World Affairs Council of Connecticut

China’s Worst Nightmare: Global Partnerships | Partner Event
2024-03-14 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | The University of Saint Joseph, Mercy Hall, Crystal Room1678 Asylum Ave, 1678 Asylum Ave, West Hartford, CT, 06117, US
A fireside chat with Congressman Joe Courtney & Deputy Head of Mission for the Embassy of Australia, Paul Myler. Hosted by the Office of Congressman Joe Courtney.
As China increases its aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have come together to form a historic trilateral security pact, AUKUS, to protect peace and prosperity in the region. The mere existence of this partnership — let alone the undersea supremacy and technological capabilities that will come as a result — worries China greatly. Join Congressman Joe Courtney and the Embassy of Australia’s Deputy Head of Mission, Paul Myler, for a fireside chat moderated by World Affairs Council CEO Megan Torrey, on how this historic deal will provide our three nations with the tools they need to deter China’s predatory conduct.
The details:
Date | Thursday, March 14 from 3-4 PM
Location | University of St. Joseph’s Hoffman Auditorium

What is the AUKUS partnership?
Want to learn more about the historic security pact ahead of the event? Check out this backgrounder by CTWAC’s Jonah Gosnay on the current state of the deal and its role in Indo-Pacific regional security.
Understanding the AUKUS Partnership – The World Affairs Council of CT Blog (ctwac.com)

Out of the Darkness with Frank Trentmann | The Germans: 1942-2022
2024-04-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar
How can a nation reinvent itself? Author Frank Trentmann will join us April 2nd at 7PM EDT to tell the story of how the German people were able to rebuild after World War II and redefine their place in the world – and what we can learn from it today. In conversation with Jim Falk.
WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut with Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the American Council on Germany, World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, WorldOregon, World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, World Affairs Council of Greater Houston, World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads, and the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations.
Order a copy of Out of the Darkness by Frank Trentmann here.
The details:
When: Tuesday, April 2 | 7:00PM EDT
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: Free | Registration required

About the Author
Frank Trentmann is Professor of History at Birkbeck, University of London, and at the University of Helsinki. He is the author of Empire of Things and Free Trade Nation, and has been awarded the Whitfield Prize, a Moore Distinguished Fellowship at Caltech, the Austrian Science Book Prize, the Humboldt Prize for Research, and in 2023 the Bochum Historians’ Prize. He received his PhD from Harvard University and has taught at Princeton University. He grew up in Hamburg and lives in London.
About the Moderator
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. and Board Vice Chair at Global Santa Fe. Jim hosts Perspectives Matter…a McCuistion Program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Hosts & Partners

About the Book
Out of the Darkness: The Germans 1942-2022 by Frank Trentmann
A gripping and nuanced history of the German people from World War II to the war in Ukraine, including revealing new primary source material on Germany’s transformation.
In 1945, Germany lay in ruins, morally and materially. Its citizens stood condemned by history, responsible for a horrifying genocide and war of extermination. But by the end of Angela Merkel’s tenure as chancellor in 2021, Germany looked like the moral voice of Europe, welcoming more than one million refugees, holding together the tenuous threads of the European Union, and making military restraint the center of its foreign policy. At the same time, Germany’s rigid fiscal discipline and energy deals with Vladimir Putin have cast a shadow over the present. Innumerable scholars have asked how Germany could have degenerated from a nation of scientists, poets, and philosophers into one responsible for genocide. This book raises another vital question: How did a nation whose past has been marked by mass murder, a people who cheered Adolf Hitler, reinvent themselves, and how much?
Trentmann tells this dramatic story of the German people from the middle of World War II through the Cold War and the division into East and West to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the struggle to find a place in the world today. This journey is marked by a series of extraordinary moral conflicts: admissions of guilt and shame vying with immediate economic concerns; restitution for some but not others; tolerance versus racism; compassion versus complicity. Through a range of voices—German soldiers and German Jews; displaced persons in limbo; East German women and shopkeepers angry about energy shortages; opponents and supporters of nuclear power; volunteers helping migrants and refugees, and right-wing populists attacking them—Trentmann paints a remarkable and surprising portrait spanning eighty years of the conflicted people at the center of Europe, showing how the Germans became who they are today.
Purchase Out of the Darkness here.

