This Week

What’s up this week? Your World Affairs Council continues to bring you insights, perspectives and analyses on the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin and Russia. We’re fortunate to have Ambassador John Kornblum join us regularly for his take on developments. Kornblum is an eminent diplomat on US-European affairs and businessman. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Germany, to the OSCE and Deputy Ambassador to NATO. And we’re pleased that he serves on the TNWAC President’s Advisory Board.

Last week Amb. Kornblum join us from Berlin to provide his take on the opening of the Russian invasion and the reactions in American and European circles. Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, March 2nd at 10am CT (GMT-6) for his update on the unfolding war in Europe and a conversation with you. Register HERE.

You will find many more programs during the week from our sister World Affairs Councils (Scroll down).

We are also pleased to share with you an oped from TNWAC Chairman Jim Shepherd and Vice Chairman Karl F. Dean, that appeared in “The Tennessean.” They shared their views in a piece called, “War between Russian and Ukraine begins and the Cold War returns. What now?” In it they call for a better informed American public on the questions of global affairs and war and peace, asking, “Are we ready to deal with the fallout of war in Europe?” They add, “Do we know enough about the situation and prospects? If past is prologue, we come up short. A National Geographic/Roper survey in 2006 showed 63% of young people, the most recent graduates of our educational system, could not find Iraq on a map, years after U.S. troops were engaged in combat there. It would be surprising to find that Ukraine and great power conflict were much better understood.” Read the full op-ed HERE

Your World Affairs Council turned 15 last month. On Valentine’s Day 2007 a handful of citizens launched a grassroots effort to bring programs and resources to our community, especially young people, to inform and inspire a greater appreciation of what’s going on in the world. We invite you to join us on this journey by becoming a sustaining member and making a contribution to TNWAC. Thank you.

What’s up on West End?  Nashville recently welcomed Consul-General Yoichi Matsumoto to his post at the Consulate of Japan. This is his first diplomatic post in the United States and his first assignment as a Consul-General. Matsumoto replaces Kayoko Fukushima as Japan’s representative in the states of Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. She served from December 2019 to January 2022.

I had the honor of a (Zoom) meeting Consul-General Matsumoto along with TNWAC Board Chair Jim Shepherd to welcome him and extend our wishes to continue the close relationship the Council has with the Consulate of Japan. We have been pleased to host numerous speaker engagements with Japanese ambassadors and consuls-general and have enjoyed partnership on public awareness programs. We wish the new Consul-General well in his Nashville posting. [Message from Consul-General Matsumoto]. We also look forward to the return of the Cherry Blossom Festival to Nashville in April. It is a terrific addition to the Nashville spring calendar and you should go. Info HERE.

This edition of TNWAC’s What’s Up contains the usual selection of programs of our making and from around the network of World Affairs Councils and other partners and institutions. This week we also have special opportunities for you like an invitation to join a series of “Great Decision” programs. 

May 24-25 Saudi Arabia: Beyond the Headlines | US-Saudi Relations; Commercial Connections; and Saudi Arabia in transition. Day 1 – Tuesday – 11:30-1:30 pm | Day 2 – Wednesday – 11:30-1:00 pm [Details/Sponsor Info]

• All Times US Central Time Zone

Link to these programs in Council Highlights below.

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• March 2: World Affairs Council of Seattle hosts “Rapid Response Roundtable: Ukraine“
• March 4: World Affairs Council of Atlanta hosts Amb. Kristjan Prikk, Estonian Ambassador to the U.S., for “Estonia: Forging a Digital Society“
• March 7: International Relations Council Kansas City will host Janis Garisons, State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Defense, for “Eastern Europe from Latvia’s Perspective“
• March 8: World Affairs Council of Inland Southern California hosts Mark Katz, Professor at George Mason University, for “Putin’s Policy Toward Ukraine“
• March 9: World Affairs Council of Maine will host Admiral (Ret.) Gregory Johnson, former Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, and Amb. (Ret) John Koenig, career diplomat, for “NATO and the Crisis in Ukraine“
• March 11: Colorado Springs World Affairs Council hosts a panel of experts for “Ukraine in Crisis: Why and Now What?” (In person)
• March 14: International Relations Council (Kansas City) presents “Eastern Europe and Russia Roundtable“
• March 15: San Diego World Affairs Council hosts Amb. (Ret.) George Krol for “Thirty Years After the Fall of the USSR“
• March 15: WorldDenver hosts Fiona Hill, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, for “The Russia Challenge“
• March 23: World Affairs Council of Houston hosts Amb. (Ret.) William Taylor, Vice President of Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace, for “Ukraine, Russia, War, and the West“
• March 31: World Affairs Council of Harrisburg hosts Mehdi Noorbaksh, Professor at Harrisburg University, for “Great Decisions: Russia“
• TBD: Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall hosts Amb. Kristjan Prikk, Estonian Ambassador to the U.S., for “Roundtable Lunch: Estonian Ambassador on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict“

 

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• Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall hosts Dan Schnur, Professor at UC Berkeley and Pepperdine, for “Biden at a Crossroads: What We’ll Learn from His State of the Union Speech“
• World Affairs Council of Austin hosts Levan Beridze, Consul General of Georgia in San Francisco, for “Kozmetsky Forum“
• Indiana Council on World Affairs hosts Joe Pelton, Dean Emeritus of the International Space University, for “The New ‘Space Race’“
• International Relations Council (Kansas City) hosts Frank Klimas, U.S. Air Force Officer, for “What’s Happening in Syria?“
• World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth hosts Maria Fernanda Bozmoski, Deputy Director of Programs at the Atlantic Council, for “The Northern Triangle: Should We Pivot to the South?“

• World Affairs Council of Connecticut presents “International Women’s Day: Combatting Violence Against Women“
• World Affairs Council of Philadelphia hosts James Schoff, Senior Director of the U.S.-Japan NEXT Alliance at Sasakawa, and Yuki Tatsumi, Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center, for “The Future of U.S.-Japan Defense Collaboration” (In person)
• Montana World Affairs Council hosts Oliver Schramm, Consul General of Germany, for “Roundtable Discussion” (In person)
• World Affairs Council of San Antonio presents “International Citizen of the Year Award Celebration” (In person)

• Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall hosts Mayor Eric Garcetti, 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles and Nominee for U.S. Ambassador to India, for “Los Angeles Mayoral Series: Outgoing Mayor Eric Garcetti“
• World Affairs Council of Houston hosts Robert Mosbacher, Chairman of the Board of Mosbacher Energy Company, for “U.S. vs. China: Dominating Business in the Developing World“
• World Affairs Council of Harrisburg hosts Shirley Warshaw, Professor at Gettysburg College, for “Great Decisions: Biden’s Agenda“
• Montana World Affairs Council hosts Amb. (Ret.) Ted Osius, former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, for “Roundtable Discussion” (In person)
• WorldBoston hosts Fatema Sumar, Vice President of Compact Operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, for “The Development Diplomat“
• WorldOregon presents “Discussing the Decisions: Climate Change – From Awareness to Action“
• Colorado Springs World Affairs Councils presents “Great Decisions 2022“
• International Relations Council (Kansas City) presents “News and Views: Insecurity in China’s Neighborhood“
• World Affairs Council of Maine presents “Virtual Coffee and Discussion“

• WorldOregon hosts Rudabeh Shahid, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, for “The Quad Alliance“
• World Affairs Council of Hilton Head hosts Joby Warrick, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, for “Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria“

• World Affairs Council of the Desert hosts Satu Limaye, Director of the Asia Matter for America Initiative, for “India at Home and in the World” (In person)

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