May 1, 2018

May Newsletter

This Month: Spring Leadership Meeting; Top AWQ Teams; Future of Korea Grant Awards; Council of the Month; Global I.Q. Minute; Council Opportunities and Highlights

Spring Leadership and Board Meetings Hotel Block Ends Wednesday, May 2

This year's Spring Leadership and Board Meetings will be held in partnership with the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, May 17-19. 

The meetings will open with an installment of WAC San Antonio's Distinguished Speaker Series on Thursday, May 17 at 5:30 pm CT: San Antonio’s First 300 Years: From Spanish Colony to Modern City

On Friday, May 18, following professional development workshops, WACA will host a dinner with a VIP speaker.

The WACA Board meets Saturday, May 19 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm.

Hotel Block

We have extended our hotel block at Hotel Valencia. We are offering a rate of $169/night. The block will now close Wednesday, May 2 at 5:00 pm CT. Book your room today!

*Registration and agendas coming soon. ($50; free for 1918 Society members and Council leaders who renewed membership by the deadline)

Academic WorldQuest 2018 National Competition

A heartfelt thank you to all students, teachers, parents, and other participants who made the Carlos and Malu Alvarez 2018 Academic WorldQuest National Competition a wonderful success!

Special thanks also to all of our sponsors, including the United States Institute of Peace, which held a welcome reception for all Academic WorldQuest attendees. Read the WACA press release.

Congratulations to the winning teams:

2018 Champions: Plano West Senior High School - World Affairs Council of Dallas/Forth Worth

Grand prize: Microsoft Surface Books 2

2nd: Palm Desert High School - World Affairs Council of the Desert

3rd: Indian Hill High School - World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky

4th: Thornton Academy - World Affairs Council of Maine

5th: Davidson Academy - Northern Nevada International Center

6th: duPont Manual High School - World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana

7th: Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy - World Affairs Council of Austin

8th: Keystone School - World Affairs Council of San Antonio

9th: Canyon Crest Academy - San Diego World Affairs Council

10th: Clements High School - World Affairs Council of Greater Houston

Scores will be sent to all 45 teams soon.

Keynote speaker: Nabil Kapasi, Academic WorldQuest National Competition alumnus and sophomore at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. See his speech about the Academic WorldQuest experience and attending university in our nation's capital. Watch now.

The Carlos and Malú Alvarez Academic WorldQuest 2018 National Competition would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of students, teachers, parents, chaperones, and all World Affairs Council staff and volunteers across the country. Thank you for helping make the competition a great success!

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

May Cover to Cover with Michael McFaul:

From Cold War to Hot Peace

In 2008, when Michael McFaul was asked to leave his perch at Stanford and join an unlikely presidential campaign, he had no idea that he would find himself at the beating heart of one of today’s most contentious and consequential international relationships. As President Obama’s adviser on Russian affairs, McFaul helped craft the U.S. policy known as “reset” that fostered unprecedented collaboration between the two countries. Then, as U.S. Ambassador to Russia (2012-2014), he had a front-row seat when this fleeting, hopeful moment crumbled with Vladimir Putin’s return to the presidency.

From Cold War to Hot Peace is a riveting inside account that combines history and memoir to tell the full story of U.S.-Russia relations from the fall of the Soviet Union to the new rise of the hostile, paranoid Russian president.

Join the May Cover to Cover conference call to discuss McFaul's new book, From Cold War to Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin's Russia, on Tuesday, May 15, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET.

Council Leaders: Please Vote by May 18

New WACA National Board terms will commence July 1 (a term is three years).

According to the bylaws, one authorized representative of each member organization may vote YEA or NAY on the nominees for the WACA National Board. See bios.

Please respond by email vote to Chelsea Beaulieu at cbeaulieu@worldaffairscouncils.org no later than close of business on Friday, May 18.

With the start of our new fiscal year on July 1, 2018, WACA National Board Committees will be recomposed. The Nominating Committee will announce an official call for nominations to the board in early September. Please begin now to consider the strongest Supporting (corporate and institutional) and Council candidates for the WACA National Board, with terms to start in July 2019. 

