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World Affairs Council Press ReleasesApril 2006 February 20062/16/2006 - U.N. Reform Featuring Under Secretary-General Shashi Tharoor. June 2005 May 2005 March 2005 August 2004 8/2/04 - The World Affairs Council Presents Dr. Condeleeza Rice July 2004 7/29/04 - President of Uganda in Seattle to Speak about HIV/AIDS, AGOA and Poverty & Illiteracy in Africa 7/08/04 - Winners of Annual Essay Contest Announced March 2004 3/16/04 - International Panel to Discuss
the Problem of November 2003 11/10/03 - Middle East Peace and the
Palestinian Refugee Property Issue October 2003 10/28/03 - World Citizen Awards Banquet August 2003 8/08/03 - North Korea: A Challenge to the US – South Korea Alliance June 2003 6/12/03 - Winners of World Citizen Essay Contest Announced May 2003 5/23/03 - Peace Corps
Grows in a Changing World
Winners of 2005 World Citizen Essay Contest Announced: Students answer the question of what they would do as U.S. Secretary of State The World Affairs Council has announced the winners of its 2005 World Citizen Essay Contest, for which students from across Puget Sound wrote essays telling about an issue that they believed was important to the U.S. and the world and what they would do about it. In their essays, over 220 participants from the fourth through eleventh grade identified, researched, and analyzed an issue of importance to the U.S. and the world from the point of view of the new U.S. Secretary of State. Over 40 community members served as volunteer judges. In the high school category, Nancy Kathleen Martin, a 9th grader at Ballard High School in Seattle captured first place with her essay entitled "Containing the Monster in the Closet: Biological Weapons.” She writes, “Biological Warfare has been present during times of crisis for centuries, from plague-infected corpses being thrown over walls of besieged medieval cities to giving Native Americans smallpox-infected blankets in the 1700’s to its use in the 20th century. Biological weapons are currently one of the most dangerous and uncontrollable groups of weapons in the world.” Doyle McCarthy and Madeleine Haller from Ballard High School in Seattle won 2nd and 3rd place with essays on Iran and hunger in Ethiopia, respectively. In the middle school category, Zoe Kahn, a 7th grader at Seattle Girls’ School in Seattle, was judged to have the best entry with her essay, "International Forum for Educational Change." She writes, "As Secretary of State, and as part of my initiative on education, I would host an international forum on education. Through this forum hopefully people would begin to realize the importance of education and as a group create mechanisms for change.” Kate Peters from The Northwest School in Seattle won 2nd place for her essay about AIDS as a global issue, and Stephanie Santiano from Meridian Middle School placed 3rd with an essay on child soldiers. In the elementary school category, Jake Larson, a 5th grader at Bryant Elementary School in Seattle, won first place with his essay, "Peace Through Education. He writes, "We Americans start making generalizations and think that all young Muslims are terrorists in training. If I were the US Secretary of State with the job of creating a more secure, democratic and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community, I would promote programs that educate young people in America and in the Middle East about each other as human beings, and about each of our cultures.” Margaret Kahn and Benjamin Siegel from Bryant Elementary School in Seattle won 2nd and 3rd place with essays on Global Warming and World Hunger, respectively. The annual World Citizen Essay Contest is an initiative of the World Affairs Council's educational department, Global Classroom, in collaboration with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. All essays are online at http://www.world-affairs.org/globalclassroom/awards/. For more information about the Council and the Global Classroom program, please visit www.world-affairs.org.
