2022 World Affairs Council of the Year
Network of Independent World Affairs Councils of America
The mission of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Tennessee World Affairs Council is to promote international awareness, understanding and connections to enhance the region’s global stature and to prepare Tennesseans to thrive in our increasingly complex and connected world.
A well-informed community that thinks critically about the world and the impact of global events.
The Tennessee World Affairs Council was incorporated on February 14, 2007 as a non profit educational charity with the mission of delivering global awareness programs and resources to communities and especially schools in Tennessee.
It was founded by community members from a cross section of professions who were concerned about the lack of knowledge about world affairs among Americans. Among the evidence that concerned them was the results of a 2006 National Geographic/Roper survey in which, among other shortfalls, only 37% of 18-24 year olds could find Iraq on a map, three years into the war.
After opening the doors of its office in Cookeville, Tennessee on May 1, 2007 the Council became a member of the national network of World Affairs Councils, all independent, non partisan organizations that share the same goal to bring global awareness programs to Americans. By affiliating with the WACA network the Tennessee Council became eligible to share the national programs with local schools and communities that would not have been able to access these resources otherwise.
The Tennessee World Affairs Council delivered programs and resources to the Upper Cumberland region of the state in its first few years but soon developed a state-wide charter as teachers, students and organizations that could not access the Councils’ network program sought out international education opportunities.
In July 2015 the Council announced its relaunch from Nashville hosted at the Belmont University Campus. The TN WAC will provide international education awareness opportunities to the Nashville and Middle Tennessee communities and schools, but will continue to serve state-wide needs through remotely deliverable programs and visits from speakers and program providers.
In 2016 the Council moved into its current office at 1513 Compton Avenue in Nashville. The facility is provided by Belmont University and shared with Sister Cities of Nashville.
The Tennessee World Affairs Council (TN WAC) is the first non profit educational charity to develop and deliver global awareness programs and resources in the State of Tennessee, in association with about 95 independent councils in the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) network. The impact of TN WAC programs, such as distinguished visiting speakers to schools and civic organizations, academic competitions for high schools, facilitated discussion groups and more, cannot be overstated at a time when American knowledge of global affairs is poor and the challenges that face the United States, especially the next generation are so great. In the 2015 year of operations the TN WAC transitioned from its founding home in Cookeville, Tennessee to a new base of operations in Nashville, hosted at Belmont University.