World Affairs Council of New Hampshire upcoming events

Global Tipping Points: The Changing Battlespace - The Cyber Challenge (Tuesday, April 14, 2026)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:00:00 GMT

T. William & Patricia Ayers:

Global Tipping Points -

The Changing Battlescape:

The Cyber Challenge

As conflicts increasingly move beyond land, sea, and air, a new battlefield has emerged — one made of code, networks, and invisible lines of attack. From power grids and hospitals to elections and military command systems, cyber operations now play a central role in how nations compete, coerce, and fight without ever firing a shot.

Join the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire, in partnership with the NH Chapter of the Fulbright Association, for a timely conversation with Eric Talbot Jensen of Brigham Young University, one of the world’s leading experts on cyber conflict and the law of armed conflict, as we explore how cyberwarfare is reshaping modern statecraft. In this moderated community discussion, Jensen will examine how governments and non-state actors use cyber tools to spy, disrupt, and influence adversaries, where the legal and ethical boundaries lie, and what happens when digital attacks begin to look more like acts of war.

Attend in person or online to gain a clearer understanding of how today’s most consequential battles may be happening quietly, behind screens — and what that means for global stability, security, and the future of conflict.

Doors open at 5:30 pm for a light reception and opportunity to connect with the local community.

WACNH will livestream this event to its global audience through YouTube on its website homepage.

About the Speaker

Eric Talbot Jensen is a professor of law at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and recently returned to BYU after serving for a year as the special counsel to the Department of Defense General Counsel. Prior to joining the BYU law faculty in 2011, Professor Jensen spent two years teaching at Fordham Law School in New York City and twenty years in the United States Army as both a cavalry officer and as a judge advocate.

During his time as a judge advocate, Professor Jensen served in various positions including as the chief of the Army’s International Law Branch; deputy legal advisor for Task Force Baghdad; professor of International and Operational Law at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School; legal advisor to the US contingent of UN Forces deployed to Skopje, Macedonia as part of UNPREDEP; and legal advisor in Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Endeavor/Guard. Professor Jensen is a graduate of Brigham Young University (BA, International Relations), University of Notre Dame Law School (JD), The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School (LLM) and Yale Law School (LLM).

Professor Jensen is an expert in the law of armed conflict, public international law, national security law, and cyber warfare. He was one of the group of experts who prepared the Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare and is currently working on the Tallinn Manual dealing with cyber operations more generally. He is co-author on The Law of Armed Conflict: An Operational Perspective, The Laws of War and the War on Terror, and National Security Law and Policy: a Student Treatise. He is the author of more than thirty law journal publications focusing on international law, national security law, cyber law and international criminal law.

T. William & Patricia Ayers GTP - Covering Conflict: The Challenge of Clarity (Wednesday, May 06, 2026)

Wed, 06 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

T. William & Patricia Ayers:

Global Tipping Points -

Covering Conflict:

The Challenge of Clarity

How do journalists uncover the human stories at the heart of conflict, while navigating misinformation and false narratives that can obscure the truth? This essential question remains at the heart of what journalists do everyday. However, in a media space where mistrust has risen to new heights and claims of bias color people's perception of the world, understanding the challenges to getting this right provides clarity on very murky issues.

Join us for a conversation with Shany Littman, journalist and correspondent, who has dedicated her work to reporting from conflict zones, with a focus on the people and communities often overlooked in mainstream narratives. Shany will share insights on how she finds humanity in complex and chaotic environments, the challenges of combating misinformation, and the vital role journalists play in delivering accurate, impactful stories. She will also share her insights into how fake atrocity stories fuel conflict around the world and what role communities, journalists, and others play in reigning in these forces.

This event is part of the Covering Conflict series, highlighting the experiences of journalists working in the world’s most dangerous and dynamic conflict zones. This community conversation will take the form of a moderated Q&A, with ample space for audience interaction.

Doors open at 5:30 pm for a light reception and opportunity to connect with the local community.

WACNH will livestream this event to its global audience through YouTube on its website homepage.

About the Speaker

Shany Littman is a magazine and feature writer for the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz. She has covered social and political issues, including the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. Based in Tel Aviv, she also writes opinion pieces and has her own column on cinema. Littman previously served as a culture correspondent for Haaretz, and as a researcher for documentaries. With an academic background in philosophy, history, and film, she produced the documentary “Nobody Home,” which tells the story of Jerusalem’s oldest cemetery. Littman has participated in peacebuilding programs with Palestinians and Israelis.

She is investigating the creation and spread of fake atrocity stories during wartime, focusing on their origins and impact.