Students Explore Global Energy: World Affairs Challenge Engages Middle School Students in International Issues Program: 9:00 am – 2:30 pm What are issues surrounding Global Energy? Over 70 Middle School students from the Puget Sound area plan to come together on May 13th to participate in the World Affairs Challenge, a four-part competition that highlights their research skills, collaborative ability, and knowledge of international issues. This year’s event focuses on Global Energy: Empowering the Future. A successful program in Colorado for 14 years, the World Affairs Challenge gives Washington State students an opportunity to showcase their ability to consider some of the most pressing issues facing the world today. What’s more, this program provides these students an opportunity to engage in collaboration outside the normal classroom setting with community members who value their insights and abilities. To participate in the event, teams of 7-12 students spend up to twelve weeks preparing a formal presentation on an international topic related to the annual theme, with administrative and research support provided by the World Affairs Council and the Center for Teaching International Relations (CTIR) at the University of Denver. The research process culminates with the World Affairs Challenge. On May 13, students will compete in four different events that test their knowledge, their presentation skills, and their ability to work collaboratively. Teachers serve primarily as coaches, helping students prepare for the day. Often teachers incorporate the Challenge topic into course curriculum, using materials developed and provided by CTIR. The program’s four components are: a formal presentation,
a global awareness quiz, a collaborative question, and a discovery
poster. The formal presentation is based on extensive research on
a subtopic that the students choose relating to the annual theme.
The global awareness quiz is a multiple-choice assessment that tests
students’ knowledge of global geography, world events, and
issues surrounding the annual theme. The Quiz heightens the Students who participate in the World Affairs Challenge will further their understanding of the annual theme and expand their awareness of global issues at large. A previous participant from Denver commented, “Before the World Affairs Challenge, I did not pay close attention to the affairs of the world. This [program] helps students to understand the world they live in, and its problems. I have come to understand more about conflicts and solutions. We’ll understand so much by the time we’re adults, that we will have great knowledge of the world!” The World Affairs Council Global Classroom program sponsors the World Affairs Challenge with generous funding from Council members and Global Classroom supporters. The program was developed by the University of Denver’s Center for Teaching International Relations and is expanding to seven cities around the country. To find out more about the programs happening around the country visit their website at http://www.du.edu/worldaffairschallenge/. The mission of the World Affairs Council is to promote dialogue and debate about international issues of critical importance to our region and world. Since 1951, the Council's purpose has been to promote greater understanding of global affairs in our Puget Sound community through a balance of public events, educational activities and the international visitor program. These programs include lectures, forums, receptions, and discussion groups. Members of the Council include schools, public institutions, businesses, and individuals who want first hand information on global issues and direct participation in international exchange. The Global Classroom program connects teachers and students with international resources, ideas, and people. Winner of the 2000 KCTS Golden Apple Award, the program reaches thousands of students through speaker programs and resources provided to Washington teachers. For more information, visit www.world-affairs.org.
High School Students Travel to Olympia to Debate the U.S. Role in the World and Propose Policy Solutions to State Lawmakers For Immediate Release March 17, 2005 Date: March 22, 2005 8:30 am – 4:00 pm SEATTLE, WA – The World Affairs Council of Seattle travels to Olympia on March 22 with over eighty students and teachers from Western Washington high schools for the first annual Washington Capitol Forum. The program, which is to be held in the Columbia Room of the newly remodeled Capitol Building, includes a Forum with Elected Officials at 2:45 pm, where Representatives Maralyn Chase, Gigi Talcott, and Ross Hunter, Senator Adam Kline, and other policy makers are scheduled to meet with the students to connect the issues facing the U.S. to the state policy arena. The Capitol Forum program, developed by Brown University in Rhode Island, engages high school social studies students and teachers in discussion of our nation's future in the changing international environment. The program involves students both within their social studies classroom and beyond the classroom at their state capitol. The World Affairs Council - Global Classroom is hosting this program in Washington State for the first time in 2004-2005, with the sponsorship of the Office of Secretary of State. Through this program, students have studied classroom materials focusing on global issues, such as the environment, trade, terrorism, and immigration. Student teams from each class have now been chosen to represent their schools in the statewide Capitol Forum in Olympia, where they will deliberate U.S. foreign policy and ultimately discuss their conclusions with policymakers. Schools have posted class statements on the web: http://www.choices.edu/capitol_forum/capf_state.cfm?id=15. After the Capitol Forum, students return to their classrooms and host their own class-wide forum on the issues they discussed in Olympia. The entire class then has the opportunity to participate in a nationwide Capitol Forum Online Ballot to compare their conclusions with students from other states. Results of the ballot will be compiled and distributed by Brown University to elected officials, Washington schools, and news media. Participating schools in the 2005 Washington Capitol Forum include River Ridge High School in Lacey, Clover Park High School in Lakewood, Mercer Island High School on Mercer Island, Cleveland High School in Seattle, The Bush School in Seattle, Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, and Shorewood High School in Shoreline. Founded in 1951, the World Affairs Council is a membership-based, non-partisan organization that informs, educates, and involves community members, teachers, students, and international visitors in dialogue on world affairs. The Global Classroom program connects teachers and students with international resources, ideas, and people. Visit www.world-affairs.org for more information. The 2005 Washington Capitol Forum program is funded through a grant from the Longview Foundation to Brown University, with the generous support of World Affairs Council members and supporters.
