NPR’s Frank Langfitt has reported from more than 50 countries and territories since the late 1990s. In a video and audio presentation, Frank recounts the history he’s witnessed through the people he’s met and how that history has shaped today’s challenging geo-political landscape. Frank will explain what he learned driving a free taxi in Shanghai and tracking elephants in South Sudan. He’ll also discuss reporting in Ukraine during Russia’s 2022 invasion and covering the Israel/Gaza war.

Dan Bishof, the Department of State’s Director for Eastern Europe, will join the Tennessee World Affairs Council to share insights and exchange views on what factors have influenced U.S. decision-making over the evolution of the war, which has seen Ukraine fight back from the near-loss of Kyiv to recapture significant amounts of its own territory and inflict significant blows on Russia in the Black Sea. Mr. Bishof will discuss the mechanisms the U.S. government has established for tracking and providing oversight of U.S. assistance to Ukraine, and how that assistance impacts the security of not only Ukraine, but also that of Europe and the United States.