2022 World Affairs Council of the Year
Network of Independent World Affairs Councils of America
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Week of Sep 16-22, 2019
Dear Members and Friends,
Last week we were pleased to host Ambassador Christopher Hill and Mrs. Hill for two days of visits in Nashville including Martin Luther King, Jr., Magnet High School, the Nashville Rotary Club, the Nashville Chamber International Business Council and a TNWAC Global Town Hall at beautiful Belmont University.
Ambassador Hill’s visit exemplified our efforts to bring distinguished global affairs specialists to our community. In this case over 700 high school and university students, community leaders and business people experienced hard to obtain insights and perspectives on global issues. Hill shared with them his story as a senior career diplomat with hands on experience in hotspots around the world such as his work ending conflict in the Balkans and his work on U.S. relations with China, North Korea and many other critical challenges. [You can see a sample of Amb. Hill’s non-stop 48 hours in Nashville in our Pics of the Week below.]
The opportunities visits like this bring are important to our community’s civic health and global literacy and we hope you’ll become a member and donor to the World Affairs Council to keep these programs alive.
Another program we focus on this time of year is Academic WorldQuest, our high school global affairs awareness program that this spring we named in honor of fallen American diplomat Anne Smedinghoff. We’re busy getting students and teachers signed up for the 2019-2020 season and getting competition materials published. The education outreach program also includes our weekly quiz and scholar certificate programs. By December students will be ready for our practice match and then the February state championship match, both at Belmont. Our Council will take the Tennessee tournament winners to Washington in the spring for the national championship match and a chance to visit embassies, think tanks, the Capitol and other international affairs venues. We need your support to make this important youth program go.
One of our current education programs is the scholarship nomination opportunity for a college student to participate in the National Conference of the World Affairs Councils. This all-expense paid scholarship gives a student the opportunity to attend one of the best global affairs conferences of the year. Applications from students are due to TNWAC by Friday, September 20th.
Speaking of the National Conference of the World Affairs Councils. You should take a look at the agenda — keynote speakers like James Baker, Chuck Hagel and many more, panels on hot topics in global affairs, visits and discussions at think-tanks, receptions at international embassies and more await conferees at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, Nov 6-8, 2019. Check the conference web site for more. You’re invited.
Lastly, let me remind you about our October 13th luncheon and book signing with Ambassador Samantha Power who served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2013-17) and is a Pulitzer Prize award winning author. Join us for a great buffet lunch, presentation by Amb Power with moderator Prof. Thomas Schwartz and a copy of the book included in the ticket for you to have signed. REGISTER TODAY
There’s much more on our calendar — “War Clouds in the Gulf” with Ambassador Bowers, teleconferences on hot topics and authors, and more. We’re working hard to bring the world to you and only ask that you join us in this mission — the donate button is not far away.
Please tell your friends, colleagues and family about these programs and the other opportunities on our calendar.
Patrick Ryan, President
patryan@tnwac.org| 931-261-2353
On to the news.
WHAT’S NEXT AT THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
December 12, 2019 | “Cover to Cover” | “Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest” | Angela Stent | Teleconference
December 8, 2019 | “Anne Smedinghoff Academic WorldQuest Challenge” Practice Match | Belmont University
November 20, 2019 | Global Dialogue | LCDR Patrick Ryan | Global Issues in the News
November 18, 2019 | Global Town Hall | Dr. Paul Pillar | On the Brink of War With Iran (updates based on developments)
November 6-8, 2019 | National Conference of World Affairs Councils of America, Washington, DC
October 30, 2019 | Global Dialogue | Speaker TBD | Global Issues in the News
October 22, 2019 | International Careers Panel | Lipscomb University
October 13, 2019 | Amb Samantha Power – Luncheon and Booksigning | Location: Belmont University, Frist Lecture Hall
October 9, 2019 | “Cover to Cover” | “After the Berlin Wall: Memory and the Making of the New Germany, 1989 to the Present” | Hope Harrison | Teleconference
October 8 | TBD | Amb Harry Harris, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea
September 30, 2019 | Global Dialogue | Amb Charles Bowers/LCDR Pat Ryan – War Clouds in the Gulf
September 25, 2019 | “Cover to Cover” | “From Gutenberg to Google: The History of Our Future” | Tom Wheeler | Teleconference
September 21, 2019 | International Day of Peace Celebration (TBD) Look for a TNWAC event related to this celebration
September 20, 2019 | Deadline | College Student Scholarship – National Conference of World Affairs Councils of America (Nov 6-8)
September 19, 2019 | “Know Now” | Why the Tunisian Elections Matter | Oussama Romdhani
REGISTER TODAY | EARLY BIRD RATE FOR AMBASSADOR POWER’S LUNCH AND BOOK SIGNING
In September 2019 Ambassador Power’s memoir, “The Education of an Idealist,” will be published and she will be joining us on October 13th at a World Affairs Council luncheon and book signing to discuss her journey from Castlenock, Ireland to the United Nations Security Council chamber and your questions about global affairs issues. Dr. Thomas Schwartz, professor of history at Vanderbilt University, and a specialist in U.S. foreign affairs history, will moderate the conversation with Ambassador Power. Your lunch ticket includes a splendid buffet meal at Belmont University’s Frist Lecture Hall and a copy of Samantha Power’s book. Join us Sunday, October 13that 11:00 for this special opportunity for hard to come by insights and perspectives on the UN, U.S. foreign policy and a unique personality in American diplomacy. REGISTER NOW Early Bird rates expire Sep 26th.