Sponsored By

WACNH Global Forum: Shaping America's Role in a Changing World (Thursday, May 14, 2026)

Thu, 14 May 2026 21:00:00 GMT

WACNH Global Forum:

Shaping America's Role

in a Changing World-

With 28th U.S. National Security Advisor

Jake Sullivan

May 14, 2025

Doors Open @ 5:00 pm

Full Schedule Below

Location: NH Institute of Politics

100 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester, 03102

The world is changing rapidly—and the most critical global challenges of our time are unfolding right now. From great-power competition and global security to economic uncertainty and the future of American leadership, the decisions shaping our world demand informed, civil dialogue. The World Affairs Council of New Hampshire invites you to be part of that conversation at our annual Signature Event, the Global Forum—the state’s largest gathering of globally minded citizens.

This year, WACNH is honored to welcome Jake Sullivan, former Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, for a timely moderated conversation titled “Shaping America’s Role in a Changing World.” Drawing on firsthand experience at the highest levels of U.S. foreign policy, Sullivan will examine the critical global issues defining this moment—including geopolitical competition, international security, diplomacy, and America’s evolving role on the world stage—and offer insights into what lies ahead.

At the Global Forum, global issues become local. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how high-level decisions made in Washington, DC affect communities, businesses, and individuals here in New Hampshire and across the globe. You’ll also engage with community leaders, professionals, and engaged citizens who believe that informed discussion and principled leadership are essential in an increasingly complex world. As a proudly nonpartisan organization, WACNH welcomes the full community to this important conversation.

All proceeds from the Global Forum directly support the mission of the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire, helping ensure that vital global conversations, educational programs, and community events remain accessible across the state.

Reserve your seat and join us for an evening of insight, connection, and purpose. Be part of the conversation shaping America’s role in a changing world.

Event Schedule:

5:00pm - Doors Open, Pre-Event Reception

5:30 pm - Global Citizen Award Presentation

5:30pm - Private Reception Starts (West Wing of NHIOP)

6:00pm - Event Begins

7:30pm - Program Concludes

8:00pm - Post Event Dinner

About the Speaker

Jake Sullivan is the Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Senior Fellow at the Carsey School of Public Policy

at the University of New Hampshire.

He was the 28th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) from January 2021 to

January 2025. In the Obama Administration, he served as National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Biden, Director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, and Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In the years between government service, Sullivan was a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he helped conceive a bipartisan task force project on a foreign policy for the middle class. He held teaching posts at the University of New Hampshire, Dartmouth College, and Yale Law School. And he co-founded and co-chaired the advisory board for National Security Action.

He holds a B.A. in political science and international studies from Yale College; a M.Phil in International Relations from Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar; and a J.D. from Yale Law School. He clerked for Justice Stephen Breyer of the Supreme Court of the United States. He grew up as the second of five children in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is a proud product of the Minneapolis public schools. He lives with his wife, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander, in New Hampshire.

Sponsors

Annual Meeting 2026 (Tuesday, June 09, 2026)

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Join the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire and our global community for an evening of reflection, celebration, and connection as we gather for the 2026 Annual Meeting. Together, we will recognize the Council’s accomplishments, including continued growth of our global network and engagement with more than 1,000 New Hampshire high school students through international education and civic programs.

Members will hear from WACNH staff and leadership about the organization’s successes, challenges, and opportunities ahead, and gain insight into how the Council is positioning itself for the future. The evening also offers time to connect with fellow community members, strengthen relationships, and share in the collective impact of this work.

Following the meeting, attendees are invited to join the Board and staff for a light meal. Advanced ticket purchase is required.

We invite you to show your support, celebrate our shared achievements, and help empower the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire as it looks ahead to the years to come.

June 9th, 2026
Annual Meeting: 5:30 - 6:00 pm

Free entry.
Refreshments and Appetizers will be provided.

Join the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire and its global communities for an evening to celebrate the accomplishments of 2024. From continuing to grow this global community of supporters, to engaging over 1000 high school students in global programs, the WACNH community has a lot to acknowledge. In addition, the Council membership will vote on a new slate of Board Members for the class of 2028 (read more about the nominees here).

You will hear from the WACNH Board and staff about the successes, challenges, and opportunities for the Council moving forward, as well as meet with fellow community members to strengthen ties and share stories. Afterwards you are invited to join the Board and Staff for a light meal afterwards (advanced ticket purchase required).

Don't miss your opportunity to show your support, applaud, and empower this important non-profit as it looks ahead to another 70 years.