CANDIDATES ELECTION (JULY 2018-JUNE 2021 TERM):

BOARD CANDIDATES (Supporting Member Nominees):

Carlos Alvarez, CEO, The Gambrinus Company (TX)

Alex Lari, CEO, The Claremont Group (NY) 

BOARD CANDIDATES (Council Rep Nominees):

Joan Lemoine, immediate past Executive Director, WAC Hilton Head

Derrick Olsen, President, WorldOregon

Incumbent Supporting Member Nominee (second 3-year term):

Forough Hosseini, Senior Vice President, Information Systems, ICI Homes, Inc. (FL) 

Incumbent Council Rep Nominees (second 3-year term):

Craig Snyder, President and CEO, WAC Philadelphia 

Xiao Yin Zhao, Executive Director, WAC Kentucky and Southern Indiana

Announcing: Future of Korea 2018 Selected Councils

Selected Councils:

·     Colorado Springs WAC/WorldDenver

·     Indiana Council on World Affairs

·     Peoria Area WAC

·     Santa Fe Council on International Relations

·     Utah Council on Citizen Diplomacy

·     WAC Charlotte

·     WAC Harrisburg

·     WAC New Hampshire

The World Affairs Councils of America is pleased to announce selected Councils in our annual programming partnership with the Korea Economic Institute (KEI).

KEI, in consultation with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, the U.S. Department of State, and the World Affairs Councils of America, based its selection on a highly competitive application process. WACA will administer the grants for Future of Korea 2018 programs.

April 30, 2018

Academic WorldQuest Recap and

Spring Leadership and Board Meetings Updates

As WACA finishes wrapping up another successful Academic WorldQuest National Competition, today's email will be concise and will include two major highlights from the National Office.

We will send the full May newsletter tomorrow, May 1.

Academic WorldQuest 2018 National Competition

A heartfelt thank you to all students, teachers, parents, and other participants who made the Carlos and Malu Alvarez 2018 Academic WorldQuest National Competition a wonderful success!

Special thanks also to all of our sponsors, including the United States Institute of Peace, which held a welcome reception for all Academic WorldQuest attendees. Read the WACA press release.

We will be sending a survey and team scores to chaperones very soon!

Congratulations to the winning teams:

First place: Plano West Senior High School - World Affairs Council of Dallas/Forth Worth

Second place: Palm Desert High School - World Affairs Council of the Desert

Third place: Indian Hill High School - World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky

Keynote speaker: Nabil Kapasi, Academic WorldQuest National Competition alum and sophomore at Georgetown University's School of International Service. See his speech about the Academic WorldQuest experience and attending university in our nation's capital. Watch now.

United States Institute of Peace:

WACA would like to additionally recognize Ambassador William Taylor, Executive Vice President of USIP, who made welcome remarks at the AWQ Reception at the United States Institute of Peace's iconic headquarters.

Thank you to our Judges and Emcee:

Emcee: Joyce Davis, World Affairs Council of Harrisburg

Judge: Rich Crepage, WACA Advisory Council

Judge: Maureen Korzik, World Affairs Council of Hilton Head

Judge: Leslie Palmer, World Affairs Council of San Antonio

The Carlos and Malú Alvarez Academic WorldQuest 2018 National Competition would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of students, teachers, parents, chaperones, and all World Affairs Council staff and volunteers across the country. Thank you for helping to make competition a great success!

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

Spring Leadership and Board Meetings Hotel Block Closes Wednesday, May 2

This year's Spring Leadership and Board Meetings will be held in partnership with the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, May 17-19. 

The meetings will open with an installment of WAC San Antonio's Distinguished Speaker Series on Thursday, May 17 at 5:30 pm CT:

San Antonio’s First 300 Years: From Spanish Colony to Modern City

Join the World Affairs Council of San Antonio and local historian Dr. Gilberto Hinojosa for a fascinating overview of San Antonio’s last 300 years, from its foundation as a Spanish outpost to its rise in the twentieth century.

This event is held in conjunction with the World Affairs Councils of America’s Annual Spring Leadership Meeting.

On Friday, May 18, following professional development workshops, WACA will host a dinner with a VIP speaker.

The WACA Board meets Saturday, May 19 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm.