Middle East Peace and the Palestinian Refugee Property Issue November
10, 2003 -- For Immediate Release Records of Dispossession: Palestinian Refugee Property and the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Professor Michael R. Fischbach Discusses Current Trends in Israel and Palestine Lecture: TBA “For the first time, with the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinians are gaining control over their land. But there are all sorts of problems to overcome in registering and selling their land, establishing titles—and preventing forgery,” says Fischbach. Can there ever really be peace in the Middle East? Dr. Michael Fischbach discusses this question through the framework of his new book, Records of Dispossession, which looks at the controversial issue of the property left behind by refugees during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Beyond discussing the extent of the refugees´ losses and detailing the methods by which Israel expropriated this property, Records of Dispossession also notes the ways that the property question has affected and in turn been affected by the wider Arab-Israeli conflict over the decades. This book tells for the first time the full story of how much property changed hands, what it was worth, and how it was used by the fledgling state of Israel Based largely on archival records, including those of the United Nations Conciliation Commission of Palestine, never before available to the public and kept under lock and key in the UN archives, Records of Dispossession is the first detailed historical examination of the Palestinian refugee property question. Dr. Michael Fischbach, a Professor of History at Randolph-Macon College is a world-renowned expert on the modern Middle East. His specialties include the socio-economic history of the Arab world and the Arab-Israeli conflict. He has lived in Israel and Jordan, and is fluent in Arabic. “Michael Fischbach has produced one of the most
thorough and authoritative studies of Palestinian refugee property
archives to appear in many years. His critical examination of the
UNCCP records will make this book a standard reference for both
the specialized scholar and policy makers addressing the future
of refugees in the Arab-Israeli conflict.” Founded in 1951, the World Affairs Council is a membership-based,
non-partisan organization that informs, educates, and involves community
members, teachers, students, and international visitors in dialogue
on world affairs. Forums include lectures, discussion groups, professional
development programs, receptions, and town hall meetings.