Stay Globally Involved
As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. Join now to access exclusive events and discounted pricing.

Second Mondays with CTWAC | April
2024-04-08 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
﻿Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

April Topic: War in Gaza: How did we get here, and where do we go now?
Since the outbreak of Israel’s war in Gaza in October 2023, thousands of Palestinians and Israelis have been killed as the world grapples with how to resolve the conflict. This Second Monday, we’ll examine the history of the conflict and how it informs our present.
This is a no-homework event, but supplemental articles will be provided to attendees.

The Details:
When: Monday, April 8 | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $25 | Limited availability | Reserve your spot here
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.

Upcoming Second Mondays:
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?
May 13th: Topic TBA*
June 10th
September 9th
October – Date TBD
November – Date TBD
December 9th
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Border Crisis | Policy & Pathways Forward
2024-04-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Studio A at CT Public, 1049 Asylum Ave, Hartford, CT, 06105, United States
Join national and local leaders in immigration for a conversation on the growing humanitarian situation at the southern border and immigration policy challenges.
The Details
When: Thursday, April 11th at 7:00PM | Doors open 6:45PM
Where: Studio A at CT Public | 1049 Asylum Ave, Hartford, CT 06105
Tickets: No charge, RSVP required

This event is a collaboration between the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Theater Works Hartford alongside TWH’s production of Sanctuary City by Martyna Majok, which tells the story of two young DREAMers who are fighting to establish a place for themselves in America, the only country they know as home.

Featuring:
Betsy Lawrence is the Deputy Assistant to the President for Immigration for the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC). Before joining the DPC, Betsy served for three years on the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship, most recently as Chief Counsel. Prior to this, she was Director of Government Relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) in Washington, D.C.
Kica Matos is the president of the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and the Immigrant Justice Fund (IJF). She is also a Distinguished Practitioner at Yale University’s Brady Johnson Program in Grand Strategy. In 2021, she was inducted into the CT Women’s Hall of Fame.
Angelica Idrovo Castillo is an undocumented student and activist. She was born in Cuenca, Ecuador and migrated to the U.S. at age 12. At 23 she became the Co-Executive Director of CT Students for a Dream (C4D). She now co-leads the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ecuador National Coalition. Angelica was recognized in “Connecticut 40 under 40: Class of 2018” and was recognized by Ecuador’s National Assembly in December 2019 as a fighter for immigrant rights.
Moderator Megan C. Torrey is currently the CEO of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut (CTWAC). In 2023 Megan was nominated by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro to be the first U.S. Navy Community Ambassador to the state of Connecticut.

Hosted by

Support from

Stay Globally Involved
As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. Join now to access exclusive events and discounted pricing.

Centennial Celebration | World Affairs Council of Connecticut
2024-04-19 17:30 - 21:45 | Goodwin University, 1 Riverside Dr, East Hartford, CT, 06118, United States
Join us to celebrate 100 years of connecting Connecticut to the world.
April 19th, 2024 | 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Goodwin University, East Hartford
View the Centennial Celebration Program

5:30 PM | International Cocktail Hour
Reception featuring inspired global cuisines, signature cocktails, and a few special surprises
7:00PM | Program
Evening program featuring awards and keynote by William J. Burns, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, moderated by renowned journalist Norah O’Donnell, anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News.
Honoring: Chairmen Peter G. Kelly; Paul W. Bucha, Medal of Honor Recipient; and all past Presidents of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut.
8:15PM | Champagne toast and dessert

