July 23, 2018

WACA Weekly

WACA 2018 National Conference: Braving the New World Order

November 7-9

The Mayflower Hotel

Washington, DC

July Promotion: Table of Eight

We are pleased to offer Councils an even better deal than our Early Bird discounts on individual Conference tickets!

For those WACs that purchase a Table of Eight for $4,000, WACA will provide a free registration for a 9th guest. In addition, you will receive preferred table seating at the keynote dinner, Ambassadors Luncheon, and closing keynote luncheon, as well as one complimentary 1918 Society Membership.

New Think Tank Off-site

We are excited to announce that The McCain Institute will offer an exclusive briefing to a WACA cohort for the first time at the National Conference. Executive Director Kurt Volker, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and presently the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine, will lead the briefing.

Other think tank partners include:

Center for American Progress (CAP), New this year!

American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

Center for a New American Security (CNAS)

USIP: A Year in the Life of a Peace Teacher

At a time when violent international conflict and the threat of extremism loom large, four high school teachers in Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, and Florida have spent the last year taking part in a U.S. Institute of Peace program to help their students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives they need to work toward a more peaceful world.

USIP's President and CEO Nancy Lindborg mentioned her recent visit to the World Affairs Council of Charlotte in her opening remarks to the "Year in the Life of a Peace Teacher" symposium.

Listen to the podcast here and join the conversation at #USIPPeaceTeachers.

After 21 Years of Leadership, Carol Engebretson Byrne Will Step Down From Her Role as Global Minnesota President

Under Byrne’s leadership, Global Minnesota has created groundbreaking programs on important international topics, engaging tens of thousands in Minnesota to know more about the world. The organization has financially grown by more than 300 percent and has experienced transformational change with Byrne at the helm. Byrne gives credit for the early growth of Global Minnesota under her leadership in the late 1990s to others in the WACA network who served as mentors. Byrne said she particularly appreciates former WACA head Jerry Leach's mentorship.

“I am privileged to have served as a steward of the worthy mission of this amazing organization that makes such a positive difference in our community and world,” Byrne said.

The Global Minnesota Board of Directors has engaged Ballinger|Leafblad, an executive search firm with extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, to conduct a national search. More details will be available soon on the Global Minnesota website.

SDWAC's Schlosser Speaks with San Diego Union-Tribune

We are pleased to share the San Diego Union-Tribune’s July 14 “One-on-One” Q&A with San Diego World Affairs Council President John Schlosser. SDWAC's next event, this Thursday, will focus on U.S. trade policy,featuring Dr. Peter Cowhey, Dean of UCSD's School of Global Policy and Strategy.

See below for more Council program highlights!