Hotel Block

We have extended our hotel block at Hotel Valencia. We are offering a rate of $169/night. The block will now close Wednesday, May 2. Book your room today!

*Registration and agendas coming soon. ($50; free for 1918 Society members and Council leaders who renewed membership by the deadline)

April 26, 2018

1918 Society Call

ASG: Global Trade Update

The World Affairs Councils of America is pleased to invite 1918 Society members to join Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) for a conference call discussion on the state of global trade during this time of unprecedented uncertainty.

The call will take place on Friday, April 27, at 10:30-11:15 am ET.

ASG Chair Secretary Gutierrez and senior experts from ASG’s Latin America and East Asia and Pacific practices will share their insights on trade tensions between the U.S. and key partners, with a focus on how businesses will be impacted:

What are the prospects and timeline for securing a renegotiated NAFTA? How will the upcoming presidential election in Mexico and U.S. midterms impact the agreement’s future?

Will the U.S. and China reach an agreement to pull back from the brink of a full-blown trade war?

Join the 1918 Society

This invitation is exclusive to 1918 Society members. If you are interested in joining the 1918 Society, please contact Chelsea Beaulieu at 202-833-4557 or by email at cbeaulieu@worldaffairscouncils.org for more information.

Featured speakers:

Carlos M. Gutierrez, Chair, ASG

Eric Altbach, Senior Vice President East Asia and Pacific Practice, ASG

Antonio Ortiz-Mena, Senior Vice President, Latin America Practice, ASG

Moderator: Lauren Bosma, Analyst, East Asia and Pacific Practice, ASG

April 25, 2018

Weekly World News Update

Trump-Macron Meeting; Koreas Summit; Democracy in Peril?; Erdogan's Authoritarianism; China-Taiwan Tensions; Cuba's New Era

Quote of the Week

"The United States, the country of the First Amendment, has fallen again in the Index under Donald Trump, this time two places to 45th. A media-bashing enthusiast, Trump has referred to reporters “enemies of the people,” the term once used by Joseph Stalin."

-- Quote from Reporters Without Borders 2018 World Press Freedom Index, released today.

Presidents Trump and Macron's Washington Summit

"Mr. Macron Goes to Washington: Risks and Rewards of this Week's State Visit" Nicholas Dungan -- Atlantic Council, April 23, 2018

"Why France Feels (Relatively) Comfortable with Trump's America" Paul Zajac -- The American Interest, April 23, 2018

"Can France Be America's New Bridge to Europe?" Celia Belin -- Foreign Affairs, April 19, 2018

"Europe's Last-Ditch Effort to Save the Iran Deal" Robert Malley and Colin Kahl -- The Atlantic, April 24, 2018

"The Courage to Confront the United States: When Allies Must Say Tough Things" Jeffrey Rathke -- Center for Strategic and International Studies, April 23, 2018

South and North Korea Prepare to Meet

"Fear and Hope in South Korea on Eve of Summit with Kim Jong Un" Shoe Sang-Hun -- The New York Times, April 24, 2018

"Impossible Dream? Unification Less of a Priority as Korean Leaders Prepare to Talk" Josh Smith -- U.S. News and World Report, April 25, 2018

"South Koreans Take a Reality Check Ahead of Summit with North" Jonathan Cheng and Yun-hwan Chae -- The Wall Street Journal, April 25, 2018

"The End of the Democratic Century" Yascha Mounk and Roberto Stefan Foa -- Foreign Affairs, May/June, 2018

"Armenia's Democratic Triumph" Paul Stronski -- The Atlantic, April 24, 2018

"How Emmanuel Macron Became the New Leader of the Free World" Will Marshall -- Politico, April 22, 2018

"Poland's Ruling Law and Justice Party Is Doing Lasting Damage" Editorial Board -- The Economist, April 21, 2018

Erdogan's Authoritarian Rule

"Approaching Elections, Turkey's Erdogan Gives a Master Class in Dictatorship" Simon A. Waldman -- Haaretz, April 22, 2018

"How President Erdogan Is Turning Turkey into Putin's Russia" Soner Cagaptay -- Time, April 24, 2018

"Turkey's Snap Elections: Erdogan's Improvised Gambit" Aykan Erdemir -- War on the Rocks, April 21, 2018

China-Taiwan Tensions Escalate

"Taiwan's Democracy Is the Key Issue Facing China" Xuan Loc Doan -- Asia Times, April 24, 2018

"What Would Taiwan Do if China Invaded?" Russell Hsiao -- The National Interest, April 24, 2018

A New Era for Cuba?