Featuring
William J. Burns
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
Bill Burns was sworn in as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in March 2021, making him the first career diplomat to serve as Director. He was promoted to Cabinet rank by President Biden in June 2023.
Director Burns has served six Presidents and Administrations of both parties during nearly four decades of public service in diplomacy and intelligence. He is only the second serving career diplomat in history to become Deputy Secretary of State, and also served as U.S. Ambassador to Russia and Jordan.
Moderator Norah O’Donnell
Anchor and Managing Editor of CBS Evening News
Norah O’Donnell is the anchor and managing editor of the “CBS Evening News,” the oldest and most revered evening news broadcast in America. She also anchors all of CBS News Election Specials and is a “60 Minutes” contributing correspondent.
O’Donnell is a multiple Emmy Award-winning journalist with nearly three decades of experience covering the biggest stories in the world and conducting impactful, news making interviews. She is covering her seventh presidential election and has interviewed every living president of the United States.
Recently, O’Donnell has taken the “CBS Evening News” broadcast across the world to provide viewers with a first-hand look at some of the most important stories of our time. O’Donnell was the first American journalist to travel to the Red Sea to report on the rising tensions in the Middle East. Currently, O’Donnell is the only woman to anchor an evening news program on broadcast television. During her distinguished career, she has covered the White House, Congress, and the Pentagon.

News Release | CIA Director William J. Burns to Headline World Affairs Council of Connecticut’s Centennial Celebration

Questions about sponsorship?
Please contact CEO Megan Torrey at mctorrey@ctwac.org

About the World Affairs Council of Connecticut

The World Affairs Council of Connecticut is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization established in 1924. For 100 years, the World Affairs Council of Connecticut has been at the forefront of history, hosting some of the world’s most prominent figures including Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Ambassadors from over 100 countries.

Stay Globally Involved
Become a member or renew on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Countdown with Sarah Scoles | The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons
2024-05-02 19:00 - 20:00
For fans of Oppenheimer: join us for another episode of WorldNow with Jim Falk – featuring science journalist and author Sarah Scoles, who will discuss the reality of nuclear weapons in the present day and what it means for our global future.
The details:
When: Thursday, May 2 | 7:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: Free | Registration required | Get Tickets Here

WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, World Affairs Council of Charlotte, WorldOregon, World Affairs Council of Greater Houston, World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads, World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, World Affairs Council of South Texas, World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, and Perspectives Matter.

About the Book
Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons by Sarah Scoles
For fans of Oppenheimer, a riveting investigation into the modern nuclear weapons landscape.
Nuclear weapons are, today, as important as they were during the Cold War, and some experts say we could be as close to a nuclear catastrophe now as we were at the height of that conflict. Despite that, conversations about these bombs generally often happen in past tense.
In Countdown, science journalist Sarah Scoles uncovers a different atomic reality: the nuclear age’s present.
Drawing from years of on-the-ground reporting at the nation’s nuclear weapons labs, Scoles interrogates the idea that having nuclear weapons keeps us safe, deterring attacks and preventing radioactive warfare. She deftly assesses the existing nuclear apparatus in the United States, taking readers beyond the news headlines and policy-speak to reveal the state of nuclear-weapons technology, as well as how people currently working within the U.S. nuclear weapons complex have come to think about these bombs and the idea that someone, someday, might use them.
Through a sharp, surprising, and undoubtedly urgent narrative, Scoles brings us out of the Cold War and into the twenty-first century, opening readers’ eyes to the true nature of nuclear weapons and their caretakers while also giving us the context necessary to understand the consequences of their existence, for worse and for better, for now and for the future.
Purchase Countdown here.

About the Author
Sarah Scoles is a Colorado-based science journalist, a contributing writer at Popular Science, and a senior contributor at Undark. Her work has appeared in publications like the New York Times, Wired, Scientific American, and others. She is also the author of the books Making Contact: Jill Tarter and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, They Are Already Here: UFO Culture and Why We See Saucers, and Astronomical Mindfulness. Her forthcoming book is called Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons. Her articles have won the American Geophysical Union’s David Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Writing (2021) and the American Astronomical Society Solar Physics Division’s Popular Media Award (2019, 2020). Previously, she was an associate editor at Astronomy and a public education officer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia.