November 5, 2003 -- For Immediate Release Ensuring Seattle’s Security from Nuclear Aggression Nuclear North Korea: A Debate on Engagement Strategies The regime of Kim Jong-Il has been called "mad," "rogue," even, by the Wall Street Journal, the equivalent of an "unreformed serial killer." Victor Cha and David Kang step back from the sometimes hysterical tone of daily newspaper coverage and cable news commentary and offer a reasoned, rational, and logical debate on the nature of the North Korean regime. Victor D. Cha and David C. Kang will debate about what will happen now that North Korea has admitted to having nuclear weapons. They will discuss whether the U.S. will be forced into bilateral negotiations, if there is any chance that North Korea will disarm, and if there is a risk of proliferation to another adversarial state. Coming to the issues from different perspectives - Kang believes the threat posed by Pyongyang has been inflated and endorses a more open approach, while Cha is more skeptical and advocates harsher measures -the professors will present a clear reflection and authoritative analysis of the North Korean crises. Their analysis provides a workable framework for constructive policy that should be followed by the U.S., Japan, and South Korea. They refute a number of misconceptions and challenge much faulty thinking that surrounds the discussion of North Korea, most important, the idea that North Korea is an irrational nation. Cha and Kang contend that however provocative, even deplorable, the North's behavior may at times be, it is not incomprehensible or incoherent. Victor Cha is Associate Professor of government and D.S. Song-Korea Foundation Chair, Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. David Kang, is an Associate Professor in the department of government and an adjunct Associate Professor at the Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College. They are co-authors of the 2003 book, Nuclear North Korea? A Debate on Strategies of Engagement. Professors Cha and Kang have had extensive media experience, including appearances on such radio and television programs as: Nightline, The Connection, and Morning Edition. Their opinion editorials have appeared in The Financial Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. Founded in 1951, the World Affairs Council is a membership-based, non-partisan organization that informs, educates, and involves community members, teachers, students, and international visitors in dialogue on world affairs. Forums include lectures, discussion groups, professional development programs, receptions, and town hall meetings. Visit www.world-affairs.org Co-sponsored by University Bookstore and Korea Studies Program at UW
Global Security Trends: What they Mean for Trade and Investment November 3, 2003 -- For Immediate Release Global Security Trends: What they Mean for Trade and Investment Global Business Breakfast Series Global Security issues are substantially affecting trade and investment in our region. Whether a company’s core focus is on international business or not, the challenge of balancing performance with heightened security concerns are changing how our companies do business. To address these issues, the World Affairs Council, in collaboration with the University of Washington Business School, will explore “Global Security Trends: What They Mean For Trade and Investment” over the course of four breakfast programs focused on our regional business community. The series hosts experts who will address these security concerns affecting the American business community and our region. Security, Energy, Capitalism, Terrorism, Democracy
and Economic Growth Clyde Prestowitz is founder and President of the Economic Strategy Institute (ESI), a Washington think-tank on international trade policy. Prior to founding ESI, Prestowitz served as counselor to the Secretary of Commerce in the Reagan administration. He is a conservative with extensive credentials and author of the best-selling book on US-Japan relations, Trading Places. Prestowitz regularly writes for leading publications, including The New York Times, Washington Post, and Foreign Affairs. Security & Business with Canada, Tuesday, December
2, 2003 Recent tension between the US and Canada has been headlined in the media. Yet, last year alone, more than $11.2 billion of American and Canadian goods crossed the Washington-Canada border. Jim Blanchard is co-chair of the US-Canada Partnership for Growth. He managed a broad range of trade and national security issues while ambassador from 1993 to 1996. Prior to his ambassadorship, he served as Governor of Michigan for eight years. Co-presented by: Canada Studies Center, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington; Canada-America Society, Washington; and the Pacific Northwest Economic Region. The mission of the World Affairs Council is to promote dialogue and debate about international issues of critical importance to our region and world. The World Affairs Council creates forums for discussion about international issues of critical importance that inform, educate, and involve the Washington community. These programs include lectures, forums, receptions, and discussion groups. For more information, visit www.world-affairs.org. Co-sponsored by: Battelle and the University of Washington Business School.
