World Affairs Councils of America

The World Affairs Councils of America is a network of 90 autonomous and nonpartisan councils serving 43 states. As of 2023, it has an annual reach of over 200,000 people.[1] It is the largest nonprofit international affairs organization in the United States.

The World Affairs Councils of America
Formation1986; 38 years ago (1986)
TypeNonprofit educational/cultural organization
HeadquartersWashington, DC United States
Chairman
Glenn Creamer
President & CEO
Matthew Hughes
Revenue (2022)
$10,242,551
Expenses (2022)$764,345
Websiteworldaffairscouncils.org

History

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The World Affairs Councils of America was founded in 1918 as the League of Free Nations, which later reconstituted as the Foreign Policy Association.[2] As World Affairs Councils were created across the United States, the World Affairs Councils of America National Office was founded in the 1986 to serve as a central hub for the network in Washington, DC.[3]

In mid-February 2011, Chairman of the Board Ambassador Marc Grossman stepped down to become the United States Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, replacing Richard Holbrooke. In June 2011, Ambassador Paula Dobriansky filled the position of Chair of the National Board. In June 2015, WACA announced that Ambassador Roman Popadiuk who served as the first United States Ambassador to Ukraine under George H. W. Bush, from 1992 to 1993, has been elected the new chairman of the national Board of Directors. Following a three-month co-chair period, Glenn Creamer succeeded Popadiuk as chairman in November 2020, chosen for his work as chairman of the Catholic Relief Services Foundation.

In 2014, the World Affairs Councils of America won the Diversity and Inclusion (DANDI) Award in the international category.[4]

Programs

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The World Affairs Councils of America supports a network of 90 councils who present programs annually.[citation needed] The Councils sponsor international exchanges, school programs, teachers workshops, foreign policy discussions, travel programs, young professionals’ programs, conferences, and corporate programs.

National Conference

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The national office organizes an annual conference, usually held in November in Washington, DC. Each conference is thematically organized, and includes speakers from think tanks, embassies, governments, non governmental organizations, and corporations. At the conference opening dinner, several awards are given, including Council of the year, the Chairman's individual of the year, and the International Service Award. Previous International Service Award honorees include Ambassador Thomas Pickering, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, former Secretary of State James Baker, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Academic WorldQuest

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Academic WorldQuest is an annual team-based international affairs, geography, history, and culture competition for high school students sponsored by the World Affairs Councils of America.[5] The WorldQuest has been held every year since 2003. WorldQuest was created in 1995 by Jennifer Watson Roberts of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.

In order to compete at the Carlos and Malú Alvarez National Academic WorldQuest competition, teams must first win at their regional council level (usually held from November to March). Every year, 4,000 high school students across the country participate in local competitions hosted by their World Affairs Council. Previous national competition venues include the U.S. Institute of Peace and the National Press Club.

National champions
Year
High School
Council
2006 Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology World Affairs Councils of Washington D.C.
2007 Daniel Hand High School World Affairs Forum (Stamford)
2008 North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics International Affairs Council of Raleigh
2009 DuPont Manual High School World Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana
2010 DuPont Manual High School World Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana
2011 Plano Senior High School World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
2012 Plano Senior High School World Affairs Councils of Dallas/Fort Worth
2013 Plano West Senior High School World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
2014 Plano West Senior High School World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
2015 DuPont Manual High School World Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana
2016 Keystone School World Affairs Council of San Antonio
2017 Plano West Senior High School World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
2018 Plano West Senior High School World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
2019 Jasper High School[6] World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
2023 Plano West Senior High School World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
2024 DuPont Manual High School World Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana

National Delegations

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For more than a decade, the WACA has been invited to bring small delegations of council leaders to learn about a host country. A leadership mission consists of an overseas fact-finding visit to a city, country, or organization by a delegation of the World Affairs Council.

Host Countries
Year
Country
Year
Country
1998 China 2006 Taiwan
South Korea Tunisia
Taiwan 2007 Germany
1999 Japan Saudi Arabia
Singapore Taiwan
2000 Morocco 2008 Israel
Northern Ireland South Korea
2001 Taiwan UAE
2002 Israel 2009 China
Lebanon Iraq
Libya Oman
2003 Jordan 2010 Taiwan
Mexico 2011 Azerbaijan
Poland Taiwan
1996 Japan 2012 Afghanistan
1997 Brazil China
2004 Kuwait 2013 Taiwan
Lebanon 2014 China
Taiwan 2015 Taiwan
2005 Egypt 2016 Israel
2018 Qatar
EU/NATO

Engage America Speakers Series

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The Speakers Series includes partnerships between the National Office and think tanks, foundations, publishing companies, and government agencies to provide speakers to America's communities through our local councils on the critical global issues of our times. Recent organizations have included NATO, the Korean Economic Institute,[7] and the International Labour Organization.