About the Moderator
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico he is member of the Board of Global Santa Fe where he chairs the program committee. Jim co-hosts Perspectives Matter, a McCuistion Program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Hosts & Partners

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Second Mondays with CTWAC | May
2024-05-20 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
Rescheduled for May 20th
Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

May Topic: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad
2024 is one of the biggest years for elections globally – with at least 70 countries holding an election. Each country faces their own unique set of challenges to their democratic institutions and ideals – including the United States. In a year when democracy is considered top of the ballot after a global decline in democracy globally, it’s important to reflect on how we got here. Will democracy win globally in 2024 – and what’s at stake if it doesn’t?
This is a no-homework event, but supplemental articles will be provided to attendees.

The Details:
When: Monday, May 20 | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $25 | Limited availability | Reserve your spot here
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.

Upcoming Second Mondays:
May 20th: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad
June 10th
September 9th
October – Date TBD
November – Date TBD
December 9th
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Second Mondays with CTWAC | June
2024-06-10 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

Topic: Potential Flash Points – How is the US positioned and what happens next?
From China and Taiwan to Iran and Israel, global areas of brewing conflict create mounting uncertainty for our future. How do our adversaries and these areas of instability pose a risk to our global future, and how is the U.S. positioned to confront that?
This is a no-homework event, but supplemental articles will be provided to attendees.

The Details:
When: Monday, June 10 | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $25 | Limited availability | Reserve your spot here
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.

Upcoming Second Mondays:
June 10th: Potential Flash Points – How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?
September 9th: Topic TBA*
October – Date TBD
November – Date TBD
December 9th
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?
May 20th: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Community Book Discussion on Climate Change
2024-06-12 18:00 - 19:30 | CT Public Broadcasting, Lobby, 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT, 06105, US
Join us in Hartford for a community discussion on the urgency of climate change, led by Susan Hoffman Fishman, a West Hartford-based environmental artist and writer, alongside former CTWAC Executive Director Felicity Harley. The conversation will refer to selections from American Earth: Environmental Writing Since Thoreau concerning our impact on climate change and our responsibility to our environment.
The Details
When: Wednesday, June 12th at 6:00PM
Where: Lobby at Connecticut Public | 1049 Asylum Ave, Hartford CT
Tickets: $15 for non-members | No charge for members* | Get tickets here
Dinner and refreshments will be provided. Space is limited.
Not sure if your membership is up to date? To check your membership status, contact Abby at: noyesa[at]ctwac.org or log in on the membership site.

You’re invited to celebrate 100 years of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut
Throughout the year, we’re hosting a series of events with some of the key supporters, members, and partners who have made a significant impact on the history of the Council. This event is a part of this community-inspired series in honor of our 100th anniversary.

Featuring
Susan Hoffman Fishman is a mixed-media painter, environmental artist and arts writer who has exhibited widely throughout the United States. Articles, interviews and reviews of Fishman’s work have appeared in Burning Worlds: Climate Change in Art & Literature, a publication of the Chicago Review of Books; The Washington Post, Art Spiel, Sci/Art Magazine, The Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, The Hartford Courant, Artists and Climate Change and numerous others. Read more about Susan here.
Felicity Harley is a published journalist, writer, and a poet. She has also had a long career in assisting and founding a variety of arts and educationally focused nonprofits. Until 2013 she was the Executive Director of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and is currently President of the Board of the Community Foundation for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Over the years Felicity has published articles and poetry in various chapbooks and publications. This year her five book science fiction series Until This Last will be published by a small UK publisher. You can find out more about her at her website.

About the Book
American Earth: Environmental Writing Since Thoreau
“’Each advance in environmental practice in our nation’s history…was preceded by a great book” – Bill McKibben, editor of American Earth.
As America and the world grapple with the consequences of global environmental change, writer and activist Bill McKibben offers this unprecedented, inspiring, and timely anthology gathering the best and most significant American environmental writing from the last two centuries.
Classics of the environmental imagination—the essays of Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, and John Burroughs; Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac; Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring—are set alongside an emerging activist movement, revealed by newly uncovered reports of pioneering campaigns for conservation, passages from landmark legal opinions and legislation, and searing protest speeches. Purchase American Earth here.

