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The International Relations Council (IRC) is a non-profit (501(c)(3)) non-partisan educational organization in Kansas City, Missouri, and a member of the World Affairs Councils of America. As an educational nonprofit, the IRC works in partnership with a range of businesses, universities, community organizations, K-12 schools, and other interested individuals to grow a global perspective and find international connections within the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area. [2] The IRC works to foster interest in an understanding of international affairs among the citizens of Kansas City through the development of various programs and events. As a membership organization, the IRC welcomes individuals and families, businesses, universities, and other organizations to join as IRC members in order to help sustain global-affairs education in the Kansas City community and receive various benefits.
The International Relations Council was founded in late December 1954 by Eliot Berkley, who served as executive director of the IRC for nearly forty years and, later, as chairman of the IRC Academy and lifetime board member of the IRC. [2] After graduating from Harvard University in 1947, Eliot earned an M.A. (1949) and Ph.D. (1952) from Princeton University. Returning to his hometown, Eliot taught history and government at the University of Kansas City, now UMKC. He then taught social science at the Kansas City Art Institute, where he later served as vice president for development from 1960 to 1961 and dean of the college from 1961 to 1965. As an advocate of citizen involvement in the foreign policy process, Dr. Berkley served as executive director of the International Relations Council for nearly forty years and, later, as chairman of the IRC Academy and lifetime board member of the IRC. For many years, his wife Marcia worked side by side with Eliot, hosting dinners and meetings in their home. Eliot died in 2012 but is still remembered fondly by business, community, and academic leaders for his inspirational passion for global issues. [2]
The IRC welcomed Eleanor Roosevelt as its first speaker in January 1955. Since then, a wide range of legislators, professors, journalists, diplomats, and other global-affairs experts have visited Kansas City to share their perspective and expertise. These notable guests include Henry Kissinger (1975), Jim Lehrer (1986), Robert J. Eaton (1993), Madeleine Albright (2006), Condoleezza Rice (2010), and Janet Napolitano (2014). [2]
Since its beginning, the IRC has grown from a small "kitchen table" gathering to an educational organization with a large number of Kansas City area members. With Matthew Hughes serving as the current executive director, the IRC warmly welcomes involvement in IRC events and programs from citizens of the Greater Kansas City area.
CEO/Executive Director(July 2016 – Present)
Matthew Hughes
Program Manager
Evan Verploegh
Education Outreach Coordinator VISTA
Natalie Friend
2022 Board Officers [3]
Dr. Karenbeth G. Zacharias - President
Andrea Allison-Putman - FirstVice President
Dr. Michael Makara - Second Vice President
Aaron J. Mann - Secretary
David B. Au - Treasurer
Board Members
Christina Arnone, Michelle Arthington, Dr. Charles A. S. Bankart, Anna Bazan-Munguia, Narbeli Galindo, Philip Gaskin, Nicole Gresham Perry, Kelvin Igumbor, Frank J. Klimas, Nancy C. Messer, Shahid S. Qadri, Dr. Usha Saha, Dave Saunders, Herb Sih, Jorge Soberón Hernández, Stephen Steigman, Paul Weida
2022 Advisory Directors
Kirk Doan, Holly Nielsen, Cyprienne Simchowitz, Mike Wood
The IRC is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It is funded almost entirely by memberships, both individual and corporate, donations, program fees and some small grants. [4] Memberships can be purchased on an annual basis. IRC members receive free admission to most IRC events. IRC member universities & corporations can also attend select events.
The Eliot S. Berkley Lecture was founded in 1996 and brought an expert in foreign policy and global affairs to the Kansas City area. The lecture was established through the Berkley Endowment to honor the IRC’s founder and his decades of service and to provide a platform for engaging community members in understanding critical global issues. Past Berkley lecturers include former U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford (2014), Gerald Seib (2011), The Honorable Thomas R. Pickering (2005), and Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr. (1998). [5]
IRC Networking Hours give IRC members and friends the chance to get to know each other and to learn about international opportunities in the IRC organizational partners' many different professional fields. [6] The first IRC Networking Hour of 2017 took place on March 22, where attendees took a visit to Burns & McDonnell, an engineering, architecture, and consulting firm with both domestic and international projects. On August 2, attendees learned about the nationwide work of Commerce Bank and had plenty of time to network. At the final IRC Networking Hour of 2017 on October 9, attendees had a chance to meet employees of Bio-Microbics, a manufacturer of wastewater treatment systems with over 60,000 installations in over 70 countries. The IRC sees great value in allowing members of the Kansas City community the chance to network with internationally interested organizations, as it creates opportunities for further global connections within Kansas City.
