EVENTS & June news from the Council

Tuesday, June 06, 2017 2:51 PM | Anonymous

THIS MONTH: International diplomacy, annual meeting & an accidental activist

WORLD AFFAIRS DISPATCH

JUNE 2017 E-NEWS
CALENDAR- DONATE - MEMBERSHIP

GLOBAL FORUM GOES BEYOND THE HEADLINES ON RUSSIA

Thanks to the sponsors, members, and friends who took part in our annual Global Forum fundraiser and helped us raise more than $17,000 to support our education programs! More than 200 people came together on May 22 at SNHU to learn about Russia's past and present with speaker Masha Gessen and engaged in a spirited discussion about the country's political and economic future, as well as our own.

We also celebrated the 2017 Global Leadership Award recipients- Ambassador Richard Swett & Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett- and the Milford High School NH Academic WorldQuest champions. We are grateful for such an incredible community of friends who believe in the power of global education and understanding to create a more peaceful and prosperous world! See more photos on our Facebook page

THANK YOU, SPONSORS & PATRONS!

St. Paul's School

Charles Bickford; Irja & Frank Cilluffo; Sarah Demers; Carolyn & Philip Hollman; Jim & Elise Hood; Karen Erickson; Ruth Kleinfeld; Judith May; Anne Milne; Kathryn & Jim Muirhead; Joan & Alan Reische; Jack & Carol Resch; Carolyn & Stewart Richmond; Pat Schlesinger; David & Missie Schroeder; Steve Solomon; Andrew Supplee; Virginia & Joe Szymanowski; Roberta & Rod Tenney

MONDAY: CELEBRATE A BANNER YEAR AT OUR ANNUAL MEETING!

Join us for the Council's Annual Meeting & BBQ to celebrate another banner year for global education across the state, thanks to your support! We'll be approving new terms for board members Sarah Demers, Davis Farmer, Virginia Szymanowski, Roberta Tenney, and Dawn Wivell. We'll also be wishing a fond farewell to several board members including Irja Cilluffo, Karen Erickson, and Peter Schmidt.

Academic Center, SNHU, 2500 N. River Road, Manchester

5 PM - Registration & Networking (Cash Bar)

5:30 PM- Annual Meeting- FREE

*Only WACNH dues-paying members are eligible to vote but all are welcome!*

6 PM- BBQ & socializing on patio! (With dinner ticket)

The Annual Meeting is free and open to the public; dinner tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-yet-members. ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Upcoming Programs - Event Calendar

Latest news

Accidental activist will tell her story of life in Saudi Arabia on June 15

MANAL AL-SHARIF: DARING TO DRIVE

Presented by The Music Hall in partnership with the World Affairs Council of NH & NH Women's Foundation

Thursday, June 15 at 7 PM - The Music Hall Loft, Portsmouth

Providing a rare glimpse into the day-to-day life of the typical Saudi woman, Manal Al-Sharif tells the remarkable story of how she became the accidental leader of the Women2Drive movement; and brought global attention to her country’s tyrannical male guardianship system and its oppression of women. She is the author of the new book, Daring to Drive.

TICKETS/INFO

An important update on the national budget

Tim Horgan, WACNH Associate Director (back row, far left), joined other members of the Alliance for International Exchange for a visit to the office of Senator Jeanne Shaheen last month to advocate for congressional support of international exchange opportunities.

An important update from the Alliance for International Exchange: "The budget released last month by President Donald Trump proposes an unprecedented cut of 32 percent to the International Affairs budget, and a 55 percent cut to the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs specifically.

'If adopted, these cuts would greatly harm our nation’s public diplomacy efforts,' said Ilir Zherka, Executive Director of the Alliance for International Exchange. 'As Defense Secretary James Mattis has suggested, the way to reduce the possibility of war is to increase people-to-people diplomacy – which is at the heart of cultural and educational exchanges.

'Fortunately, Congress has consistently demonstrated a strong, bipartisan commitment to exchange programs, even as recently as last month. Gutting exchange programs isn’t a win for the taxpayer, because the investment in America’s national security is immense. Over 90 percent of ECA funding is spent in the United States or on Americans implementing these programs. Because of that investment, 1 in 3 world leaders today have been on a U.S. exchange program.'

Exchange programs enhance U.S. national security and prosperity by building productive partnerships, mutual understanding, and personal connections that help us address critical global issues including strengthening the world economy and combating terrorism. They also create a welcoming environment for over a million international students to study in the U.S. In 2015, these students added more than $32 billion dollars to our economy and supported over 400,000 U.S. jobs."

Here at the World Affairs Council of NH, we host 300 international visitors (from 88 different countries), and 90 interpreters, annually, leveraging about $83,000 of grant funding into $500,000 in economic activity stregthening the state. More than 400 people volunteered their time to exchange ideas with the visitors. We hope you'll join us in speaking up in support of international exchange programs!

Seacoast Speaker Series Wraps up TOMORROW!

There's just one speaker left in our spring World Affairs @ the Library series presented in partnership with the Portsmouth Public Library. The final program will take place on Wednesday, June 7 at 7 PM,featuring Mary Thompson-Jones speaking about international diplomacy. Thompson-Jones is a professor at Northeastern University and previously was a career diplomat and served in embassies and consulates in Madrid, Prague, Quebec, Guatemala, and Sarajevo. She is the author of To The Secretary: Leaked Embassy Cables and America's Foreign Policy Disconnect.

Mission Moments: Bringing the World to NH!

"The plight of journalists has never been more dangerous." - Diane Foley (right), President of the James Foley Legacy Foundation said at our screening of "Jim: the James Foley Story" on May 16 at Red River Theatres. The Concord Insider reported on the program here.