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member today. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Behind the White House Curtain with Steve Herman
2024-06-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar
﻿Freedom of the press is a hallmark of our democracy. Steve Herman, a veteran member of the White House Press Corps, considers covering the U.S. President a key part of ensuring a healthy democracy. Join us in conversation with Steve on June 25 on what it’s really like to cover the President, and the importance of journalistic independence at a time when misinformation is so rampant. In conversation with Jim Falk.
The details:
When: Tuesday, June 25 | 7:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: Free | Registration required
Buy Tickets on EventbriteRSVP Now

WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, and Perspectives Matter.

About the Book
Behind the White House Curtain: A Senior Journalist’s Story of Covering the President – and Why it Matters by Steven Herman
Going behind the scenes with a veteran member of the White House press corps
Steven L Herman, chief national correspondent for the nonpartisan, government-funded Voice of America (VOA), weaves together memoir and history to pull back the curtain on the inner workings of the White House press corps, giving readers a rare glimpse into the historic and current relationship between the president and the press.
Herman traces the trajectory of his career as a journalist—from learning to be skeptical of government officials’ statements when he worked as a novice reporter covering nuclear testing in Nevada in the 1970s to understanding the power of on-the-ground social media coverage after the Fukushima disaster in 2011 and facing the challenges of covering the Trump administration. He reflects on the experience of reporting on a president who once called journalists “enemies of the people”—and indeed, former president Trump singled out VOA, accusing the organization of being not a voice of America but rather a voice supporting Moscow’s and Beijing’s interests. Under questionable circumstances, top VOA executives lost their security clearances, and a dossier was prepared on Herman in an effort to remove him as White House bureau chief. With journalistic independence under threat, Herman feared not only for his career but also for “the soul of Voice of America.”
Throughout Behind the White House Curtain, Herman convincingly argues that public access to accurate, unbiased information is essential to a healthy and peaceful democracy, and that journalists can and should play a key role in pressing government officials to be truthful and transparent. At a time when misinformation is rampant and the need for unbiased coverage of current events is more urgent than ever, Herman reminds readers that freedom of the press is a foundational American right.
Purchase Behind the White House Curtain here.

About the Author
Steven L Herman is the chief national correspondent of the Voice of America (VOA), an adjunct assistant professor at Shenandoah University, and an adjunct lecturer in the journalism department of the University of Richmond. He covered the White House for VOA during the Trump administration and the first eight months of the Biden administration. He has traveled to more than 75 countries and territories, including reporting assignments in Afghanistan, Argentina, Bhutan, Burma, China, the Gaza Strip, North Korea, Peru, and Vietnam.
About the Moderator
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico he is member of the Board of Global Santa Fe where he chairs the program committee. Jim co-hosts Perspectives Matter, a McCuistion Program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Summer Mondays with CTWAC | July
2024-07-15 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

The Details:
When: Monday, July 15th | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $15 Members, $25 Non-members | Reserve your spot here
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.
Buy Tickets

Upcoming Second Mondays:
July 15th: The Climate Crisis & Global Instability
August 25th (Sunday): Female Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
September 9th
October – Date TBD
November – Date TBD
December 9th
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?
May 20th: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad
June 10th: Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

The End of Ambition with Steven Cook | America's Future in the Middle East
2024-08-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom Webinar
***Rescheduled for August 1st***
What’s next for the U.S. in the Middle East? Join author Steven Cook, senior fellow for Middle East & Africa at the Council on Foreign Relations, in conversation with Jim Falk on what went wrong with U.S. involvement in the region, and how the U.S. should reimagine our strategic interests in the Middle East amid a changing global order. Purchase The End of Ambition here.
“Cook demonstrates with terrifying clarity that the Middle East’s reputation for devouring the schemes and dreams of great powers is sending to more and is more often than not a place where grandiose American ideas have gone to die.” Aaron David Miller, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
The details:
When: Thursday, August 1 | 7:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: No charge | Register here

WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the Alaska World Affairs Council, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, World Affairs Council of Austin, World Affairs Council of Charlotte, World Affairs Council of Colorado Springs, World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads, World Affairs Council of Houston, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, World Affairs Council of Orange County, World Affairs Council of South Texas, World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, WorldOregon, and Perspectives Matter.