Individual councils

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Councils are funded through membership dues, corporate sponsorships, grants, in-kind donations, fundraising events, and fee-for-service activities.

State Name Office
Alabama Alabama World Affairs Council Montgomery
Alaska Alaska World Affairs Council Anchorage
Juneau World Affairs Council Juneau
Arizona Global Ties AZ Phoenix
California World Affairs Council of Orange County Irvine
Los Angeles World Affairs Council Los Angeles
World Affairs Council of Monterey Bay Area Monterey
World Affairs Council of the Desert Palm Springs
San Diego World Affairs Council San Diego
World Affairs Council (Northern California) San Francisco
World Affairs Council of Sonoma County Santa Rosa
Colorado Colorado Springs World Affairs Council Colorado Springs
Denver World Affairs Council Denver
Colorado Foothills World Affairs Council Littleton
Connecticut World Affairs Council of Connecticut Hartford
Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council Waterford
Florida Gulf Coast Diplomacy Pensacola
World Affairs Council of Jacksonville Jacksonville
World Affairs Council of Miami Miami
Naples Council on World Affairs Naples
World Affairs Council of Palm Beach Palm Beach
Sarasota World Affairs Council Sarasota
Georgia World Affairs Council of Atlanta Atlanta
Savannah Council on World Affairs Savannah
Hawaii Pacific and Asian Affairs Council Honolulu
Illinois Peoria Area World Affairs Council Peoria
Indiana Indiana Council on World Affairs Indianapolis
Iowa World Affairs Council of the Quad Cities Davenport-Bettendorf
Kentucky World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana Louisville
World Affairs Council of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Highland Heights
Louisiana World Affairs Council of New Orleans New Orleans
Maine World Affairs Council of Maine Portland
Maryland Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs Baltimore
Massachusetts WorldBoston Boston
World Affairs Council of W. Massachusetts Springfield
Worcester World Affairs Council Worcester
Michigan World Affairs Council of Detroit Detroit
World Affairs Council of W. Michigan Grand Rapids
International Affairs Forum Traverse City
Minnesota Global Minnesota Minneapolis
Missouri International Relations Council Kansas City
World Affairs Council of St. Louis St. Louis
Montana Montana World Affairs Council Missoula
Nevada World Affairs Council of Las Vegas Las Vegas
New Hampshire World Affairs Council of New Hampshire Manchester
New Jersey World Affairs Council of New Jersey Paramus
New Mexico World Affairs Council of Albuquerque Albuquerque
Global Santa Fe Santa Fe
New York International Institute of Buffalo Buffalo
International Center of the Capital Region Troy
Foreign Policy Association New York City
World Affairs Council of Mid-Hudson Valley Poughkeepsie
World Affairs Council of Rochester Rochester
North Carolina World Affairs Council of W. North Carolina Asheville
World Affairs Council of Charlotte Charlotte
Ohio Cleveland Council on World Affairs Cleveland
Columbus Council on World Affairs Columbus
Dayton Council on World Affairs Dayton
World Affairs Council of Northwest Ohio Stony Ridge
Oregon WorldOregon Portland
Pennsylvania World Affairs Council of Harrisburg Harrisburg
World Affairs Council of Philadelphia Philadelphia
World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh
World Affairs Council of Greater Reading Reading
Rhode Island World Affairs Council of Rhode Island Providence
South Carolina Columbia World Affairs Council Columbia
World Affairs Council of Hilton Head Hilton Head
World Affairs Council of Charleston Charleston
World Affairs Council Upstate Greenville
South Dakota South Dakota World Affairs Council Brookings
Tennessee Tennessee World Affairs Council Nashville
Texas World Affairs Council of Austin Austin
World Affairs Council of South Texas Corpus Christi
World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth Dallas
World Affairs Council of Greater Houston Houston
World Affairs Council of San Antonio San Antonio
Utah Utah Global Diplomacy Salt Lake City
Vermont Vermont Council on World Affairs Burlington
Windham World Affairs Council Brattleboro
Virginia World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads Hampton Roads
World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond Richmond
Washington Olympia World Affairs Council Olympia
World Affairs Council of Seattle Seattle
World Affairs Council of Tacoma Tacoma
Wisconsin Institute of World Affairs Milwaukee

Notes

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  1. ^ "Who We Are". World Affairs Councils of America. May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  2. ^ "What We Do". World Affairs Councils of America. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  3. ^ "Our History". World Affairs Councils of America. May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "The DandI Awards Post Release" (PDF).
  5. ^ "WorldQuest on the World Affairs Councils of America Website".
  6. ^ "WACA | 2019 Competition". World Affairs Councils of America. Archived from the original on 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  7. ^ "Future of Korea". Korea Economic Institute. May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
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