October 28 -- For Immediate Release 2003 World Citizen Award - Presented to Paul
Isaki, Governor’s Special Assistant for Business, Office of
Governor Gary Locke, Olympia, WA 2003 Global Educator Award - Presented to
Patricia Burleson, Educator, Island View Elementary School, Anacortes,
WA To Be Presented at the World Citizen Awards Banquet Highlighted Speakers: Governor Gary Locke; Former Governor Booth Gardner; Seattle Mariners Chairman Emeritus, John Ellis; and Weyerhaeuser Senior Vice President, Mack Hogans Paul Isaki began his public service career in Washington State as the Governor’s special assistant for international trade and economic development from 1985-1990. In 1990, Governor Gardner appointed Isaki director of the State of Washington Department of Trade and Economic Development, where he served through 1992. Paul Isaki left the public sector in 1993 to become the first Japanese-American vice president of a major league baseball team. He served the Mariners for six years after leading the effort to build Safeco Field in an effort to save baseball in the Pacific Northwest. His leadership at the Mariners paved the way for the internationalization of baseball brought by Ichiro Suzuki and Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2001. Paul Isaki was born on June 6, 1944, D-Day, in an internment camp in Topaz, Utah. He is a graduate of the University of California. Patricia Burleson, a native of Washington State, has taught grades 3-12 for twenty-seven years. She has demonstrated exceptional leadership first in the Kent School District, then within Lopez Island schools and the Anacortes School District. A passionate advocate of teaching about Asia, in particular Japan, she integrates learning about Asia into her language arts, social studies, and art curricula. Ms. Burleson has built numerous partnerships to support her work educating her students about Asia. She initiated a sister school relationship with Ieshima in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan, and eventually secured significant funding from the Freeman Foundation to teach a Japanese course on Lopez Island and bring ten high school students to Japan for two weeks. She is currently working on facilitating a sister-school relationship between her school and Kisakata Elementary, a school in Anacortes’ Sister City of Kisakata. Ms. Burleson has been recognized for her leadership both locally and nationally. She was acknowledged as the “Teacher of the Year,” by the Washington State Council for the Social Studies in 1994, and she most recently received the Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award from the United States-Japan Foundation. An Honoree’s Committee has been formed, including:
The annual World Citizen Awards Banquet gathers Council members, representatives from local international organizations, civic and business community members, as well as area students and teachers to recognize an individual and an educator who exemplify global citizenship in the Puget Sound community. The mission of the World Affairs Council is to promote dialogue and debate about international issues of critical importance to our region and world. Since 1951, the Council's purpose has been to promote greater understanding of global affairs in our Puget Sound community through a balance of public events, educational activities and the international visitor program. These programs include lectures, forums, receptions, and discussion groups. Members of the Council include schools, public institutions, businesses, and individuals who want first hand information on global issues and direct participation in international exchange. For more information, visit www.world-affairs.org.
'A Real Conservative' Tackles American Unilateralism October 27, 2003 -- For Immediate Release “…in most countries, opinions of the U.S. are markedly lower than they were a year ago. The war has widened the rift between Americans and Western Europeans, further inflamed the Muslim world, softened support for the war on terrorism, and significantly weakened global public support for the pillars of the World War II era – the U.N. and the North Atlantic Treaty.” - Findings of The Pew Global Attitudes Project, June 2003 Perspectives by Clyde Prestowitz, Former Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce during the Reagan Administration, Founder and President of The Economic Strategy Institute Security & Economic Growth Lecture, 7:00 pm “I am sure [President George W.] Bush doesn’t think of himself as an emperor. Empires are something Europeans or Chinese or Japanese have, but not Americans. Neverthless, if it looks, walks, and quacks like a duck, chances are it’s a duck.” - excerpt from Rogue Nation, by Clyde Prestowitz In the six months before 9/11, the U.S. walked away from a treaty to control the world traffic in small arms, the Kyoto accord, a treaty to eliminate land mines, the Biological and Toxins Weapons Control Convention, and many other international agreements. The United States turned a cold shoulder to NATO’s offers to assist with the invasion of Afghanistan, unilaterally terminated the Anti-Ballistic Missile Agreement with Russia, and opposed the creation of an International Criminal Court. Then came the war on Iraq despite the clear refusal of the U.N. Security Council to authorize invasion. In his book Rogue Nation, author and self-described ‘true conservative’ Clyde Prestowitz