2022 World Affairs Council of the Year
Network of Independent World Affairs Councils of America
If you like what your World Affairs Council is doing for your community it’s time to join and donate to keep it going.
Welcome
Donors & Members Thank You
Program | Russian-American Relations: From Obama to Trump | Jan 17
ICYMI – World Affairs Council Hosts Russian Ambassador Kislyak at Town Hall (Video)
High School Students/Teachers | 2016/17 Academic WorldQuest Program
Program | Foreign Policy in the New Administration – The First 30 Days | Feb 28
Blog | A Student at the National Conference of World Affairs Councils
Members | New Benefit for Members – “Daily Chatter” Newsletter
Two Easy, Free, Painless Ways to Support Your World Affairs Council
High School Students | The Tennessee Global Scholars Certificate Program
What in the World? Weekly Quiz
A Network with Benefits – Travel the World
On the Map
Book of the Week
THESE THINGS WE DO ARE POSSIBLY ONLY THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT. THANKS!
Thanks For Your Support
Dr. Charles Womack – Donor – $1,000
Karen Leeman – Donor – $300.00
Jim Knight – Membership Renewal – $60.00
Charles Bowers – Family Membership Renewal – $100.00
Michael McCooey – Family Membership Renewal – $100.00
Amr El-Husseini – New Individual Membership – $60.00
Peter Griffin – New Individual Membership – $60.00
Angelia Smith – New Teacher/Student Membership – $20.00
Country Music Hall of Fame – Donor
TNWAC WEEKLY NEWS
To Know the World. That’s the purpose of the Tennessee World Affairs Council. We are one of 95 similarly organized nonpartisan councils around the country — all independent — that form the largest grassroots global awareness affairs effort in the world. We share the same goals of delivering public and school programs that help people, especially students, develop a better understanding of the important international issues that affect their lives and futures. We welcome you as a member and as a contributor to our work.
If you like what your World Affairs Council is doing for your community it’s time to join and donate to keep it going.
PROGRAM | RUSSIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS: FROM OBAMA TO TRUMP | JAN 17
You’re invited to a town hall featuring Dr. Mark Katz of the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington to talk about the dynamic and important relations between Washington and Moscow as the Trump Administration comes to office. This event is part of the “Kennan Conversations” program of the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute. The Kennan Conversation program brings top experts on Russia and the region to cities across the United States, so that local audiences have the opportunity to listen to and engage with them and learn more about this increasingly important part of the world. The Russian-American relations town hall is brought to you by the World Affairs Council, the International Business Council of the Nashville Chamber and the Belmont Center for International Business. [Details]
READ Dr. Katz’ Dec 31 article, “Can Putin and Trump Succeed at Improving Russian-American Relations?” [Link]
Connect your Kroger Rewards Card to the World Affairs Council to support global affairs awareness education [Details]
ICYMI – WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL HOSTS RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR KISLYAK AT TOWN HALL (VIDEO)
Your World Affairs Council brings you programs to inform you on critical developments in American-Russian relations and other global hot topics. We organized a visit by Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey I. Kislyak to Nashville for a town hall public affairs program and other opportunities for dialogue with Tennesseans. We invite you to take a look at the video recording of Ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak, Russian Federation Ambassador to the United States and Dr. Mimi Barnard at TNWAC Town Hall at Belmont University. [Link]
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS/TEACHERS | THE 2016-17 ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST PROGRAM
Academic WorldQuest is the flagship youth education program of the Tennessee World Affairs Council (TNWAC) and the national network of World Affairs Councils (WACA). It is a team game testing high school students’ knowledge of international affairs. The TNWAC organizes the WorldQuest competition for Tennessee high school students to encourage global affairs awareness education. The Council will assist teams in preparation and organize two matches: a fall practice match was held on NOVEMBER 12, 2016 AND the state championship match will be hosted at Belmont University FEBRUARY 12, 2017. The winning team in Tennessee will advance to the National Championship match in Washington on APRIL 29, 2017, with transportation and lodging provided by the Tennessee World Affairs Council. [Details, Study Guide, Topics, Sign Up]
PROGRAM | FOREIGN POLICY IN THE NEW ADMINISTRATION – THE FIRST 30 DAYS | FEB 28
One day after America chose Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States your World Affairs Council hosted a conversation on the global challenges ahead for the next occupant of the White House. One month after President Trump takes office Ambassadors Bowers and Schlicher will return to share their expertise on diplomacy and foreign policy to help you navigate developments in the direction POTUS45 will take the country in the world and the challenges he faces. Join distinguished diplomats Ambassador Charles Bowers and Ambassador Ron Schlicher, and career Navy Intelligence Officer Patrick Ryan for a conversation about the world as it is view by America’s next President and the challenges it poses. [Details]