About the Book
The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present and Future in the Middle East by Steven Cook
A clear-headed vision for the United States’ role in the Middle East that highlights the changing nature of US national interests and the challenges of grand strategizing at a time of profound change in the international order.
Following a long series of catastrophic misadventures in the Middle East over the last two decades, the American foreign policy community has tried to understand what went wrong. After weighing the evidence, they have mostly advised a retreat from the region. The basic view is that when the United States tries to advance change in the Middle East, it only makes matters worse.
In The End of Ambition, Steven A. Cook argues that while these analysts are rightly concerned that engagement drains US resources and distorts its domestic politics, the broader impulse to disengage tends to neglect important lessons from the past. Moreover, advocates of pulling back overlook the potential risks of withdrawal. Cook makes the bold claim that despite setbacks and moral costs, the United States has been overwhelmingly successful in protecting its core national interests in the Middle East. Conversely, overly ambitious policies to remake the region and leverage US power not only ended in failure, but rendered the region unstable in new and largely misunderstood ways.
While making the case that retrenchment is not the answer to America’s problems in the Middle East, The End of Ambition highlights how America’s interests in the region have begun to change and critically examines alternative approaches to US-Middle East policy. Cook highlights the challenges that policymakers and analysts confront developing a new strategy for the United States in the Middle East against the backdrop of both political uncertainty in the United States and a changing global order. Purchase The End of Ambition here.

About the Author
Steven A. Cook is Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies and director of the International Affairs Fellowship for Tenured International Relations Scholars at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He is an expert on Arab and Turkish politics as well as U.S.-Middle East policy. Cook is the author of False Dawn: Protest, Democracy, and Violence in the New Middle East. He is a columnist at Foreign Policy magazine and speaks Arabic and Turkish.

About the Moderator
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and Global Santa Fe’s Program Chair. Jim co-hosts Perspectives Matter, a McCuistion Program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Global Security Forum 2024
2024-09-20 08:00 - 15:30 | Goodwin University, 1 Riverside Dr, East Hartford, CT, 06118, United States
Join us on Sept. 19 and 20 for the world’s leading event on global security, right here in Hartford.
GSF 2024 will bring you the world’s biggest names in global security ever seen on our stage. Generals, experts, policymakers, and foreign leaders come together for cutting-edge conversations on the biggest security concerns we face and the strategic alliances and Power Plays competing to decide our future.
Secure your spot today and learn more about GSF2024.
GSF is a critical opportunity to engage and inform our future and current leaders on the issues that impact us all – from disruptive tech and climate security to uneasy alliances and ironclad relationships. This event is not to be missed.

The world’s top security leadership. Here in Hartford.

John Podesta, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
CPT. Flo Groberg, Recipient of the Medal of Honor *VIP Reception Exclusive
Amb. Kurt Volker, fmr. U.S. Ambassador to NATO
ADM Kevin Lunday, Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard
Hon. Sherri Goodman, first Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environmental Security, Secretary General of the International Military Council on Climate & Security
LTG Iulian Berdilă, Deputy Chief of Defense of Romania
David Sanger: White House & National Security Correspondent, The New York Times
LTG Robert Ashley (U.S. Army, Ret.): Former Director, Defense Intelligence Agency
RADM Kathleen Creighton (U.S. Navy, Ret.): Fmr. Navy Cyber Security Division Director
Amb. Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley: President, Middle East Policy Council & former U.S. Ambassador to Malta
Dr. Wanda Jones-Heath: Principal Cyber Advisor for the Department of the Air Force
MG Matthew Easley (U.S. Army, Ret.): Associate Dean of Joint Warfighting at the College of Information and Cyberspace, National Defense University
RADM Michael Van Poots (U.S. Navy): Commander, Undersea Warfighting Development Center
RADM Jakob D. Rousøe (Royal Danish Navy): Defence Attaché to the U.S., Denmark
MGen Michel-Henri St-Louis: Canadian Defence Attaché to the United States
MG Windsor S. Buzza (U.S. Army): Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Forces Command
LTG Michael Moeller (U.S. Air Force, Ret.): Former Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, U.S. Air Force and current VP of CTWAC Board of Directors
CAPT Andrea H. Cameron (U.S. Navy): Permanent Military Professor, National Security Affairs Dept. & Director, Climate & Human Security Group, Naval War College
MG Garrett Yee (U.S. Army, Ret.): Vice President and General Manager of the Army Sector, General Dynamics Information Technology
LTC Luke Knittig (U.S. Army, Ret.)
LTC Christopher Gin (U.S. Army)
Arthur House: Adjunct Professor, University of Connecticut
MIDN Walker French: Midshipman, U.S. Naval Academy
MIDN Mary Mergott, U.S. Coast Guard Academy

Stay in the know about exciting speaker announcements and updates.

Sponsors and Supporters

Support the Global Security Forum
At the Council, we believe that knowledge is power and the future is global. Our partners and supporters play a critical role in supporting our mission and enable us to make this essential event accessible to our community. We invite you to join us as a partner in our mission and support the Global Security Forum.

Presenting Partners

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Ronald Reagan: His Life & Legend with Max Boot | WorldNow
2024-09-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar
Historian, author, and CFR foreign policy expert Max Boot reintroduces us to one of America’s most consequential and controversial presidents – and his lasting impact on the U.S. and the world. In conversation with Jim Falk.
“A timely and fascinating book, just what we need to understand, and perhaps transcend, our current age of political paralysis and polarization…Understanding Reagan is key to understanding our politics today.” –Walter Isaacson, author of Elon Musk and Steve Jobs
The details:
When: Monday, September 23 | 7:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: No charge | Register for Zoom link

WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the Alaska World Affairs Council, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, SMU Center for Presidential History, World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, World Affairs Council of Austin, World Affairs Council of Colorado Springs, World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads, World Affairs Council of Houston, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, World Affairs Council of Orange County, World Affairs Council of South Texas, World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, WorldOregon, and Perspectives Matter.

About the Book

Reagan: His Life & Legend by Max Boot
Son of the Midwest, movie star, and mesmerizing politician—America’s fortieth President comes to three-dimensional life in this gripping and profoundly revisionist biography.
From best-selling biographer Max Boot comes this revelatory portrait, a decade in the making, of the actor-turned-politician whose telegenic leadership ushered in a transformative conservative era in American politics. Despite his fame as a Hollywood star and television host, Reagan remained a man of profound contradictions, even to those closest to him. Never resorting to either hagiography or hit job, REAGAN charts his epic journey from Depression-era America to “Morning in America.” Providing fresh insight into “trickle-down economics,” the Cold War’s end, the Iran-Contra affair, and so much more, this definitive biography is as compelling a presidential biography as any in recent decades. Purchase Reagan: His Life & Legend here.

About the Author
Max Boot, historian and foreign-policy analyst, is a senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a columnist for the Washington Post. His New York Times bestseller, The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography.

About the Moderator
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and Global Santa Fe’s Program Chair. Jim co-hosts Perspectives Matter, a McCuistion Program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Second Mondays with CTWAC | September
2024-09-30 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

The Details:
When: Monday, September 30th | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $15 Members, $25 Non-members | Reserve your spot here
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.

Upcoming Second Mondays:
September 30th: Worldwide Efforts to Battle – or Embrace – Disinformation
October – Date TBD
November – Date TBD
December 9th
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?
May 20th: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad
June 10th: Potential Flash Points – How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?
July 15th: The Climate Crisis & Global Instability

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Second Mondays with CTWAC | October
2024-10-14 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

The Details:
When: Monday, October 14th | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $15 Members, $25 Non-members
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.
Reserve your spot here

Upcoming Second Mondays:
October 14th – The World After the U.S. Election
November 12th – *Topic TBA
December 9th
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?
May 20th: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad
June 10th: Potential Flash Points – How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?
July 15th: The Climate Crisis & Global Instability
September 30th: Worldwide Efforts to Battle – or Embrace – Disinformation