argues that U.S. unilateralism has been a feature of U.S. foreign policy since the nation’s birth. However, Prestowitz argues, America’s role in the international community has always been welcome as long as it has lived up to the democratic ideals it champions. Prestowitz writes, “America may do stupid and even bad things from time to time. But the American people don’t regard body bags as symbols of their glorious valor, nor do they hanker to send their second sons or daughters into the colonial service. Having begun life in rebellion against empire, we never became really comfortable with the habit of empire and simply are not good imperialists.” Prestowitz urges a return to “real conservatism.” He writes, “Real conservatives have never been messianic or doctrinaire. The very essence of conservatism…is limited government. Already we have dramatically increased federal spending while beefing up our already overwhelming military machine and making the Department of Homeland Security the biggest domestic bureaucracy we have ever had. This is not conservatism. It is Big Government…This is neither conservatism nor liberalism but simple irresponsibility.” Prestowitz is founder and President of the Economic Strategy Institute (ESI), a Washington think-tank on international trade policy. Prior to founding ESI, Prestowitz served as counselor to the Secretary of Commerce in the Reagan administration. He is a conservative with extensive credentials and author of the best-selling book on US-Japan relations, Trading Places. Prestowitz regularly writes for leading publications, including The New York Times, Washington Post, and Foreign Affairs. The mission of the World Affairs Council is to promote dialogue and debate about international issues of critical importance to our region and world. The World Affairs Council creates forums for discussion about international issues of critical importance that inform, educate, and involve the Washington community. These programs include lectures, forums, receptions, and discussion groups. For more information, visit www.world-affairs.org. Co-Sponsored by University Bookstore
Prosperous Clinton '90s Laid Foundation for Current US Economic Disaster -- Bush Policies Exacerbate The nation has lost 2.7 million jobs since 2001 October 21, 2003 -- For Immediate Release From Free-Markets to a New Economic Paradigm Lecture, 7:00 pm -“It is not just that they do not pay much attention to the [US budget deficit] but they are positively engaged in increasing inequality,” says Stiglitz. -Stiglitz was one of 350 top economists who signed a high-profile letter in March warning President Bush of the risk that chronic deficits would imperil public pensions and healthcare provision. Stiglitz provides detailed facts to how the seeds of the present economic destruction were sown in the midst of apparent prosperity and how America has failed to learn that “unfettered markets, rampant with conflicts of interest, can lead to inefficiency. We can never eliminate the problems; we can, however, mitigate them. In the nineties, we made them worse.” Stiglitz’s deep involvement in many of the economic-policy debates of the last decade provides him with a reputable experience and understanding of the economic conditions and implications of the 1990s. Although Stiglitz directs a large portion of the blame to the Bush administration for mishandling the initial stages of the economic recession, he argues, “The economy was slipping into recession even before Bush took office…” Stiglitz will discuss his new book: The Roaring Nineties: A New History of the World’s Most Properous Decade. Stiglitz examines the Bush Adminstration’s mishandling of the early stages of the US recession and its pandering to corporate interests which led to the collapse of corporate accounting standards justice. Stiglitz concludes his compelling analysis by advocating an alternative system to the free-market mantra or what he calls “Democratic Idealism,” a liberal platform for social justice and economic reform. Stiglitz’s 2001 book, Globalization and Its Discontents was translated into 28 languages and was an international bestseller. Founded in 1951, the World Affairs Council is a membership-based, non-partisan organization that informs, educates, and involves community members, teachers, students, and international visitors in dialogue on world affairs. Forums include lectures, discussion groups, professional development programs, receptions, and town hall meetings. Visit www.world-affairs.org
August 8, 2003 -- For Immediate Release North Korea: A Challenge to the US – South Korea
Alliance Luncheon, 12:00 pm How effective is the present US foreign policy
in Northeast Asia? North Korea’s withdrawal from
the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty followed by intelligence reports
that Pyongyang could soon possess more weapons, pose great danger
to the US national security as well as its East Asian allies. Recent
bilateral negotiations between the US and North Korea have failed
to halt the dangerous developments in the region. Subsequently,
due to internal administrative divisions, the US has failed to create
a coherent coalition strategy that would perhaps improve the chances
for a successful resolution to the crisis. Co-sponsored by: Consulate General of South Korea in Seattle, the University of Washington Jackson School’s Korean Studies Program, and the America/Korea Trade Club.