International visitors Martha Mwangonde (Malawi), Sylvester Bayowo (Ghana), Bassey Udo (Nigeria) and Andrew Karamagi (Uganda) listen to Todd Selig explain his work to promote transparency and openness as town administrator of Durham, NH. The group also volunteered for the NH Food Bank (below).

ARE YOU A MEMBER? JOIN WITH US TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF GLOBAL EDUCATION & UNDERSTANDING!

World Affairs Council of New Hampshire
SNHU - 2500 North River Road - Manchester - NH - 01306

www.wacnh.org - 603.314.7970 - council@wacnh.org

EVENTS & May news from the Council

Thursday, May 04, 2017 12:38 PM | Anonymous

3 weeks until our biggest event of the year!

WORLD AFFAIRS DISPATCH

MAY 2017 E-NEWS
CALENDAR- DONATE - MEMBERSHIP

GLOBAL FORUM:

MONDAY, MAY 22 @ SNHU

FEATURING MASHA GESSEN ON RUSSIA

& HONORING AMBASSADOR RICHARD SWETT & DR. KATRINA LANTOS SWETT with the 2017 GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

THE FUTURE IS HISTORY: HOW TOTALITARIANISM RECLAIMED RUSSIA

Masha Gessen, a Russian and American journalist, is the author of the bestselling book, "The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin." An outspoken activist, Masha undergoes great risk to write truthfully about the current cultural and political climate in Russia. There is simply no one else brave enough to tell her astonishing story. This event will NOT be recorded so don't miss it!

REGISTER NOW!

Dining Center, Southern NH University, 2500 N. River Road, Manchester 03106

Reception: 5 PM- Cash bar & Hors d'oeuvres

Program: 6 PM

* Presentation of Global Leadership Award to Ambassador Richard Swett FAIA, Co-Founder and CEO of Climate Prosperity Enterprise Solutions and former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark & Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice

* Masha Gessen Keynote and Q&A

PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS NOW! PROCEEDS BENEFIT OUR MISSION!

$50/Member; $60/Not-yet-member; $150/Patron (includes private dinner)

THANK YOU, SPONSORS & PATRONS!

St. Paul's School

Charles Bickford; Irja & Frank Cilluffo; Sarah Demers; Carolyn & Philip Hollman; Jim & Elise Hood; Karen Erickson; Ruth Kleinfeld; Anne Milne; Kathryn & Jim Muirhead; Joan & Alan Reische; Jack & Carol Resch; Carolyn & Stewart Richmond; David & Missie Schroeder; Steve Solomon; Andrew Supplee; Virginia & Joe Szymanowski; Roberta & Rod Tenney

ABOUT MASHA GESSEN

Masha Gessen is a journalist and the author of many books, including Perfect Rigor, Blood Matters, Ester and Ruzya, Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot, The Brothers: The Road to an American Tragedy, and most recently, Where the Jews Aren’t: The Sad and Absurd Story of Birobidzhan, Russia’s Jewish Autonomous Region. Her next book, The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia will be published this fall.

As a journalist living in Moscow, Gessen experienced the rise of Vladimir Putin firsthand. In her 2012 bestselling book The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin, she gave the chilling account of how a low-level, small-minded KGB operative ascended to the Russian presidency and, in an astonishingly short time, destroyed years of progress and made his country once more a threat to her own people and to the world.

Now, Gessen regularly contributes to The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Harper’s, The New York Review of Books, Vanity Fair, and Slate, among other publications. She lives in New York.

Upcoming Programs - Event Calendar

Latest news

Seacoast Speaker Series Continues SUNDAY!

We are proud to continue our partnership with the Portsmouth Public Library this spring. World Affairs at the Library will continue with two speakers over the next two months. Please REGISTER in advance!

On Sunday, May 7 at 12:30 PM, we'll host Stephen Kinzer, an award-winning foreign correspondent for 20 years at the New York Times. Since leaving the Times, Kinzer has taught journalism, political science, and international relations at Northwestern University and Boston University. He will speak about the history of American imperialism and intervention in global issues.

Wrapping up the series on Wednesday, June 7 at 7 PM will be Mary Thompson-Jones speaking about international diplomacy. Thompson-Jones is a professor at Northeastern University and previously was a career diplomat and served in embassies and consulates in Madrid, Prague, Quebec, Guatemala, and Sarajevo.

Congratulations, Elyse!

Congratulations to Elyse, our Education Program Coordinator, and her family on the birth of a son, Reid, last week. Both mom and baby are healthy and happy! Elyse will return from her leave at the end of July.

Milford High School Competes at National Academic WorldQuest Competition in D.C.

Our Council was well-represented last weekend by Milford High School at the World Affairs Councils of America’s Carlos and Malú Alvarez 2017 Academic WorldQuest National Competition in Washington, D.C.

The team faced stiff competition at the 15th annual competition, held at the National Press Club on Saturday, April 29, from 46 other teams from across the country. While the Milford students didn’t win the top prize, the students learned a lot during the competition and their visit to the U.S. Institute of Peace the day before, where USIP President Nancy Lindborg welcomed the students.

“We congratulate these student teams – and all Academic WorldQuest participants – for their dedicated efforts to apply themselves at this pivotal moment in history to make sense of the world,” said WACA President Bill Clifford.

The competition is based on 10 topics and students are quizzed on 10 questions for each topic. The 2017 topics included: Current Events, Great Decisions, Peace and Conflict in Today’s World, Combatting Infectious Disease, European Union, Countering Violent Extremism, Turkey, Global Megacities, China, and Women in Technology.

