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