Winners of World Citizen Essay Contest Announced June 12, 2003 – For Immediate Release Winners of World Citizen Essay Contest Announced SEATTLE, WA – Over 300 students demonstrated their international understanding, ability to discern crucial current events, and a desire to make a difference in the world through their participation in the World Affairs Council’s World Citizen Essay Contest. A 9th grader at Ballard High School in Seattle, a 7th grader at Timbercrest Junior High in Woodinville, and a 5th grader at View Ridge Elementary in Everett won first prize in their respective divisions. The contest asked students from across Washington State: “If you could have a day with any world leader, past or present, who would it be and what would you discuss?” Over 60 community members judged the essays. Michael Thompson, a 9th grader at Ballard High School, captured first place in the high school category with his essay entitled “Ho Chi Minh: Not Just a Communist.” He writes, “I would meet with Ho Chi Minh and spend time with him because of his knowledge of the outside world, his leadership, and to learn of his adult life spent leading his people towards independence.” Another student from Ballard High School and a student from Edmonds Cyberschool won 2nd and 3rd place, respectively, with essays on Harun Al-Rasheed and Saddam Hussein. Annie Aeschbacher, a 7th grader at Timbercrest
Junior High, took first place in the middle school category
with her essay on Eleanor Roosevelt in which she explores what it
means to be a leader and how Eleanor Roosevelt embodied those qualities.
Another student from Timbercrest Junior High and a student from
Seattle Girl’s School won 2nd and 3rd place, respectively,
with essays on Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank. All essays are online at www.world-affairs.org/classroom.html. The World Citizen Essay Contest is an initiative of
the World Affairs Council’s Global Classroom program in collaboration
with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. This year, the first place
winners will be honored at the 22nd Annual Consular Association
Reception. The event will celebrate consuls, kids, and our international
community. Through the World Citizen Essay Contest, the Council
promotes discussion among students, teachers, community members,
and families about the ways that individuals can make a difference
in our world. For more information about the Council, the Global
Classroom program, and the Consular Association Reception, please
visit www.world-affairs.org.
Peace Corps Grows in a Changing World May 23, 2003 - For Immediate Release Peace Corps Grows in a Changing World How has the Peace Corps changed in recent years? How will these changes affect the future of the Peace Corps? As global events dominate the headlines, the Peace Corps is striving to double the number of volunteers over the next five years. The community is invited to a reception with the Director of the Peace Corps, Gaddi Vasquez. He will speak about the Peace Corps' achievements and provide insight into his strategies for meeting this challenge in today's world. Gaddi Vasquez is the 16th Director of the Peace Corps. Upon taking the oath of office, Mr. Vasquez became the first Hispanic American to serve as Director of the Peace Corps. Under Mr. Vasquez’s leadership, the Peace Corps is focusing its efforts to meet the challenges of the world in the 21st Century. Mr. Vasquez’s priorities as Director have been to revitalize the Peace Corps through a comprehensive outreach and recruitment program to attract the best and the brightest that America has to offer, as well as a diverse group of volunteers and administrative staff. The mission of the World Affairs Council is to promote
dialogue and debate about international issues of critical importance
to our region and world. The World Affairs Council creates forums
for discussion about international issues of critical importance
that inform, educate, and involve the Washington community. These
programs include lectures, forums, receptions, and discussion groups.
For more information, visit www.world-affairs.org.
The Pressing Need for a Vision Beyond War May 23, 2003 -- For Immediate Release What is at stake in Iraq? As the third event in the World Affairs Council's series on "Differences on Foreign Policy," Admiral Bill Owens will present an American perspective on US Foreign Policy in regard to the war with Iraq. Admiral Bill Owens had responsibility for restructuring the armed forces in the post-Cold War era and served as commander of the US Sixth Fleet in 1990-91 during the Gulf War. He argues that there is much more at stake than the debate over "tactics" for North Korea and Iraq. The broader issues involve American credibility, our ability to understand and live peacefully, and the future of their children and ours. Owens is the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the second-ranking military officer in the United States. He has written more than 50 articles on national security and authored the book High Seas. His latest book, Lifting the Fog of War, was published in April 2000. This program is being organized in conjunction with KCTS. Enrique Cerna, Host of KCTS Connects, will moderate the discussion following Admiral Owens’ presentation. The mission of the World Affairs Council is to promote dialogue and debate about international issues of critical importance to our region and world. The World Affairs Council creates forums for discussion about international issues of critical importance that inform, educate, and involve the Washington community. These programs include lectures, forums, receptions, and discussion groups. For more information, visit www.world-affairs.org. Co-sponsored by: King County Library System, KCTS, and Lake Washington & Seattle Councils - Navy League US.