IRC Lecture Series bring dignitaries, foreign-policy experts, and regional leaders together to discuss, debate, and engage the Kansas City area community in issues of international scope and local relevance. [7]
Some of the IRC's recent programs include:
The International Relations Council's Speakers Bureau is a collection of IRC members willing to share their expertise and experiences with the Greater Kansas City area. Speakers have knowledge of the historical and contemporary aspects of specific countries, foreign policy, geography, and culture. The members of the Bureau don’t charge a fee for their speaking time and are available to the Greater Kansas City area (but it is ultimately their decision where to travel). [8]
Great Decisions is a program produced by the Foreign Policy Association and offered in Kansas City through the IRC. Across Kansas and Missouri, people participating in Great Decisions gather in homes, libraries, and community centers to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing our world. Groups receive and study Great Decisions briefing books, which are well-researched, written materials that help guide discussion throughout the year. Each discussion is led by a Discussion Group Leader. However, participants play the most important role, and their interest, enthusiasm, and commitment ultimately determine the success of the group. Each participant's point of view carries equal weight and everyone is encouraged to share opinions and ideas. The topics change annually, and these discussions strengthen people's understanding of global issues and build connections in the Kansas City community. [9]
News & Views, a conversation-based series from the International Relations Council, brings together a small group of community members for respectful, substantive discussion around one of that week’s top international news stories. Facilitated by a member or friend of the International Relations Council, the group meets in different informal settings around town, like a happy hour on the Country Club Plaza, or on Zoom for a guided conversation about a topic and articles that participants review in advance. [10]
The Global Affairs Book Club gives participants the opportunity to discuss foreign affairs, global topics, authors' perspectives, historical events, and their current local relevance in a respectful, engaging setting. Convened by seasoned Great Decisions leader Jack McLaren, the group meets every six to eight weeks to dig into a different author's work. Recent books discussed include Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World by Fareed Zakaria, We Crossed a Bridge and it Trembled by Wendy Pearlman, and Modi and the Reinvention of Indian Foreign Policy by Ian Hall. [11]
In the eight weeks leading up to November 3, 2020, the International Relations Council offered a series of insightful conversations with notable experts on foreign policy issues relevant to the 2020 U.S. presidential election and what comes next. Rather than advocate a particular approach or outcome, the nonpartisan Choices series informed voters through a presentation of historical context and a detailed examination of the foreign policy platforms of the major-party candidates. Topics included Tariffs and Trade with Amb. Ron Kirk, The Transatlantic Relationship with Erik Brattberg, and Peace in the Middle East with Amb. Frank G. Wisner. [12]
The International Relations Council's Lexicon Language Intro program is a weekly digital interactive program introducing participants to a new language. Each week, IRC members and friends offer some history and context on a different language, let participants sample the look and sounds of the language, and provide information on where participants can experience more of the language and the cultures it represents. Recent programs include Armenian with Armen Babajanian, Swahili with Wasim Khan, and Norwegian with Lise Falskow. [13]
The IRC devotes a large portion of its resources to programs for teachers and students. IRC programs aim to promote global and cross-cultural awareness and to inspire a passion for international studies.
Each year, in memory of the IRC founder and longtime executive director, Eliot S. Berkley, the International Relations Council presents this award to an exceptional high-school junior or senior who has demonstrated superior academic interest and competence in international studies. [14] Finalists are selected by a committee of IRC members. After personal interviews with the finalists, the winner is selected and is presented an inscribed award and a $500 scholarship at an IRC fall event. [15]
Each year since 2006, the IRC has offered high-school students the chance to showcase their knowledge of world affairs, geography, history, and current events at this event. Each Greater Kansas City area high school may enter one team of four students plus a faculty sponsor, and participation is entirely cost-free. The winning team will receive an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the students and their sponsor to represent Kansas City in the national Academic WorldQuest competition. [16] WorldQuest is a copyrighted program of the World Affairs Councils of America and approximately 4,000 students across the country participate in competitions hosted by over 40 local World Affairs Councils in 26 states. [17]
The ICPP is a program which sends international students from several Kansas City area colleges and universities to visit elementary schools to share their life and culture with school children. International college students share facts about their home countries' language, dress, and etiquette with American students. The program aims to dispel stereotypes of other nations while sparking an interest in foreign languages and cultures in elementary-aged children. The International Classroom Partnership Program ended in 2010.
In 1984, the IRC began its annual Awards Banquet, now known as the Global Honors Evening. Each year, the IRC recognizes individuals or organizations for various contributions – to foreign policy and global affairs, international commerce, or the Kansas City community. The IRC awards the Distinguished Service Award for International Statesmanship to an individual who has made outstanding contributions in international commerce, diplomacy, education or understanding and who has a connection to Missouri or Kansas. The IRC also presents awards for Contributions to International Commerce and/or Community Service and for Academic Leadership. The 2020 Global Honors Evening was placed on hold due to COVID-19. [18]
The International Relations Council is one of more than 90 organizations in the U.S. affiliated with the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA). WACA is the largest non-profit organization in the United States dedicated to fostering grassroots understanding of and engagement in international affairs. [2]
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is an international research institute or think tank focusing on defence and security issues. Since 1997, its headquarters have been at Arundel House in London. It has offices on four continents, producing data and research on questions of defence, security and global affairs, publishing publications and online analysis, and convening major security summits. The Guardian newspaper has described the IISS as ‘one of the world’s leading security think tanks.’