PUT YOUR BUSINESS IN THE SPOTLIGHT | SPONSOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS PROGRAMS
We invite business leaders to learn more about sponsorship programs and memberships available from the World Affairs Council. Take a look at the packages available [Link] to sponsor our luncheon with Ambassador Samantha Power (above) and contact TNWAC President Pat Ryan for more details. (pat@tnwac.org | 931.261.2353) [Link]
ICYMI – OUR PODCASTS WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE
If you missed Ambassador Christopher Hill‘s terrific conversation at the Town Hall with Professor Thomas Schwartz you can catch his remarks about North Korea, China and a career in diplomacy and more. We have you covered with our “GLOBAL TENNESSEE” Podcasts. We interviewed Amb Hill while he was here and will have that Pod posted this week — wherever you get your Podcasts. Last week we brought other global affairs specialists into our studio for “Global Tennessee” interviews. We have also just posted our interview with Election 2020 U.S. Senate Candidate James Mackler, running for the Democrat nomination. TNWAC is a nonpartisan educational charity but we will talk with all serious candidates for Federal office in 2020 so you can know their positions on critical national security and foreign policy questions. In coming days you’ll hear from Ambassador John Kornblum, former US Ambassador to Germany on “Why Europe Matters”; Carey Campbell, National Outreach Coordinator of the US Global Leadership Coalition on U.S. foreign assistance and the foreign policy budget; and John Stanton from USAID on the work of that agency and issues in global health, especially the PEPFAR program attacking AIDS/HIV. Subscribe to “Global Tennessee” today to keep up when these Pods are released and take a look at the archive to listen to the terrific people who have already talked with “Global Tennessee.”
PICS OF THE WEEK
Ambassador Christopher Hill and Martin Luther King, Jr., Magnet HS Executive Principal Angela McSheppard-Ray starting off the day.
Ambassador Hill talking with MLK students about life as an American diplomat and challenges to U.S. interests in the world.
Ambassador Christopher Hill addressed a noon meeting of the Nashville Rotary Club, several hundred of the city’s leaders.
Ambassador Christopher Hill and moderator Prof. Thomas Schwartz carried on an insightful conversation on negotiating with North Korea before turning to the audience for questions about relations with China and other global trouble spots.
Belmont students and faculty turned out in full force along with TNWAC members and the general public for the Global Town Hall with Ambassador Christopher Hill.
Ambassador Hill’s insights on US-China relations and the North Korea nuclear crisis as well as other foreign policy challenges are shared on the “Global Tennessee” Podcast hosted by TNWAC President Pat Ryan.
Ambassador Hill wrapped up his visit at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce International Business Council to talk about relations with China and the current trade and tariff crisis.
YOUR WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
- Chairman Jim Shepherd
- President Pat Ryan
- Vice President Marieta Velikova
- Secretary Allan Ramsaur
- Treasurer Mike McCooey
- Education Outreach Coordinator Catherine Kelly
- Membership Management Terry Rustan
Call or visit our office on the beautiful Belmont University campus in Nashville. We’re in Fidelity Hall, Room 304A | 931.261.2353 | info@tnwac.org
Best wishes for a great week!
SUPPORTING TNWAC – WE NEED YOU TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
SUPPORT OF TNWAC’S EDUCATION OUTREACH
THANKS TO THE AWC FAMILY FOUNDATION
THANKS TO BASS BERRY + SIMS
THANKS TO SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
THANKS TO BELMONT UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
THANKS TO THE NASHVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL
THANKS TO THE TNWAC WEEKLY QUIZ PARTNERS
Mission
The mission of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Tennessee World Affairs Council is to promote international awareness, understanding and connections to enhance the region’s global stature and to prepare Tennesseans to thrive in our increasingly complex and connected world.
Vision
A well-informed community that thinks critically about the world and the impact of global events.
The Tennessee World Affairs Council is a 5o1c3 tax exempt organization. All gifts are tax deductible to the full extent of IRS regulations.
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