The Stories Behind Western Imperialism in Central Asia May 21, 2003 -- For Immediate Release What impact has Western Imperialism had on Central Asia? Karl Meyer will join us to discuss his new book, The Dust of Empire: The Race for Mastery in the Asian Heartland, in which he examines the historical impact of the Western encounter with Central Asia’s fragile and volatile nations. Meyer provides fascinating detail about regions and peoples now of urgent concern to America: Afghanistan, the five Central Asian republics, the Caspian and the Caucasus, Iran, Pakistan, and long-dominant Russia. Meyer will also introduce us to the larger-than-life characters whose actions in that part of the world reverberate to this day — from Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the “frontier Gandhi,” whose embrace of nonviolent protest shaped the political development of Pakistan and Afghanistan; to Kermit Roosevelt, the CIA man (and grandson of Theodore) who was the brains behind the notorious 1953 coup in Iran that preserved the Shah’s throne for the next quarter century. Karl E. Meyer is the author of nine books, most recently Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia. A longtime member of The New York Times editorial board, he previously was a foreign correspondent for The Washington Post and is currently the editor of World Policy Journal. The mission of the World Affairs Council is to promote dialogue and debate about international issues of critical importance to our region and world. The World Affairs Council creates forums for discussion about international issues of critical importance that inform, educate, and involve the Washington community. These programs include lectures, forums, receptions, and discussion groups. For more information, visit www.world-affairs.org. Co-sponsored by: University Bookstore; KUOW; and UW’s Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies Center.
Diplomacy in the Post-War World May 12, 2003 -- For Immediate Release International UN Delegates Discuss Panel Discussion, 7:00 pm (Registration 6:00 pm) For world citizens, the time to analyze, gauge the stability of the Middle East, and ask questions is now. After President Bush declared major combat operations complete in Iraq, the official post-war construction began. The varied roles of international actors are being sorted and the views from the administration are markedly different than those elsewhere. Washington proposes greater participation and influence by those nations and organizations that directly supported the war, while others favor a more balanced, multilateral rebuilding strategy. As the economic, political, religious, and cultural framework is discussed, the major players, armed with competing agendas, are fighting for power. Major players on the world scene are increasingly interested in luring countries to their side to validate their international legitimacy. Do the citizens and governments of Peru, Ghana, New Zealand and Pakistan think differently than the US Administration and public? The World Affairs Council is presenting an opportunity for citizens from Puget Sound to share and learn more about how these different countries perceive US foreign policy. Various Perspectives, Part II of the Differences on Foreign Policy Series, presents experts for an open discussion. Speakers are foreign government officials who are currently serving or will soon serve on their countries' UN delegations, or who are likely to assume significant positions with UN missions or the UN Secretariat. Invited panelists include:
Co-sponsored by: University of Washington’s Program on Africa and the Jackson School of International Studies.
What happens when the cornerstone of international security crumbles? May 12, 2003 -- For Immediate Release What happens when the cornerstone of international security crumbles? Ambassador Thomas Graham Jr. Explains 50 Years of Authoring Security Agreements on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Weapons of Mass Destruction Lecture, 11:00 a.m. What does it mean for political stability
when the US pulls out of international security agreements?
What is the role of the US in a world where these mechanisms of
security are dismantled? Ambassador Thomas Graham, who helped create
these agreements during his career, will answer these questions
and others as he discusses weapons of mass destruction, nuclear
non-proliferation, and the future of international weapons agreements. Everett Community College is in north Everett, two blocks west of North |