"More Black Officials in Cuba as Leadership Changes" Frances Robles and Azam Ahmed -- The New York Times, April 22, 2018

April 23, 2018

WACA Weekly

This Week: Preventing International Conflict on KNOW NOW; Academic WorldQuest 2018; Spring Leadership Meeting Updates; National Board Votes

Academic WorldQuest 2018 this Saturday!

The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2018 Academic WorldQuest National Competition program will be held at The National Press Club in Washington, DC on Saturday, April 28 from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM.

The AWQ program will once again feature a welcome reception at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on Friday, April 27 from 4:00-6:00 PM. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the many ways that the United States Institute of Peace works to prevent conflicts from turning to bloodshed and to end it when they do. This includes the opportunity to hear from Ambassador William Taylor, USIP’s Executive Vice President, and Maria Stephan, Director of Nonviolent Action Programs at the Institute.

For topics, study guide, and other information about this year's competition, please click here.

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

Spring Leadership Hotel Block Closes April 30!

This year's Spring Leadership and Board Meetings will be held in partnership with the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, May 17-19. 

The meetings will open with an installment of WAC San Antonio's Distinguished Speaker Series on Thursday, May 17 at 5:30 pm CT:

San Antonio’s First 300 Years: From Spanish Colony to Modern City

Join the World Affairs Council of San Antonio and local historian Dr. Gilberto Hinojosa for a fascinating overview of San Antonio’s last 300 years, from its foundation as a Spanish outpost to its rise in the twentieth century.

This event is held in conjunction with the World Affairs Councils of America’s Annual Spring Leadership Meeting.

On Friday, May 18, following professional development workshops on topics such as fundraising, endowments, and membership development, WACA will host a dinner with VIP speaker.

The WACA Board meets Saturday, May 19 from 9:00 am-12:00 pm.

Hotel Block

Our hotel block at Hotel Valencia, offering a rate of $169/night, will close on Monday, April 30. Book your room today!

*Registration and agendas coming soon. ($50; free for 1918 Society members)

Council Leaders: Please Vote by May 18

New WACA National Board terms will commence July 1 (a term is three years).

According to the bylaws, one authorized representative of each member organization may vote YEA or NAY on the nominees for the WACA National Board. See bios.

Please respond by email vote to Chelsea Beaulieu at cbeaulieu@worldaffairscouncils.org no later than close of business on Friday, May 18.

With the start of our new fiscal year on July 1, 2018, WACA National Board Committees will be recomposed. The Nominating Committee will announce an official call for nominations to the board in early September. Please begin now to consider the strongest Supporting (corporate and institutional) and Council candidates for the WACA National Board, with terms to start in July 2019. 

CANDIDATES ELECTION (JULY 2018-JUNE 2021 TERM):

BOARD CANDIDATES (Supporting Member Nominees):

Carlos Alvarez, CEO, The Gambrinus Company (TX)

Alex Lari, CEO, The Claremont Group (NY) 

BOARD CANDIDATES (Council Rep Nominees):

Joan Lemoine, immediate past Executive Director, WAC Hilton Head

Derrick Olsen, President, WorldOregon

Incumbent Supporting Member Nominee (second 3-year term):

Forough Hosseini, Senior Vice President, Information Systems, ICI Homes, Inc. (FL) 

Incumbent Council Rep Nominees (second 3-year term):

Craig Snyder, President and CEO, WAC Philadelphia 

Xiao Yin Zhao, Executive Director, WAC Kentucky and Southern Indiana

Listen to WACA Podcasts!

On Wednesday, April 18, WACA hosted Madiha Afzal on Cover to Cover to discuss her new book, Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Society and the State.

World Affairs Council of Seattle to Co-Sponsor Madeleine Albright Event

Madeleine Albright, Chair of Albright Stonebridge Group and first female Secretary of State (1997-2001), will appear at a Seattle Theater Group event, co-sponsored by World Affairs Council of Seattle, on Tuesday, April 24.