Congratulations to the Milford team on completing this year’s Academic WorldQuest program: Shannon Drew, Maya Flores, Todd Bieschke, and Andrew McNeil, coached by social studies teacher Anna Parker.

International Visitor Program Alumnus to Lead Lithuanian Political Party; More Visitors Coming Soon!

We are excited to share that a former visitor to New Hampshire via the International Visitor Leadership Program & Global Ties U.S., Gintautas Paluckas, was just elected as the leader of Lithuania's largest political party! You may have met Paluckas, previously Vice-Mayor of Vilnius, at our April reception at Orr & Reno.

As always, if you're interested in hosting international visitors for dinner and conversation, contact Associate Director Tim Horgan to volunteer! Upcoming groups: Turkmenistan- May 6-10; Pakistan- May 13-17; Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, Somalia- May 20-24; Venezuela, TBA.

Mission Moments: Bringing the World to NH!

As part of our Crossroads International Film & Discussion series, we showed a film about Syrian refugees escaping Egypt last week with speakers Bill Gillett, International Institute of New England Chairman (far right), and Abdul Wakil Al Abash, a Syrian refugee (second from left). Amadou Hamady, Manchester Site Director for IINE, is pictured on the left and Council Executive Director Anna Berry is second from right.

Pictured: A recent International Visitors Leadership Program delegation visited northern New Hampshire. The visitors- from Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, and Angola- were here to learn about combating wildlife trafficking. They met with NH Fish and Game and rode the tram to the top of (frozen!) Cannon Mountain.

Jennifer Harris, co-author of "War by Other Means," closed out our spring Global Tipping Points series on April 13. Stay tuned for details about our fall programs!

Community Events Calendar

MANAL AL-SHARIF: DARING TO DRIVE

Presented by The Music Hall in partnership with the World Affairs Council of NH & NH Women's Foundation

Thursday, June 15 at 7 PM - The Music Hall Loft, Portsmouth

Providing a rare glimpse into the day-to-day life of the typical Saudi woman, Manal tells the remarkable story of how she became the accidental leader of the Women2Drive movement; and brought global attention to her country’s tyrannical male guardianship system and its oppression of women.

TICKETS/INFO

Different Roots, Common Dreams
Ongoing photography exhibit by Becky Field
Talk: Friday, May 19 at 7 PM
Epsom Public Library
1606 Dover Rd, Epsom

Meet & Greet- Learn more about refugee resettlement in NH
Thursday, May 25 at 5:30 PM
IINE-Manchester
1850 Elm St, Manchester

MORE INFO

* Events listed here and on our website are not necessarily endorsed or supported by WACNH but we like to share information that might be of interest from other community organizations! To see all upcoming events, visit our Community Events page online and follow us on Facebook! *

ARE YOU A MEMBER? JOIN WITH US TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF GLOBAL EDUCATION & UNDERSTANDING!

World Affairs Council of New Hampshire
SNHU - 2500 North River Road - Manchester - NH - 01306

www.wacnh.org - 603.314.7970 - council@wacnh.org

You are receiving this message because you are a member or friend of WACNH. To remove yourself from our list, email council@wacnh.org with "unsubscribe" as subject or click "unsubscribe" below.

Unsubscribe

And the Global Leadership Award goes to....

Tuesday, April 18, 2017 2:44 PM | Anonymous

WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL ANNOUNCES GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

Ambassador Richard Swett, FAIA & Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett will receive the 2017 Global Leadership Award on May 22, recognizing their extraordinary commitment to New Hampshire and the world

The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire will award its 2017 Global Leadership Award to Ambassador Richard Swett, FAIA and Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett on May 22 as part of the annual Global Forum. Swett is CEO of Climate Prosperity Enterprise Solutions and Lantos Swett is President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice. Keynote speaker at the Global Forum will be Masha Gessen, a Russian-American journalist. Learn more here.

“We are thrilled to recognize Ambassador Swett and Dr. Lantos Swett for their dedication to building a better world,” said Anna Berry, Executive Director of the World Affairs Council of NH. “Their leadership in advancing diplomacy, human rights, and economic and environmental solutions- both locally and internationally- has created a more peaceful and prosperous global community.”

The Global Leadership Award is given each year to a local business, organization or citizen who has shown leadership in promoting international knowledge and understanding in our community and expanding New Hampshire’s global connections, advancing our state and the world. Past recipients include: Jim Smith, former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Dawn Wivell, CEO, Firebrand International; Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte; and Joseph Keefe, CEO, Pax World.

Join us May 22 to honor Dick & Katrina at our annual Global Forum fundraiser!

MONDAY, MAY 22

GLOBAL FORUM

FEATURING MASHA GESSEN ON RUSSIA

Masha Gessen, a Russian and American journalist, is the author of the bestselling book, "The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin." An outspoken activist, Masha undergoes great risk to write truthfully about human rights violations and the current cultural and political climate in Russia. There is simply no one else brave enough to tell her astonishing story.

REGISTER NOW!

Dining Center, Southern NH University

2500 N. River Road, Manchester 03106

Reception: 5 PM

Cash bar & Hors d'oeuvres

Program: 6 PM

* Presentation of Global Leadership Award to Ambassador Richard Swett, FAIA & Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett; Recognition of NH Academic WorldQuest champions from Milford High School

* Keynote; Q&A; Book signing

Tickets: $50/Member; $60/Not-yet-member

$150/Patron (includes private dinner)

All proceeds benefit the critical work of the World Affairs Council of NH to promote global education and understanding; portion of ticket price is tax-deductible.

THANK YOU SPONSORS & PATRONS!