BLOG | A STUDENT AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS
The Tennessee World Affairs Council is a member of a network of nonprofit educational organizations around the country that have similar objectives to bring global affairs awareness and education programs and resources to our communities. Every November the councils gather in Washington for a conference to enhance their cooperation and to interact with leaders in government, business, academia, the military and other decision makers to discuss the top issues on the international affairs agenda. The Tennessee World Affairs Council was pleased to nominate Alexis Humbrecht, a sophomore at Belmont University, to attend the 2016 National Conference. She enjoyed three days of programs, panels, think-tank visits, hosted luncheons and networking with diplomats, policymakers, World Affairs Councils’ staffs and fellow students. [Blog]
MEMBERS | NEW BENEFIT FOR MEMBERS – “DAILY CHATTER” NEWSLETTER
A complimentary subscription to the weekday news summary “Daily Chatter” is being provided to active members of the World Affairs Council starting today. The publication gives readers a “two-minute read” on the news shaping the world each day, delivered to email inboxes at 5:30 a.m. (CT), in three sections: “Need to Know,” “Want to Know” and “Discoveries.” This new, free member benefit is being offered through the Council’s association with the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA). The “Daily Chatter” newsletter is designed to keep readers up to date on key issues through a curated review of top issues in a polished format designed for busy consumers of global affairs information. [Details]
TWO EASY, FREE, PAINLESS WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
YES, YOU’RE A STAKEHOLDER AND YOUR SUPPORT TO GLOBAL AFFAIRS AWARENESS PROGRAMS COUNTS. We won’t ask you to buy cookies or wrapping paper but please take a few minutes to see how you can help.
The World Affairs Council is a nonprofit educational charity that depends on the support of its members and the community to carry out its work of educating and inspiring people to know the world. We ask you to become a member and to add the Council to your regular charity giving plans. You can also support the World Affairs Council by naming it as your charity of choice in connection with supermarket purchases using your Kroger Rewards Program card. There’s also an opportunity to contribute when you shop on Amazon.com. You simply link there from the TNWAC.org web site. The World Affairs Council is an Amazon Associate and earns a fee when you click on the banner on TNWAC.org pages. [Kroger Rewards Card Registration] [Amazon Associate Info] Thank you!
[Please become a member of the Council [Join] and include it in your regular charitable giving plan [Donate].
Did you know if you click on the Amazon link on the TNWAC.org web site when you go shopping at Amazon your World Affairs Council earns a percentage of the sale — no added expense to you. [Details]
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS | THE TENNESSEE GLOBAL SCHOLARS CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Each year students in the Tennessee World Affairs Council area are invited to participate in the Global Studies Certificate Program. The program is designed for students to accumulate points by participating in global affairs activities toward becoming Tennessee Global Scholars. A minimum of 100 points are required to qualify for the certificate which is presented at a World Affairs Council program toward the end of the school year or provided to the host school for presentation. Students need not appear at a WAC program to qualify to have a certificate issued. The program is designed for students in any setting to complete enough elements to qualify. [Details, Register, Worksheet]
Did you know you can keep up with current international affairs news by following @TNWAC #TNWACquiz
“WHAT IN THE WORLD?” WEEKLY QUIZ
The World Affairs Council created the “What in the World?” Weekly Quiz to inspire interest in current affairs for our members and guests, and especially for students. Every Monday morning the quiz is posted on the Web site, on Facebook and distributed by email (to the “Quiz” sublist). At the end of the month a prize is given to one of the winners of the quizzes for the month. The quiz also serves as a resource for students and teacher-coaches participating in Academic WorldQuest and other educational endeavors. It provides a tool to keep students engaged in global affairs awareness and serves as a guide and source for the AWQ competition current event topic area. The questions on the quiz are drawn from the news reports shared on the @TNWAC Twitter feed marked by #TNWACquiz. Details
A NETWORK WITH BENEFITS – TRAVEL THE WORLD
Our sister World Affairs Council in Philadelphia has been organizing international travel for over 35 years. In addition to outstanding sightseeing, many trips include lecturers drawn from across the World Affairs Councils of America leadership; from the fields of diplomacy, journalism, or academia. Many trips have a strong substantive element with behind-the-scenes meetings and briefings, and we offer “meet the people” opportunities for our citizen diplomats. All cruises are aboard small ships with 70 to 220 guests and we share these programs with other educational institutions. Many land programs are small-group Council exclusives. Here’s what’s coming up.