Albright also served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1993-1997) and in 2012 was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Albright will discuss her new book, a New York Times #1 bestseller, Fascism: A Warning.

San Diego World Affairs Council to Host Ambassador Ryan Crocker

San Diego World Affairs Council will host Ambassador Ryan Crocker at its annual fundraising dinner on Friday, April 27.

Crocker has served as US Ambassador six times: Afghanistan (2011-2012), Iraq (2007-2009), Pakistan (2004-2007), Syria (1998-2001), Kuwait (1994-1997), and Lebanon (1990-1993). Ambassador Crocker has received many of the nation’s highest honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Crocker currently serves as Diplomat-in-Residence at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

April 19, 2018

Nominees for Election to the WACA National Board of Directors

Please Vote by Email by Friday, May 18

Dear Council Members and Supporting Members: 

The WACA Nominating Committee, chaired by Sam Johnson, is pleased to present the nominees listed below for election to the WACA National Board of Directors. New Board terms will commence July 1 (a term is three years).

According to the bylaws, one authorized representative of each member organization may vote YEA or NAY on the nominees for the WACA National Board.

Please respond by email vote to Chelsea Beaulieu at cbeaulieu@worldaffairscouncils.org no later than close of business on Friday, May 18.

With the start of our new fiscal year on July 1, 2018, WACA National Board Committees will be recomposed. The Nominating Committee will announce an official call for nominations to the board in early September. Please begin now to consider the strongest Supporting (corporate and institutional) and Council candidates for the WACA National Board, with terms to start in July 2019. 

CANDIDATES ELECTION (JULY 2018-JUNE 2021 TERM):

BOARD CANDIDATES (Supporting Member Nominees):

Carlos Alvarez, CEO, The Gambrinus Company (TX)

Alex Lari, CEO, The Claremont Group (NY) 

BOARD CANDIDATES (Council Rep Nominees):

Joan Lemoine, immediate past Executive Director, WAC Hilton Head

Derrick Olsen, President, WorldOregon

Incumbent Supporting Member Nominee (second 3-year term):

Forough Hosseini, Senior Vice President, Information Systems, ICI Homes, Inc. (FL) 

Incumbent Council Rep Nominees (second 3-year term):

Craig Snyder, President and CEO, WAC Philadelphia 

Xiao Yin Zhao, Executive Director, WAC Kentucky and Southern Indiana

The following board members are stepping down this year. We are grateful for their years of service to the WACA National Board. They are eligible to be renominated to the Board after a one-year hiatus.  

Sam Johnson, Chairman and CEO, Johnson + Sterling (AL) 

Noel Lateef, President, Foreign Policy Association (NY)

Don Samford, past President, Peoria Area World Affairs Council (IL)

April 18, 2018

Weekly World News Update

Trump-Abe Summit; U.S.-North Korea Relations; Syrian War; Germany as an Outlier; Castro's Successor

Quote of the Week

"Barbara Bush was a fabulous First Lady and a woman unlike any other who brought levity, love, and literacy to millions."

-- President George W. Bush, in a statement following the death of former First Lady Barbara Bush on Tuesday.

Developments in U.S.-North Korea Relations

"CIA Director Pompeo Met with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un over Easter Weekend" Shane Harris; Carol Leonnig; Greg Jaffe; David Nakumara -- The Washington Post, April 18, 2018

"North Korea Is Changing" Richard Javad Heydarian -- Al Jazeera, April 18, 2018

"Unpacking a U.S. Decision to Engage North Korea: What It Entails and What It Could Achieve" Carla Freeman and Mel Gurtov -- 38 North, April 16, 2018

Presidents Trump and Abe Meet Again

"The Trump-Abe Summit: More than Meets the Eye" James Schoff and Feng Lin -- The Diplomat, April 16, 2018

"Tokyo's Awakening on Trump" J. Berkshire Miller and Irina Angelescu -- The National Interest, April 17, 2018

"How Shinzo Abe Can Help Trump Understand Kim" Ronald Tiersky -- RealClear World, April 18, 2018

"Shinzo Abe, Pursued by Scandal" Sarah Birke -- The New York Review of Books, April 17, 2018

The Increasingly Protracted Syrian War

"The Hypocrisy of Trump's 'Mission Accomplished' Boast About Syria" Robin Wright -- The New Yorker, April 14, 2018

"Back to Brinkmanship" Jacob Heilbrunn -- The National Interest, April 17, 2018

"Four Essential Elements of a U.S. Strategy on Syria" Michael O'Hanlon -- Brookings Institution, April 17, 2018

"Iran's Real Enemy in Syria" Karim Sadjadpour -- The Atlantic, April 16, 2018

"Breaking the Turkey-U.S. Deadlock in Syria" Galip Dalay -- German Marshall Fund, April 16, 2018

"How Syria Came to This" Andrew Tabler -- The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, April 15, 2018

Germany: The Outlier

"Germany's No-Go Foreign Policy" Judy Dempsey -- Carnegie Europe, April 17, 2018

"Better Empty Worlds than Empty Bullets" Marcel Furstenau -- Deutsche Welle, April 16, 2018

"Germany Is Becoming More Open and More Diverse" Editorial Board -- The Economist, April 14, 2018

Choosing Castro's Successor

"We Shouldn't Ignore Cuba" Christopher Sabatini -- The New York Times, April 17, 2018

"Raul Castro's Report Card" Lucia Newman -- Al Jazeera, April 18, 2018

 April 11, 2018

 Weekly World News Update

National Security in the Digital Age; Chemical Attack in Syria; U.S. vs. China; Hungary Moves Far Right; 20th Anniversary of Good Friday Agreement

 Quote of the Week

 "[I]t’s clear now that we didn’t do enough to prevent these tools from being used for harm as

well. That goes for fake news, foreign interference in elections, and hate speech, as well as

developers and data privacy. We didn’t take a broad enough view of our responsibility, and that

was a big mistake."

-- Mark Zuckerberg, Chairman and CEO of Facebook, in testimony to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce about Facebook's role and responsibility in democracy on Wednesday.

 Protecting National Security in the Digital Age

 "Facebook Makes the Snowden Affairs Look Quaint" Anne Applebaum -- The Washington Post, April 10, 2018

"Zuckerberg: Facebook Is in 'Arms Race' with Russia" Editorial Board -- BBC, April 11, 2018

"6 Facts About Fake News in the 2016 Election" Danielle Kurtzleben -- NPR, April 11, 2018

"Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Testifies Before Congress. What Comes Next?" Nicol Turner-Lee -- Brookings Institution, April 10, 2018

"The Marine Corps Is Taking Cyber Warfare to the Front Lines" Eugene Chow -- The National Interest, April 7, 2018

 How to Respond to Another Chemical Attack in Syria?

 "America's Three Bad Options in Syria" Max Fisher -- The New York Times, April 10, 2018

"Macron Needs to Attack Syria" Benjamin Haddad -- Foreign Policy, April 9, 2018

"For Trump and Putin, Syria Is a Battle of Competing Realities" Masha Gessen -- The New Yorker, April 10, 2018

"What Does 'America First' Mean in Syria?" Jonathan Tobin -- National Review, April 10, 2018

"Syria: When and How Does This War End?" Anthony Cordesman -- Center for Strategic and International Studies, April 10, 2018 [Report]

 U.S. and China: On Trade and Other Fronts

 "Trump's Tariff Threats Are Working on China" Kenneth Rapoza -- Forbes, April 10, 2018

"Xi's Strong Hand Against Trump" Bill Emmott -- Project Syndicate, April 11, 2018

"Xi's Vow to Cut Auto Tariffs Is Less than Meets the Eye" Doug Palmer; Megan Cassella; Adam Behsudi -- Politico, April 10, 2018

"U.S. Warships Sail Through South China Sea Amid Escalating Tensions with Beijing" Samuel Osborne -- Independent, April 10, 2018

"Exposing China's Actions in the South China Sea" Ely Ratner -- Council on Foreign Relations, April 6, 2018

 Hungary Takes a Step to the Far Right

 "Hungary Embraces National Conservatism" John O'Sullivan -- National Review, April 9, 2018