Charles Bickford; Sarah Demers; Carolyn & Philip Hollman; Ruth Kleinfeld; Kathryn & Jim Muirhead; Joan & Alan Reische; Jack & Carol Resch; Carolyn & Stewart Richmond; David & Missie Schroeder; Steve Solomon; Andrew Supplee; Virginia & Joe Szymanowski

ABOUT MASHA GESSEN

Masha Gessen is a journalist and the author of many books, including Perfect Rigor, Blood Matters, Ester and Ruzya, Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot, The Brothers: The Road to an American Tragedy, and most recently, Where the Jews Aren’t: The Sad and Absurd Story of Birobidzhan, Russia’s Jewish Autonomous Region. Her next book, The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia will be published this fall.

As a journalist living in Moscow, Gessen experienced the rise of Vladimir Putin firsthand. In her 2012 bestselling book The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin, she gave the chilling account of how a low-level, small-minded KGB operative ascended to the Russian presidency and, in an astonishingly short time, destroyed years of progress and made his country once more a threat to her own people and to the world.

Gessen regularly contributes to The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Harper’s, The New York Review of Books, Vanity Fair, and Slate, among other publications. She lives in New York.

For more information on Masha Gessen, please visitwww.prhspeakers.com; Photo: Tanya Sazansky

THANK YOU MISSION SPONSORS!

Cover to Cover call on China- April 11

Tuesday, March 28, 2017 2:25 PM | Anonymous

'Cover to Cover' Monthly Author Series

April's Cover to Cover will feature author Howard W. French for his book Everything Under the Heavens: How the Past Helps Shape China's Push for Global Power, on Tuesday, April 11, at 2-2:30 PM ET.

Register for the call

Howard. W. French, is Associate Professor of Journalism at Columbia University. He wrote from Africa for The Washington Post and at The New York Times was bureau chief in Central America and the Caribbean, West and Central Africa, Japan, and China. He is the recipient of two Overseas Press Club awards and a two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.

Cover to Cover is a monthly program featuring the most influential authors on subjects of national and international importance.

Offered as a benefit to all current WACA Member Councils, Cover to Cover conference calls are opportunities for Council leaders, members, and supporters to engage with esteemed authors on critical issues. Cover to Cover authors often welcome invitations to speak at Councils. In short, the WACA National Office covers a topic with an expert so that Councils may discover a speaker and cover the topic in even greater depth in their own communities, spearheading a national conversation.

Senator Shaheen Address Council on Russia

Friday, March 24, 2017 4:18 PM | Anonymous

The World Affairs Council of NH was honored to host Senator Jeanne Shaheen on Friday, March 24. Coverage of the program by the Associated Press is below. Video of her remarks, via WMUR, is here.

Shaheen: US needs strategy to counter Russian influence

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — A bolder, more aggressive strategy is needed to counter Russia’s efforts to undermine democracy in the United States and western Europe, New Hampshire U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said Friday.

Shaheen, a member of Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, addressed a foreign policy forum at the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire. The group met at Southern New Hampshire University.

Shaheen, a Democrat, said the U.S. must recognize that the architecture of alliances that’s been at the heart of America’s national security for more than seven decades is at risk due to Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

“Putin’s goal is to restore Russia as a dominant power and to recreate a Soviet-style sphere of influence along its border,” she said. “To that end, Putin’s strategy is to disrupt, divide, and weaken the Atlantic Alliance. We need to have a clear-eyed understanding of what Putin is doing. So we really need to work together with our allies to stop him.”

Shaheen noted that Russia has been expanding its military and deploying forces to intimidate Europe and has been “stoking populist nationalism” from Hungary to the Netherlands.

She said Putin dramatically raised the stakes by interfering in the 2016 U.S. election.

“We should all be outraged by Putin’s interference in our election,” she said. “Frankly, if you’re not outraged, you haven’t been paying attention.”

A declassified intelligence report released earlier this year said Putin ordered a hidden campaign to influence the election to favor Republican Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Trump and his supporters have staunchly resisted the findings.

Shaheen said an independent, nonpartisan investigation of Russia’s intervention in the presidential election is needed. She said the U.S. needs a commission similar to the national one that investigated 9/11 “to investigate Russia’s attack on our democracy and to prevent future attacks.”

“The American public needs to know what happened,” she added.

Shaheen is part of a bipartisan group of senators that introduced legislation imposing tougher sanctions on Russia. It also would create an initiative that would support objective, Russian-language, independent media and watchdog groups working to combat corruption.

Congrats to All Our Academic WorldQuest 2017 Participants!

Friday, March 17, 2017 11:27 AM | Anonymous

Milford High Takes Top Honors in 3^rd Annual NH Academic WorldQuest competition; Team Will Represent State at National Academic WorldQuest Competition in Washington, D.C., on April 29

MANCHESTER- The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire held its third annual NH Academic WorldQuest competition on Sunday, March 12 at Southern New Hampshire University and the “blue team” from Milford High School (pictured above) took home the title after a close race. The team won new iPads, provided by SNHU, to use for their studies, and a trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the national Academic WorldQuest competition on April 29, held by the World Affairs Councils of America. Rounding out the top finishers were: St. Thomas Aquinas (2^nd place- blue team); and Pinkerton Academy (grey team) and Oyster River High School (white team), which tied for third.

The winning Milford High team included students Shannon Drew, Maya Flores, Todd Bieschke, and Andrew McNeil, and were coached by social studies teacher Anna Parker. The Carlos and Malu Alvarez 2017 Academic WorldQuest National Competition will be held on Saturday, April 29 at the National Press Club in Washington and will also feature a welcome reception at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Academic WorldQuest is a quiz-style team competition that tests high school students’ knowledge of international affairs. This year, 15 teams from around the state competed. Participating schools were: The Derryfield School (Manchester), Milford High School, Oyster River High School (Durham), Pinkerton Academy (Derry), Portsmouth High School, Souhegan High School (Amherst), and St. Thomas Aquinas (Dover).

