIONS IN LOCAL EMBASSIES AND SHORT TALKS DELIVERED BY RESIDING AMBASSADORS. 2. LEADERSHIP MISSIONS: EACH YEAR, WACA OFFERS ONE OR TWO MISSIONS TO OTHER COUNTRIES. THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THESE MISSIONS IS TO GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE, THE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS OF THE CITY, THE COUNTRY OR ORGANIZATION FIRSTHAND, AND TO ESTABLISH A MUCH GREATER CONNECTION BETWEEN THE COUNTRY AND A WELL-INFORMED, INFLUENTIAL PART OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. THESE TRIPS ARE INTENDED TO ENHANCE BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOST COUNTY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE BETTER PROGRAMS BACK HOME AT THE LOCAL COUNCIL LEVEL. PLANNED LEADERSHIP MISSIONS TO DOHA, QATAR AND SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA WERE POSTPONED DUE TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRAVEL DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.3. WACA CONTINUED MONTHLY BEST-PRACTICES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS VIA ZOOM FOR COUNCIL LEADERS, BOARD MEMBERS, AND STAFF.4. COVER TO COVER AND EMBASSY ROW LIVE!: COVER TO COVER PRESENTS NEWLY PUBLISHED AUTHORS MONTHLY AND EMBASSY ROW LIVE! FEATURES AMBASSADORS AND OTHER DIGNITARIES FROM ABROAD. BOTH PROGRAMS ADDRESSING CRITICAL GLOBAL ISSUES VIA ZOOM FOR NATIONWIDE AUDIENCES THAT ENGAGE IN ACTIVE Q&A WITH GUESTS AND WACA'S MODERATOR.5. 1918 SOCIETY: THE 1918 SOCIETY IS COMPRISED OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SUPPORT THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS OF AMERICA IN ITS MISSION OF EDUCATING AMERICANS ON GLOBAL ISSUES. MEMBERS RECEIVE SPECIAL BENEFITS AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND YEAR]ROUND AS PART OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP.