A Year of Global Conversations
Looking back at 2025–2026 Community Programs
This year, Community Programs brought world news and global affairs to your doorstep. Conversations with diplomats, experts, and scholars allowed our community to engage in discourse to make sense of shifting relationships, the world economy, and growing concern of cyber security.
Here’s a look back at some of the conversations we hosted, and a look into where we’re headed in the future!
Rapid Response: Making Sense of Breaking News:
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, we explored how countries use major sporting events to project influence, shape perceptions, and strengthen their global standing. Experts Dr. Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff and Ron Krabill joined the conversation, moderated by Dr. Jennifer Lee Hoffman, to discuss the intersection of sports, diplomacy, and soft power.
This event was organized in a rapid response to the US and Israel launching “Operation Epic Fury.” Steven Cook, senior fellow on the Council of Foreign Relations, participated in an extremely timely discussion on what the US invasion of Iran would mean for the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices, and broader tensions in the Middle East.
On January 21, 2026 a virtual event examining US interests in Venezuela was held in the wake of the US capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. The speakers, both former senior U.S. diplomats with firsthand Venezuela experience, were positioned to address the exact open questions dominating the news at that moment: how oil majors and OPEC dynamics would shift, and how the region was splitting between supportive right-leaning governments and critical left-leaning ones.
Security, Trade, and the Global Economy
Cyber Security with Bruce Fu — A deep dive into China’s macroeconomic outlook, U.S.-China relations, and the innovation priorities laid out in the new 15th Five-Year Plan.
Navigating Global Threats: Nuclear Risk with Thomas Countryman — A candid conversation on Iran, arms control, and the P5 process.
Ukraine and the Future of European Strategy with Phillips O’Brien — An assessment of the war’s trajectory and what it means for European security going forward.
Rebalancing the Reserve: De-Dollarization and the Future of Global Trade — Dr. Radhika Desai and Carla Norrlöf joined moderator Dr. Spencer Cohen to examine de-dollarization, BRICS, and the ripple effects of Trump-era tariffs.
Foreign Affairs and Key Relationships
Cuba: Diplomacy or Confrontation? — Ricardo “Ric” Herrero and Ricardo Zúniga on regime resilience, humanitarian crisis, and the limits of U.S. policy.
A Pivotal Year for U.S. Relations with Mexico and Canada — Lila Abed, Dr. Laura Dawson, and Dr. Laurie Trautman on security, migration, and cross-border trade.
Inside the Rise of Communist China with Frank Dikötter — A historical and political look at the CCP’s rise and China’s system today.
China Town Hall — Our national webcast featured Sarah Beran and Stephen Biegun, with local perspective from John Bruns, Augustine Lo, and Clair Yang, on the future of the U.S.-China relationship.
The U.S. and UK: Alliance, Adaptation, and the Path Ahead — Consul General Eleanor Kiloh and Colonel Tom Archer-Burton on King Charles’s visit, transatlantic priorities, and the war in Iran.
Future of Power in Asia: U.S.-Korea Relations — Philip S. Goldberg and Consul General Eunji Seo on the U.S.-South Korea nuclear partnership and regional dynamics with China.
Reimagining Foreign Aid: The Future of Humanitarian Leadership — Dr. Chris Elias and Janti Soeripto on aid to Gaza, global vaccine efforts, and the future of humanitarian leadership.
Coffee with a Consul
United Kingdom — Consul General Eleanor Kiloh on the US-UK Technology Prosperity Deal, UK climate policy, and UK-Asia relations.
Canada — Consul General Craig Weichel on Canada’s relations with China, the Indo-Pacific, and national defense policy.
India — Consul General Prakash Gupta on India’s entrepreneurial economy, its growing role in AI and tech, and the Modi-Trump relationship.
Global Perspectives
A View from Abroad: Transatlantic Perspective in a Changing World — Anja Wehler-Schöck, moderated by Ross Reynolds, on the EU-U.S. relationship and digital regulation.
The Power of Population with Jennifer Sciubba — How demographic shifts are reshaping the global future.
The Next Generation of Humanitarian Response — Ciarán Donnelly, Kathleen Morris, and Cameron Birge on the evolving landscape of humanitarian work.