This year’s competition also featured a keynote speech from Dylan Mahalingam, a remarkable philanthropist and social entrepreneur who hails from New Hampshire. Currently a student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Dylan founded a global non-profit organization at 9 years old. Lil’ MDGs encouraged thousands of children from all over the world to support the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals. The organization raised more than $10 million for victims of natural disasters. Dylan currently serves as the Chief Strategist of Under the Acacia Foundation, a non-profit organization serving communities in Africa. Dylan is a recipient of numerous honors including a place on Youth Service America’s list of the 25 Most Powerful and Influential Young People in the World.

Scott Spradling, of the Spradling Group, hosted the competition. Scott is an Emmy award-winning former reporter, anchor and political director for WMUR-TV.

NH Academic WorldQuest is funded, in part, by the Saul O. Sidore Memorial Foundation and Billings Trust (FBO NH Charities, RSB Citizens, N.A. Trustee) . Presenting sponsors are Pax World and McLane Middleton and other supporters include Southern New Hampshire University and The Derryfield School.

The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire is a non-profit, non-partisan organization fostering learning, discussion and citizen involvement in world affairs. The Council is preparing the Granite State for a global future by creating and sustaining international connections that enhance our state's cultural, economic and civic life; building global knowledge and understanding through educational programs for communities and schools on foreign policy; and furthering the development of international leaders in partnership with the U.S. State Department. Learn more at www.wacnh.org.

NEWS & March Events

Friday, March 03, 2017 1:42 PM | Anonymous

Engage with the world- and your neighbors- at events galore across the state this month!

WORLD AFFAIRS DISPATCH

March 2017 E-NEWS
CALENDAR- DONATE - MEMBERSHIP

CROSSROADS FILM SERIES STARTS MARCH 21 IN CONCORD

Tuesday, March 21- Pray the Devil Back to Hell
Tuesday, April 25- The Crossing
Tuesday, May 16- Jim: The James Foley Story

The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire is excited to partner once again with Red River Theatres to bring you the 5th season of our Crossroads International Film & Discussion Series. The series is supported by the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice and SNHU. The three documentaries- beginning at 7 PM- will be followed by discussion with expert speakers on issues raised in the films including women's rights, the international refugee crisis, and freedom of the press.

NEXT WEEK: Celebrate International Women's Day & #BeBoldforChange! Wednesday, March 8

Join us for a free screening of Salaam Dunk on International Women's Day, celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide. The film follows a female basketball team at American University in Iraq as they discover what it means to be students, athletes, and friends.
Wednesday, March 8 at 5 PM
Walker Auditorium, Frost Hall, SNHU, Manchester
Post-film panel discussion includes Jamie Pendleton, co-founder of INTI Academy, a non-profit that empowers local children through soccer.

FREE! REGISTER NOW through SNHU for this event and others celebrating International Women's Day on campus.

.

Upcoming Programs - See our full 2017 CALENDAR

Tuesday, March 21
Crossroads Film & Discussion Series

Thursday,
March 23
Global Tipping Points

Thursday,
April 13
Global Tipping Points

Monday,
April 17
World Affairs @ the
Library

A screening of Pray the Devil Back to Hell and discussion on women's rights here and abroad.

7 PM
Red River Theatres
Concord
REGISTER NOW!

Dr. Lisbeth Gronlund will address nuclear security in the Trump age in part II of our speaker series.

6 PM
UNH Manchester
REGISTER NOW!

Find out why the U.S. too often reaches for the gun instead of the purse as Jennifer M. Harris looks at war by other means.

6 PM
UNH Manchester
REGISTER NOW!

Professor Luis Jiminez examines current and future U.S.-Mexico relations as well as Latin American politics.

7 PM
Portsmouth Public Library
REGISTER NOW!

Latest news:

Cheer on your high school's Academic WorldQuest team on Sunday, March 12 at 10:30 AM!

The Council will host 16 teams from 8 high schools for the 3rd annual NH Academic WorldQuest competition on Sunday, March 12 at SNHU as Souhegan High School (above) defends its title. Dylan Mahalingam - philanthropist, activist and social entrepreneur - will be the keynote speaker before the competition gets underway. Dylan is best known for founding Lil' MDG's, a global non-profit organization at the age of 9, and he's currently a student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Scott Spradling, an Emmy award-winning former reporter, anchor and political director for WMUR-TV, will host the competition. Joining our mission partner, Southern New Hampshire University, this year's presenting sponsors - Pax World and McLane Middleton- are excited to show incredible support for this globally-minded program.

Academic WorldQuest is a team competition that tests high school students' knowledge of global issues and foreign policy. Family, friends, and Council members are invited to attend the opening ceremonies at 10:30 AM or stay for the competition, play along, and cheer on these incredible young people! REGISTER HERE.

High schools represented: Derryfield School (Manchester), Milford High School, Moultonborough Academy, Oyster River High School (Durham), Pinkerton Academy (Derry), Portsmouth High School, Souhegan High School (Amherst), and St. Thomas Aquinas (Dover).

THANK YOU ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST SPONSORS!

International Visitors Flock to New Hampshire

More than 10 international delegations will visit New Hampshire over the next month as part of our International Visitors Program. Here's a sneak peek at a few of the groups, who have been selected as emerging leaders by their home embassies. LEARN MORE about how you can get involved!

MARCH 5-8: BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA- How does the American government respond to social issues?

MARCH 19-23: CHINA- How does the rule of law work in the U.S. for economic development?

MARCH 26- 29: INDIA- What are strategies for global transparency and accountability?

Attention Business Leaders: Help Plymouth State Chart NH's Globalization!

Dr. Chen Wu and Dr. Roxana Wright of Plymouth State University, in collaboration with the New Hampshire Department of Resource and Economic Development, are launching the first-ever analysis of the impact and opportunities that globalization brings to our state and state’s counties. This research brings company information to the forefront of the study of globalization and recognizes the significant role that international companies and companies that are engaged in international trade play in the economic development and business climate in New Hampshire.
We invite you to complete the SURVEY and engage your company in providing the first-hand data and perspectives on international markets, exported and imported products and contributions to the local economies. Responses will be confidential. For more information, please contact Dr. Wu or Dr. Wright.

Global Tipping Points Speaker Leads Timely Discussion on Countering Xenophobia

BY DAVID SANOK- What is the difference between a migrant and refugee? Those are two terms that have been used interchangeably when debating over what to do with the millions of people displaced worldwide. Fernando Fernandez-Arias, a Spanish diplomat and current fellow at Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, held a discussion at UNH Manchester on February 23 and the roots of reach of xenophobia in Europe and beyond.

To illustrate the differences, Fernandez-Arias discussed how the new limits on immigration in the U.S set by the Trump administration have contributed to the growing xenophobia towards migrants and refugees worldwide. Fernandez-Arias makes the distinction that migrants are people who immigrate legally to another country while refugees such as those from Syria are people who were forced to flee their home due to the ongoing civil war.

Fernandez-Arias asserted that fear-mongering has lead to the election of many right-wing leaders in both Europe and America and emphasized the importance of learning from past genocides caused by xenophobia. He concluded by stating that taking in refugees is not only an obligation but also a responsibility. Part II of the spring Global Tipping Points series- Conflicted Future- will take place on Thursday, March 23 with Dr. Lisbeth Gronlund assessing the current state of nuclear security. REGISTER HERE

Community Events Calendar

Wednesday, March 8 at 9 AM

International Women's Day Celebration with

Welcoming Manchester

434 Lake Avenue, 4th Floor, Manchester

SCREENING THIS MONTH:

Kedi, a Turkish documentary about the stray cats of Istanbul

Presented by the Turkish Cultural Center of NH

Saturday, March 4- Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover

Friday, March 17- Red River Theatres, Concord

March 24-30- Music Hall, Portsmouth

MONDAY, MARCH 13 at 6:45 PM

"I am a Muslim woman" presentation

Interfaith Women of NH

St. Catherine School, Manchester

MORE INFO

THURSDAY, MARCH 23- SUNDAY APRIL 2

NH JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

MORE INFO

* Events listed here and on our website are not necessarily endorsed or supported by WACNH but we like to share information that might be of interest from other community organizations! To see all upcoming events, visit our Community Events page online and follow us on Facebook! *

ARE YOU A MEMBER? JOIN WITH US TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF GLOBAL EDUCATION & UNDERSTANDING!

World Affairs Council of New Hampshire
SNHU - 2500 North River Road - Manchester - NH - 01306

www.wacnh.org - 603.314.7970 - council@wacnh.org

You are receiving this message because you are a member or friend of WACNH. To remove yourself from our list, email council@wacnh.org with "unsubscribe" as subject or click "unsubscribe" below.

Unsubscribe

Weekly World News Update- February 22

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 3:15 PM | Anonymous

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Munich Security Conference; U.S. Relations with the Middle East; Foreign Policy under Trump; Violence in Pakistan; Ecuador Presidential Elections; Politics of Military and Famine in Africa.

Munich Security Conference

"Muddling through European Defense" Judy Dempsey -- Carnegie Europe, February 18, 2017

"A Call for Continuity from America's Middle East Allies" Bruce Jones -- Brookings Institution, February 20, 2017

"Pence, Facing Skeptical Europe, Again Tries to Reassure EU and NATO" Gardiner Harris -- Boston Globe, February 21, 2017

U.S. Relations with the Middle East

"Setting the Terms for U.S.-Egypt Relations" Daniel Benaim, Mokhtar Awad, and Brian Katulis -- Center for American Progress, February 21, 2017

"Has the U.S.-Saudi Relationship Outlived Its Usefulness?" Scott Monje -- Foreign Policy Association, February 20, 2017

"Trump's New Stance on Palestine and Israel Reverses Two Decades of U.S. Policy" Kevin Lamarque -- Quartz, February 15, 2017

"Lessons from a Regional Approach to Solving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" Richard Lebaron -- Atlantic Council, February 21, 2017

Foreign Policy under Trump

"Trump Has No Foreign Policy" Jon Finer -- POLITICO Europe, February 19, 2017

"Logic, but No Guarantees for Trump's Foreign Policy" Michael Auslin -- National Review, February 21, 2017

"President Trump's Terrible One-Month Report Card" Derek Chollet, Colin Kahl, Julie Smith -- Foreign Policy, February 19, 2017

Violence in Pakistan

"Let's Stop Being Manipulated by Pakistan" Christopher D. Kolenda -- THE HILL, February 21, 2017

"Pakistan: Stoking the Fire in Karachi" International Crisis Group, February 15, 2017

"What Lies Behind Uneasy Afghanistan-Pakistan Ties?" Video by Al Jazeera, February 18, 2017

Ecuador Presidential Elections

"Ecuador Vote Count Delayed Until Wednesday as Protests Mount" Stephan Kueffner -- Bloomberg, February 20, 2017

