TNWAC News | Week of October 10-16, 2016

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
Final Call | Program | International Careers & Jobs Panel | Oct 17
Final Call | Program | China-US Relations | National Webcast-Local Experts Panel | Oct 18
High School Students/Teachers | The 2016-17 Academic WorldQuest Program Has Launched
Program | POTUS 45: Global Challenges for the Next Administration | Nov 9
Two Easy, Free, Painless Ways to Support Your World Affairs Council
High School Students | Announcing the Tennessee Global Scholars Certificate Program
Community | The Middle East and the Next Administration | Webcast | Oct 13
Community | US-China Business | “Selling to China” | Chattanooga | Oct 20
Community | Brazil: Impeachment, the Olympics and Growing Pains | Nashville | Oct 25
Congratulations to National Conference Nominee Ms. Ali Humbrecht
World Affairs National Conference | Nov 16-18
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!

Charles Chamberlin
Adam Yock
Caroline Rigsby
Elizabeth Greenway
Jon Woods
Rotary Club of Nashville

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.

FINAL CALL | PROGRAM | INTERNATIONAL CAREERS & JOBS PANEL | OCT 17

Among the regular programs presented by the Tennessee World Affairs Council are opportunities to connect specialists from a broad spectrum of global affairs occupations with people, especially students, who want to know more about jobs and careers in the international arena. We invite students — high schools and colleges from around town and across the region — and the general public to join us for these panels which are offered twice a year, and hosted at Lipscomb University. On October 17th the World Affairs Council will present the next iteration of the Careers & Jobs panel, hosted by Professor Susan Haynes and moderated by Ambassador Charles Bowers, both members of the World Affairs Council Board of Directors. Panelists will represent a broad offering of specialties in global affairs. RSVP on the web site (link) and tell your friends to be there too.  [RSVP and details]

FINAL CALL | PROGRAM | CHINA-US RELATIONS | NATIONAL WEBCAST-LOCAL EXPERTS PANEL | OCT 18

China’s rapid development and Sino-American relations have a direct impact on the lives of just about everyone in the United States. “CHINA Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections,” is a national day of programming designed to provide Americans across the United States and beyond the opportunity to discuss issues in the relationship with leading experts. Join us at Belmont University on Oct 18, 2016 for a national webcast with former Secretary of State Dr. Henry A. Kissinger followed by an in-house panel of specialists including John Scannapieco of Baker Donelson and Elizabeth Rowland, Director TN-China Network.  [RSVP and details]

If you like what your World Affairs Council is doing for your community it’s time to join and donate to keep it going.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS/TEACHERS | THE 2016-17 ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST PROGRAM HAS LAUNCHED

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 on NOVEMBER 12, 2016 AND the state championship match, 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 | POTUS 45: GLOBAL CHALLENGES FOR THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION | NOV 9

When Americans wake up on November 9th having elected a new President of the United States the euphoria of victory in a grueling campaign — party primaries and general election battles — will start to fade as the magnitude of challenges facing the new Administration will come more clearly in focus. The President-elect’s foreign policy team will start to shift from campaign mode to governing mode, sharpening their focus from the abstract to the concrete. Likewise the American public should be considering more than what might have been this or that candidate’s promises, but what the foreign affairs landscape and challenges portend for POTUS45 on the afternoon of Friday, January 20, 2017. Join distinguished diplomats Ambassador Charles Bowers and Ambassador Ron Schlicher, and career Navy Intelligence Officer Patrick Ryan for a conversation about the world, not as we would like it to be, but how it will look when it lands in the inbox of America’s next President.  [RSVP and 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. 

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS | ANNOUNCING 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

COMMUNITY | THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION | WEBCAST | OCT 13

You’re invited to a live streamed program titled, “The Middle East and the Next Administration: Challenges, Opportunities, and Recommendations.” It features Ambassador Chas Freeman, former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and former US Asst. Secretary of Defense; Dr. James Zogby, President Arab American Institute; Ilan Goldenberg and Gerald F. Hyman at the 86th Capitol Hill Conference of the Middle East Institute.  You can hear these diverse perspectives on the challenges for U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and the opportunities for the next administration via web cast at 12:00pm (CT).  Visit www.MEPC.org to connect and [email protected] for more information.

