TNWAC News | Week of September 19, 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
ICYMI | The Iran Nuclear Deal | Amb Thomas Pickering
Program | International Careers & Jobs | Oct 17
Program | China-US Relations | Kissinger Webcast & Local Panel | Oct 18
Fun(draiser) | WorldQuest Adult Championship Match at Yazoo
World Affairs National Conference in Washington | Nov 16-18
In the News | Why Global Affairs Awareness and Education?
Community | World Peace Day: Celebrating Global Unity in the Hills of Tennessee | Sep 24
Community | Our Muslim Neighbor Conference 2016 | Sep 24
Community | TN-China Network Social Hour | Sep 26
“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!

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.

Did you know you can keep up with current international affairs news by following @TNWAC #TNWACquiz

ICYMI | THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL | AMB THOMAS PICKERING

The Tennessee World Affairs Council and Belmont University, in association with the Iran Project, hosted distinguished American Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering in Nashville for a Council town hall at Belmont University and other programs in the community. Among those were a visit to “The Tennessean” to talk with editorial director David Plazas. The conversation included details of the Iran agreement as well as discussion of current global issues and the role of the media in helping citizens understand international affairs. The World Affairs Council will publish a video recording from the town hall as well as a video recording, available at the link, from Ambassador Pickering’s conversation with David Plazas at “The Tennessean.”   [Watch the Video recorded at “The Tennessean”]

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. 

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.  [Details]

PROGRAM | CHINA-US RELATIONS | NATIONAL WEBCAST-LOCAL 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.  [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.

FUN(DRAISER) | INAUGURAL WORLDQUEST ADULT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH AT YAZOO | NOV 6

The World Affairs Council is pleased to announce the First Annual Championship of WorldQuest-Corporate Level is set for Sunday, November 6, 2016 at the Yazoo Brewing Company taproom in Nashville.  Ten four-person teams representing their companies, associations or cobbled together groups (21+) will vie for the prestigious WorldQuest-Yazoo cup. The match is a fundraiser for the Academic WorldQuest program, a year-round educational outreach to encourage students to “know the world.”  Team slots are expected to fill quickly.   [Details]

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]

IN THE NEWS | WHY GLOBAL AFFAIRS AWARENESS AND EDUCATION?  IMPORTANT

We hope you’ve seen the news reports last week about an important survey conducted by National Geographic and the Council on Foreign Relations that found “significant gaps in what college-aged students understand about the world and what they need to know in order to contend with a world that is more interconnected than ever.”

“The Global Literacy Survey, conducted in May by ARC Research among 1,203 students aged 18 to 26 and educated at U.S. colleges and universities, reveals that few students possess important knowledge about the world and the United States’ role in it, including which countries are U.S. allies and where U.S. troops are stationed overseas.”

Your World Affairs Council will be talking about this alarming report and will remind you that only with your support (join/donate/volunteer) is this organization dedicated to global affairs awareness and education be successful.  [Details]

COMMUNITY | WORLD PEACE DAY: CELEBRATING GLOBAL UNITY IN THE HILLS OF TENNESSEE | SEP 24

On Sept. 24, Isha Foundation, an international nonprofit human service organization, will host its fourth annual World Peace Day at its classical yoga and meditation retreat on the Cumberland Plateau. The free, family-friendly event will be at Isha Institute of Inner Sciences, 951 Isha Lane, McMinnville, TN 37110, from 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Held in honor of the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, World Peace Day serves as a reminder that peace is not an ultimate goal but a fundamental requirement for individual and global well-being. Featured at the event will be beginner yoga and meditation sessions, guided hikes to scenic views, food booths, a vegetarian cooking class and activities for children. [Details]

COMMUNITY | OUR MUSLIM NEIGHBOR CONFERENCE 2016 | SEP 24

The “Our Muslim Neighbor Conference 2016” is set for Saturday at the Nashville Public Library. It is an all-day event starting at 9:00 a.m.  Our Muslim Neighbor (FCC|OMN) is a pilot of a national initiative of Religions for Peace USA in Nashville, Tennessee. FCC|OMN develops and implements programs designed to advance understanding of Islam and Muslims in Middle Tennessee. To promote a more peaceful and a well-informed religious understanding, Our Muslim Neighbor  works in collaboration with El-Hibri Foundation, Dr. Haruhisa Handa of the International Shinto Foundation, the William and Mary Greve Foundation, and the Tannenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding to convene individuals from varied backgrounds and perspectives to engage in public diplomacy, media training, and interfaith education in order to create a social climate that renders anti-Islamic sentiments immoral and unacceptable. [Details/RSVP]

COMMUNITY | TN-CHINA NETWORK SOCIAL HOUR | SEP 26

Join TN-China Network (TNCN) for a Networking Happy Hour in Nashville Monday, September 26, 2016, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm CT at the Smith & Lentz Brewing Company, 903 Main Street in East Nashville. Meet old friends and make new ones who have an interest in doing business with China. This happy hour will also feature a brief presentation by event sponsor COFACE on “Ways to Get Paid When Selling to China”. They will be available for questions throughout the event. The event is free. Attendees pay the brewery directly for any food and beverages ordered during the event. [Details/RSVP]

“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). Later in the week a followup is published to provide quiz answers and name the winners of the weekly quiz. 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 6 – 2016 WorldQuest Corporate Championship Match – Yazoo Taproom [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

This week your World Affairs Council had the honor of hosting Ambassador Thomas Pickering in Nashville for a Town Hall public affairs meeting and other programs in the community.

Jago Pakistan / Wake Up, Pakistan: The Report of The Century Foundation International Working Group on Pakistan

Pakistan is at a crossroads. While the threat from al-Qaeda has been diminished, militancy is still a critical, evolving, and growing threat. Pakistan lags behind most of its neighbors in many economic and human development indicators, while its democratic institutions are undercut by recurring civil-military crises and its political class is mired in a paralyzing fight that has crippled its legitimacy and its ability to govern. All of these issues require urgent attention and action by progressive forces within Pakistan, working with a vision shaped and supported in concert with the international community. This working group, chaired by Thomas R. Pickering, and comprised of a broad and diverse assemblage of Pakistani and international figures deeply concerned about the country’s future, believes it is time for Pakistan to wake up to its responsibilities to address these problems.  [Info/Order]

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