"Leftist Candidate Lenin Moreno Leads Ecuador's Presidential Vote, but May Face a Runoff" Pablo Jaramillo and Chris Kraul -- Los Angeles Times, February 19, 2017

Politics of Military and Famine in Africa

"A Rough Guide to Foreign Military Bases in Africa" Obi Anyadike -- IRIN News, February 15, 2017

"Famine Declared in South Sudan" Ben Quinn -- The Guardian, February 20, 2017

"The Business Climate in Nigeria" Editorial -- This Day Live, February 17, 2017

"Replacing South Africa's Finance Minister, or His Deputy, Would Carry a Heavy Cost" Co-Pierre Georg -- The Conversation, February 21, 2017

For previous Weekly World News Update, please visit our website

The World Affairs Councils of America

1200 18th St., NW, Suite 902, Washington, DC 20036

Phone (202) 833-4557

Fax (202) 833-4555

waca@worldaffairscouncils.org

worldaffairscouncils.org

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

Weekly World News Update- February 15

Wednesday, February 15, 2017 11:59 AM | Anonymous

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Government, Military, and Economic Outlook on Asia; NAFTA; U.S. Relations with the Middle East; Economics in Venezuela; Politics and Military in Africa.

Government, Military, and Economic Outlook on Asia

"Southeast Asia - Guidelines for the New Administration" Amy Searight, Murray Hiebert, and Geoffrey Hartman -- CSIS, February 10, 2017

"By Testing a Missile, North Korea Was Probably Also Testing Trump, Experts Say" Matt Stiles -- Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2017

"Nuclear Weapon States and the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone" Tong Zhao -- Carnegie-Tsinghua, February 10, 2017

"Turkmenistan: Election Spectacle Hides Disturbing Economic Decline" Eurasianet.org, February 8, 2017

"Markets Hit New Highs over Trump's Change of Tone on Japan and China" Nick Fletcher and Dominic Rushe -- The Guardian, February 13, 2017

NAFTA

"Canada's Trudeau Arrives in Washington to Meet with Trump" Catherine Lucey and Rob Gillies -- The Washington Post, February 13, 2017

"The Pitfalls of Renegotiating NAFTA" The Economist, February 11, 2017

"Is Trump's Plan to Revive U.S. Steel a Pipe Dream?" Annie Linskey -- The Boston Globe, February, 13, 2017

"Trump and Trudeau Talk Trade, Working Women" Andrew Soergel -- U.S. News, February 13, 2017

U.S. Relations with the Middle East

"How America Could Stumble Into War With Iran" Karim Sadjadpour -- Carnegie Endowment, February 9, 2017

"Why are U.S. Forces in Yemen at All?" Andrew J. Bacevich -- Defense One, February 8, 2017

"Can Trump and Netanyahu Make Progress toward the "Ultimate Deal"?" Ofer Zalzberg -- International Crisis Group, February 13, 2017

"EU Seeks to Preserve Iran Nuclear Deal" Ashish Kumar Sen -- Atlantic Council, February 10, 2017

Economics in Venezuela

"How to Solve the Riddle of Venezuela's Economy" Mac Margolis -- Bloomberg, February 13, 2017

"Donald Trump Administration Imposes Sanctions on Venezuela's Vice President for 'Significant Role' in Illegal Drug Trade " Ben Kentish -- Independent, February 14, 2017

Politics and Military in Africa

"Can Barrow Deliver on the Promise of a 'New Gambia'?" Louise Hunt -- IRIN, February 8, 2017

"South Sudan General Quits over 'Ethnic Cleansing' Regime" Philipp Sandner -- Deutsche Welle, February 13, 2017

"'Blackwater Air' Is Back, and Flying for U.S. Special Forces" David Axe -- The Daily Beast, February 13, 2017

For previous Weekly World News Update, please visit our website

The World Affairs Councils of America

1200 18th St., NW, Suite 902, Washington, DC 20036

Phone (202) 833-4557

Fax (202) 833-4555

waca@worldaffairscouncils.org

worldaffairscouncils.org

February News and Events from WACNH!

Friday, February 10, 2017 10:55 AM | Anonymous

Coming soon- Global Tipping Points and International Women's Day!

WORLD AFFAIRS DISPATCH

February 2017 E-NEWS
CALENDAR- DONATE - MEMBERSHIP

Celebrate International Women's Day & #BeBoldforChange! Wednesday, March 8

Join us for a free screening of Salaam Dunk on International Women's Day, celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide. The film follows a female basketball team at American University in Iraq as they discover what it means to be students, athletes, and friends.

5 PM in Walker Auditorium, Frost Hall, SNHU
FREE! REGISTER NOW

.

Global Tipping Points Starts February 23

CONFLICTED FUTURE
February 23, March 23, & April 13

Free; Advanced Registration Requested

6 PM at UNH Manchester, Multipurpose Room (201)

88 Commercial Street, Manchester, NH 03101

The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire is proud to bring you the latest edition of Global Tipping Points – Conflicted Future- in partnership with UNH Manchester’s homeland security, history, humanities and politics and society programs. As always, Global Tipping Points events are free and open to the public. Advance registration requested online, via email or by phone: 603.314.7970

The first event on Thursday, February 23 will examine Xenophobia. “Xenophobia” – fear of the other – was named the 2016 Word of the Year. With millions of refugees displaced worldwide and new limits on immigration in the U.S., how will the international community protect human rights and promote tolerance in 2017? What is the role of the United Nations? Fernando Fernandez-Arias (pictured above, left), a Spanish diplomat and current fellow at Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, will examine these issues and more.