COMMUNITY | US-CHINA BUSINESS | “SELLING TO CHINA” | CHATTANOOGA | OCT 20

“Is your company best positioned to take full advantage of Tennessee’s third largest export market? China is a strong buyer of many goods and services from the United States. In 2015, the US exported over $116 billion to China, making China the No. 3 market for US products in the world. China’s economy is growing at a robust 6.7%, and international economists estimate that China will be the world’s largest economy as early as 2026 – just 10 years from now. Yet China is not an easy market for most US exporters. There are many structural challenges in the market as well as cultural and language challenges to overcome. This high-value seminar will address these challenges and opportunities in China for your company.” TN-China Network

[Details]

COMMUNITY | BRAZIL: IMPEACHMENT, THE OLYMPICS AND GROWING PAINS | NASHVILLE | OCT 25

“The fifth largest country in the world in size and population, the seventh largest economy, and fourth largest democracy, Brazil has emerged on the world scene over the last fifteen years. After striking economic growth in the first decade of this century lifted nearly forty million people out of poverty Brazil is now experiencing its greatest economic contraction in a century, and a political corruption scandal that has brought down its first female president. In the midst of this major political and economic crisis, Rio de Janeiro just hosted the Summer Olympics. This talk surveys the enormous gains Brazil has made in the last generation, the enormous inequalities that remain, and the political challenges the country faces over the next generation.” With Dr. Marshall Eakin, Ph.D.  UN Association [Details]

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALI HUMBRECHT – WORLD AFFAIRS CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP NOMINEE

The World Affairs Council nominee to attend the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) National Conference (Nov 16-18) is Ms. Ali Humbrecht, a sophomore at Belmont University. If selected by WACA she will be awarded the conference registration fee ($500) plus $1000 to cover lodging, transportation and expenses to participate in the annual gathering of the world’s largest grassroots global affairs awareness network — the 95 members of WACA. For over two and a half days the conferees hear from and talk with international leaders, scholars, business people, and others as well as visit think tanks and foreign embassies in the nation’s capital.  Sound like something for you? Read on below. Link here for video debriefs from the most recent two TNWAC conference scholarship winners.

WORLD AFFAIRS NATIONAL CONFERENCE | WASHINGTON | NOV 16-18

NEW SPEAKERS ADDED: Opening Dinner Keynote: Senator George J. Mitchell – Former Special Envoy to the Middle East; former envoy for Northern Ireland and primary architect of the “Good Friday Agreement.” Ambassadors Luncheon: David Abney, Chairman and CEO, UPS. You’re invited to the flagship conference for the network of America’s World Affairs Councils. Participate in conference panels, think tank visits and embassy receptions at the premier annual event of the world’s largest grassroots community devoted to education on world affairs. Special programs available for “1918 Society” members at the Pentagon and CIA. Save $100 by being a TNWAC member.  [Details]

“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

[Details]

THESE THINGS WE DO ARE POSSIBLY ONLY THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT. THANKS!

ON THE MAP

• Oct 17 – International Careers & Jobs Night – Our very popular panel of diplomats, business people, scholars, NGO reps and more to talk about global jobs. – Lipscomb University [Details]
• Oct 18 – Town Hall – China: Local Connections, National Reflections – National webcast and local panel – Dr. Henry A. Kissinger – Belmont [Details]
• Nov 9 – Town Hall – POTUS 45: Global Challenges for the Next Administration [Details]
• Nov 12 – Academic WorldQuest High Schools – Practice Match at Belmont University
• Nov 16-18 – National Conference – The World Affairs Councils of America National Conference in Washington DC.  Held annually for over two decades, the World Affairs Councils of America’s National Conference engages our regional leaders and members drawn from the business, civic, and education communities with leading policy-makers and experts. [Details]

BOOK OF THE WEEK

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. 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, Richard 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.

For more information and to order.

About the Author

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