"How Illiberal Leaders Attack Civil Society" Michael Abramowitz and Nate Schenkkan -- Foreign Affairs, April 6, 2018

"Viktor Orban's Survival Games" Balazs Jarabik -- Carnegie Europe, April 10, 2018

 The Good Friday Agreement: 20 Years Later

 "The Good Friday agreement in the Age of Brexit" Yasmeen Serhan -- The Atlantic, April 10, 2018

WACA Weekly

This Week: WAC Jacksonville Hosts Former Mexican President; Savannah Hosts Oman 2018; New Council Leaders

World Affairs Council of Jacksonville Hosts Former President of Mexico

World Affairs Council of Jacksonville will host Felipe Calderón, former President of Mexico (2006 to 2012), today, April 9, for "What Does Mexico Think?"

Calderón is one of Latin America's most distinguished leaders and is internationally recognized as a president who strengthened the rule of law and made possible the economic recovery of Mexico after the world economic crisis. During his term he implemented public policies that projected Mexico as a powerful player in the global economy. He was named "Statesman of the Year" by the World Economic Forum in 2012 and considered one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2010.

WAC New Hampshire's New Leader

Tim Horgan recently took the helm as World Affairs Council of New Hampshire's new Executive Director. Tim joined WAC New Hampshire in 2009 as an AmeriCorps member. Prior to his new position, he held the role of Associate Director, focusing on the International Visitor Leadership Program through the U.S. Department of State.

“While I will certainly miss my time spent with our amazing international guests I am excited for this new chapter in my career, as well as for the organization,” Tim stated. “I appreciate the Board placing their faith in me to steer the organization forward in this critical time for WAC New Hampshire and our nation.

Peoria Area World Affairs Council Welcomes Back Angela Weck as Executive Director

Angela Weck will be returning as Executive Director of the Peoria Area World Affairs Council this month, working with outgoing leader Kristin McHugh, to ensure a smooth transition.

Angela served in this same role from 2000-2015, and joined Peoria Area WAC as a member in 1991. She also teaches at Bradley University. Of her reappointment to this position Angela said, "I love what Peoria Area WAC and WACA do, so it was an honor to be selected again."

Cover to Cover: Pakistan Under Siege

Over the last fifteen years, Pakistan has come to be defined exclusively in terms of its struggle with terror. But are ordinary Pakistanis extremists? And what explains how Pakistanis think?

In Pakistan Under Siege, using rigorous analysis of survey data, in-depth interviews in schools and universities in Pakistan, historical narrative reporting, and her own intuitive understanding of the country, Madiha Afzal gives the full picture of Pakistan’s relationship with extremism. 

Join the April Cover to Cover conference call to discuss Afzal's new book, Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Society, and the State, on Wednesday, April 18, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET.

KNOW NOW: Preventing International Conflict

Violent conflict is a common thread that runs throughout history and across all cultures. It disrupts local, national, and international communities, and results in war, displacement, and death.

One strategy to address violent conflict is through a public health approach. The Violence Prevention and Restoration (PAR) Model, developed by the International Center for Compassionate Organizations (ICCO) explains how violence begins, spreads, and infects others like a thought-borne pathogen or virus. Understanding the origins of violence may help prevent it.

Join WAC Kentucky and Southern Indiana's Xiao Yin Zhao as she hosts Ari Cowan and Tony Belak, Director General and Associate Director of ICCO, to discuss how the proliferation of international conflict and violence can be prevented by utilizing the PAR Model on Tuesday, April 24, at 2:00-2:30 PM ET.

Academic WorldQuest 2018

The Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2018 Academic WorldQuest National Competition program will be held at The National Press Club in Washington, DC on April 27-28, at 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM.

This year's program will once again feature a welcome reception at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on Friday, April 27, at 4:00-6:00 PM. Ambassador William Taylor, Executive Vice President of USIP, will give welcoming remarks.

For topics, study guide, and other information about this year's competition, please click here.

Please stay tuned for the competition agenda!

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

New Hampshire and San Antonio Councils Are Hiring!

World Affairs Council of New Hampshire is hiring an international visitor exchange program manager.

World Affairs Council of San Antonio is conducting a search for a new development director.