Next, on Thursday, March 23 , Dr. Lisbeth Gronlund (pictured above, center), co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, will address nuclear security in a world where Cold War policies have left the country's nuclear weapons on a hair-trigger alert. How can we reduce the risk of nuclear war in 2017?

The series will wrap up on Thursday, April 13 with a discussion on War by Other Means: Why the U.S. reaches for the gun instead of the purse. Today, nations increasingly carry out geopolitical combat through economic means. Policies governing everything from trade and investment to energy and exchange rates are wielded as tools to win diplomatic allies, punish adversaries, and coerce those in between. But, as Jennifer M. Harris (pictured above, right), a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, will assert, America still too often reaches for the gun over the purse to advance its interests abroad.

Latest news:

High Schools: Last Chance To Register for 2017 NH Academic WorldQuest!

We are just 5 weeks away from the 3rd Annual NH Academic WorldQuest Competition- but it's not too late to participate! The team registration deadline is on February 12th. To compete, all you need is a teacher, 4 high school students and enthusiasm to learn about world affairs! Head over to our website to learn more about this unique program and registration details.

This year we are happy to have Dylan Mahalingam - philanthropist, activist and social entrepreneur - as our keynote speaker. Dylan is best know for founding Lil' MDG's, a global non-profit organization at the age of 9. We are also excited to announce this year's emcee - Scott Spradling. Scott is an Emmy award winning former reporter, anchor and political director for WMUR-TV in Manchester. Joining our mission partner, Southern New Hampshire University, this year's presenting sponsors - Pax World and McLane Middleton- are excited to show incredible support for this globally-minded program. THANK YOU sponsors!

Academic WorldQuest is a team competition that tests high school students' knowledge of global issues and foreign policy. If you know any high school teachers or students, please let them know about this unique and exciting opportunity to expand their global knowledge in a fun yet competitive atmosphere. The competition will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2017, at Southern New Hampshire University.

THANK YOU ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST SPONSORS!

MORE INFORMATION HERE!

Special Day of Programming Engages Thousands Across State in U.S. Foreign Policy with Dr. Jessica Mathews

Grant Bosse (left) moderates the discussion between Jessica T. Matthews, Wil Zemp, and Ambassador Jim Smith (left to right) during our Town Hall event at SNHU, which focused on the Middle East and the new administration.

More than 200 people joined the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire's timely town hall on January 26 featuring Dr. Jessica Mathews, Ambassador Jim Smith, and Colonel Wil Zemp and discussion of the challenges facing President Donald Trump and his administration in the Middle East, moderated by Grant Bosse of the Union Leader. Thanks to a grant from the World Affairs Councils of America, the day of programming also included visits by Dr. Mathews to NHPR's The Exchange news hour and to more than 50 students at Pinkerton Academy, as well as an interfaith luncheon with local religious leaders.

While topics discussed at the evening town hall, presented in partnership with SNHU, included ISIS and Trump's relationship with Russia, much of the discussion focused on the future of the Iran nuclear deal. Mathews, Smith, and Zemp shared their thoughts on how the Trump administration might handle these pressing issues and what it will mean for the United States as well as the rest of the world.

When it came to the fate of the Iran Nuclear Deal, all three speakers were unanimous in their support of the deal's survival. They argued that deal has been successful thus far because Iran has held up its end in the bargain. Ever since the agreement, Iran has been slowly disarming its nuclear facilities under the close watch of inspectors.

Ambassador Jim Smith brought up the complications of Trump's desire to pull out of the Iran Nuclear Deal by pointing out that the UK, France, Russia, and China were key negotiators in the deal. If the United States were to pull out of the deal, Iran would still be obligated to honor the agreement because of its multilateral nature. Colonel Zemp believes the United States and Russia are already in the midst of a second cold war, using Russia's intervention in Ukraine and the United States launching sanctions on Russia as examples of cold war behavior. In concurrence with Colonel Zemp, Dr. Mathews went even further by declaring this Cold War even more dangerous than the first. Mathews observed that the first Cold War had a clear set of rules and structure set in place after World War II, which successfully prevented a nuclear war. This time around there is no clear structure, so the world is in greater danger of nuclear war than ever before.

MISS THE PROGRAM? WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN? WATCH HERE

IN THE NEWS: DR. MATHEWS IN THE UNION LEADER; CONCORD NEWS RADIO'S NH NOW; & ON NHPR'S THE EXCHANGE

Photo Gallery

Dr Jessica T. Mathews visited Pinkerton Academy (Derry), where she spoke to 50 high school students about current events in the Middle East as well as pursing a career in international relations.

For Educators

2017 Great Decisions Teaching Training Institute for High School Teachers

June 26- June 30 in New York City

In order to promote the expansion of global affairs discussion in high school classrooms, the Teachers Training Institute provides teachers with the training and materials necessary to provide in-depth international studies discussion. The Foreign Policy Association will also be able to provide accommodation and $300 towards travel expenses.

The application is due Friday, March 31.

Community Events Calendar

\

Great Decisions

Foreign Policy Discussion Group

FREE 8-week course @ Portsmouth Public Library

Tuesdays: January 10 - February 28; 10-11:15 AM or 7-8:15 PM

More information: Call 603-766-1720 to register

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16 at 4:30 PM

International Law in the Trump Administration

Harold Hongju Koh, Sterling Professor of International Law at Yale Law School

Filene Auditorium, Moore Hall, Dartmouth College, Hanover

MORE INFO

* Events listed here and on our website are not necessarily endorsed or supported by WACNH but we like to share information that might be of interest from other community organizations! To see all upcoming events, visit our Community Events page online and follow us on Facebook! *