The Trilateral Commission is a nongovernmental international organization aimed at fostering closer cooperation between Japan, Western Europe and North America. It was founded in July 1973, principally by American banker and philanthropist David Rockefeller, an internationalist who sought to address the challenges posed by the growing economic and political interdependence between the U.S. and its allies in North America, Western Europe, and Japan. The leadership of the organization has since focused on returning to "our roots as a group of countries sharing common values and a commitment to the rule of law, open economies and societies, and democratic principles".
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is an independent and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. CFR is based in New York City, with an additional office in Washington, D.C. Its membership has included senior politicians, secretaries of state, CIA directors, bankers, lawyers, professors, corporate directors, CEOs, and prominent media figures.
The White House Fellows program is a non-partisan fellowship established via Executive Order 11183 by President Lyndon B. Johnson in October 1964. The fellowship is one of USA's most prestigious programs for leadership and public service, offering exceptional US Citizens first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the federal government. The fellowship was founded based upon a suggestion from John W. Gardner, then the president of Carnegie Corporation and later the sixth secretary of health, education, and welfare.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is an American think tank based in Washington, D.C. From its founding in 1962 until 1987, it was an affiliate of Georgetown University, initially named the Center for Strategic and International Studies of Georgetown University. The center conducts policy studies and strategic analyses of political, economic and security issues throughout the world, with a focus on issues concerning international relations, trade, technology, finance, energy and geostrategy.
Paula Jon Dobriansky is an American diplomat, public official, and foreign policy expert who served as Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs (2001–2009) and the President's Envoy to Northern Ireland (2007–2009). A specialist in Central/East European affairs and the former Soviet Union, trans-Atlantic relations, and political-military affairs, Dobriansky held key senior roles in the administrations of five U.S. presidents.
The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is a graduate school of Johns Hopkins University based in Washington, D.C. with campuses in Bologna, Italy and Nanjing, China.
Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Global is an independent nonprofit organization that promotes safety, security, and sustainability through science and innovation. CRDF Global was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1992 under the FREEDOM Support Act and established in 1995 by the National Science Foundation. This unique public-private partnership promotes international scientific and technical collaboration through grants, technical resources, and training. CRDF Global was originally named the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation for the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (CRDF).
The School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) is the international affairs and public policy school of Columbia University, a private Ivy League university located in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, New York City. SIPA offers Master of International Affairs (MIA) and Master of Public Administration (MPA) degrees in a range of fields, as well as the Executive MPA and PhD program in Sustainable Development.
The Elliott School of International Affairs is the professional school of international relations, foreign policy, and international development of the George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. It is highly ranked in international affairs and is the largest school of international relations in the United States.
The International Centre for Democratic Transition (ICDT) is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 based in Budapest, Hungary which collects the experiences of recent democratic transitions and shares them with those who are determined to follow that same path.
The Pacific Council on International Policy is an independent, non-partisan, membership-based organization dedicated to global engagement. Founded in 1995 in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations and the University of Southern California, the Pacific Council is a 501c(3) non-profit organization. It is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Its activities include events and conferences, policy-focused task forces, and international delegations.
Membership in the Council on Foreign Relations comes in two types: Individual and Corporate. Individual memberships are further subdivided into two types: Life Membership and Term Membership, the latter of which is for a single period of five years and is available to those between the ages of 30 and 36 at the time of their application. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have applied for U.S. citizenship are eligible. A candidate for life membership must be nominated in writing by one Council member and seconded by a minimum of three others.
The World Affairs Council of Washington, DC, founded in 1980, was a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in Washington, DC. The group aimed at informing and educating the public about contemporary international affairs. Its corporate sponsors included Aramco Service Company, AIG, Raytheon, and ExxonMobil, and it relied primarily on dues from individual and corporate members. On December 31, 2018, after 38 years in the community, the World Affairs Council - Washington, DC ceased operations.
Lee Andrew Feinstein is an American policy-scholar, and former diplomat and senior official at the US Departments of State and Defense. Feinstein held senior positions on leading Democratic presidential campaigns in 2008. He served as the United States Ambassador to Poland from 2009 to 2012, appointed by President Obama and unanimously confirmed by the US Senate. Feinstein was the inaugural dean at Indiana University's Lee H. Hamilton and Richard G. Lugar School of Global and International Studies. His nonpartisan scholarship has been recognized by leading Republicans and Democrats.
Richard T. McCormack is an American government official and diplomat. He has served nearly five decades advising policymakers on foreign affairs and global economic developments. He is currently a senior advisor for CSIS in Washington, D.C.
Eisenhower Fellowships (EF) is a private, non-profit organization created in 1953 by a group of American citizens to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower for his contribution to humanity as a soldier, statesman, and world leader. The organization describes itself as an "independent, nonpartisan international leadership organization".
The Foreign Affairs Policy Board is an advisory board that provides independent advice and opinion to the secretary of state, the deputy secretary of state, and the director of policy planning on matters concerning U.S. foreign policy. The board reviews and assesses global threats and opportunities, trends that implicate core national security interests, tools and capacities of the civilian foreign affairs agencies, and priorities and strategic frameworks for U.S. foreign policy. The board meets in a plenary session several times a year at the U.S. Department of State in the Harry S. Truman Building.