- February 3 – 13 – Colombia Rediscovered with Ambassador Heather Hodges
- February 12 – 21 – Cuba Cruise: Experience Cuba by Land and by Sea
- February 26 – March 13 – Journey to Southern Africa with Joyce Davis
- March 26 – April 3 – Cultural Cuba land tour with Megan Torrey
- April 15 – 23 – WWI History Cruise: Holland and Belgium
- April 21 – May 4 – Inside Iran with Jim Falk
- April 24 – 29 – Inside Washington, DC
- April 22 – 30 – Barcelona- A Cultural Exploration with Denise Bala
- April 25 – May 10 – Vietnam & Cambodia with Craig Snyder
- April 30 – May 9 – European Coastal Civilizations: A Voyage from Lisbon to London with Dr. Pamela Zeiser
Contact www.wacphila.org/travel or call 1-800-942-5004 x209 or x217.
[Details]
THESE THINGS WE DO ARE POSSIBLY ONLY THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT. THANKS!
ON THE MAP
- Jan 17, 2017 – “Russian-American Relations: From Obama to Trump” – Dr. Mark Katz [Details]
- Feb 12, 2017 – Tennessee State Championship Match – Academic WorldQuest [Details]
- Feb 28, 2017 – Foreign Policy in the New Administration – The First 30 Days” – Amb Charles Bowers, Amb Ronald Schlicher and LCDR Patrick Ryan [Details]
BOOK OF THE WEEK
A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order
By Richard Haass
An examination of a world increasingly defined by disorder and a United States unable to shape the world in its image, from the president of the Council on Foreign Relations
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold. The rules, policies, and institutions that have guided the world since World War II have largely run their course. Respect for sovereignty alone cannot uphold order in an age defined by global challenges from terrorism and the spread of nuclear weapons to climate change and cyberspace. Meanwhile, great power rivalry is returning. Weak states pose problems just as confounding as strong ones. The United States remains the world’s strongest country, but American foreign policy has at times made matters worse, both by what the U.S. has done and by what it has failed to do. The Middle East is in chaos, Asia is threatened by China’s rise and a reckless North Korea, and Europe, for decades the world’s most stable region, is now anything but. As Richard Haass explains, the election of Donald Trump and the unexpected vote for “Brexit” signals that many in modern democracies reject important aspects of globalization, including borders open to trade and immigrants.
In A World in Disarray, Haass argues for an updated global operating system—call it world order 2.0—that reflects the reality that power is widely distributed and that borders count for less. One critical element of this adjustment will be adopting a new approach to sovereignty, one that embraces its obligations and responsibilities as well as its rights and protections. Haass also details how the U.S. should act towards China and Russia, as well as in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. He suggests, too, what the country should do to address its dysfunctional politics, mounting debt, and the lack of agreement on the nature of its relationship with the world.
A World in Disarray is a wise examination, one rich in history, of the current world, along with how we got here and what needs doing. Haass shows that the world cannot have stability or prosperity without the United States, but that the United States cannot be a force for global stability and prosperity without its politicians and citizens reaching a new understanding.
Source: Amazon.com
About the Author
Dr. Richard Haass is president of the non-partisan Council on Foreign Relations. He served as the senior Middle East advisor to President George H.W. Bush and as Director of the Policy Planning Staff under Secretary of State Colin Powell. A recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal, the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award, and the Tipperary International Peace Award, he is also the author or editor of twelve books on foreign policy and international relations. Dr. Haass lives in New York.
The Tennessee World Affairs Council is a nonprofit (501c3), nonpartisan educational charity based in Nashville that works to build understanding of global issues in our communities. Learn more about the Council and find how you can join, donate and volunteer at: www.TNWAC.org — Join / Donate / Volunteer