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

America's Cold Warrior: Paul Nitze & National Security with James Graham Wilson | WorldNow
2024-10-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar
Author James Graham Wilson joins us for another episode of WorldNow with Jim Falk on Paul Nitze, America’s most influential national security strategist throughout the Cold War.
“In his superb America’s Cold Warrior…Wilson portrays Nitze as consistently animated by a single, ‘steadfast conviction that the United States needed to possess overriding strength.’” – Foreign Policy Magazine
Purchase America’s Cold Warrior here | Get on Bookshop.org | Collected Works Bookstore
The details:
When: Wednesday, October 23 | 7:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: No charge | Register for Zoom link

WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the Alaska World Affairs Council, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, World Affairs Council of Austin, World Affairs Council of Charlotte, World Affairs Council of Colorado Springs, World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads, World Affairs Council of Houston, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, World Affairs Council of Orange County, World Affairs Council of South Texas, World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, WorldOregon, and Perspectives Matter.

About the Book

America’s Cold Warrior: Paul Nitze and National Security from Roosevelt to Reagan by James Graham Wilson
In America’s Cold Warrior, James Graham Wilson traces Paul Nitze’s career path in national security after World War II, a time when many of his mentors and peers returned to civilian life. Serving in eight presidential administrations, Nitze commanded White House attention even when he was out of government, especially with his withering criticism of Jimmy Carter during Carter’s presidency. While Nitze is perhaps best known for leading the formulation of NSC-68, which Harry Truman signed in 1950, Wilson contends that Nitze’s most significant contribution to American peace and security came in the painstaking work done in the 1980s to negotiate successful treaties with the Soviets to reduce nuclear weapons while simultaneously deflecting skeptics surrounding Ronald Reagan. America’s Cold Warrior connects Nitze’s career and concerns about strategic vulnerability to the post-9/11 era and the challenges of the 2020s, where the United States finds itself locked in geopolitical competition with the People’s Republic of China and Russia.
Purchase America’s Cold Warrior here | Get on Bookshop.org | Collected Works Bookstore

About the Author
James Graham Wilson is a Historian at the US Department of State, where he is currently responsible for editing volumes in the Foreign Relations of the United States series on arms control and national security during the Reagan Administration. In addition to America’s Cold Warrior, he is also the author of The Triumph of Improvisation: Gorbachev’s Adaptability, Reagan’s Engagement, and the End of the Cold War.

About the Moderator
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and Global Santa Fe’s Program Chair. Jim co-hosts Perspectives Matter, a McCuistion Program, that airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Hosts & Partners

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Avoiding a Forever War with Dr. Trita Parsi | What Escalation Between Israel & Iran Means for the U.S.
2024-11-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar
Rescheduled for November 6th
The conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating at a rapid pace. With the U.S. deploying 100 U.S. service members and a THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) Missile Defense System to Israel, the U.S. seems to be signaling increased involvement in the conflict.

As Israel and Iran trade attacks, join us for a conversation on the escalating tensions, U.S. involvement, and whether or not the U.S. risks entering another “forever war.”
Dr. Trita Parsi, Executive VP of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, award-winning author, and community favorite of CTWAC returns to address these challenges and more.
RSVP today for the inside look at this rapidly developing conflict.
The details:
When: Wednesday, November 6th | 7:00 PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: No charge | Register for Zoom link
Register Today

Become a Member
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Second Tuesday Dinner with CTWAC | November
2024-11-12 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

The Details:
When: Tuesday, November 12th | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $15 Members, $25 Non-members | Registration required
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.
Reserve your spot here

Upcoming Second Mondays:
November 12th – Foreign Policy in a New Administration
December 9th – Energy Policy & Global Stability
2025
January 13th – *Topic TBA
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?
May 20th: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad
June 10th: Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?
July 15th: The Climate Crisis & Global Instability
September 30th: Worldwide Efforts to Battle - or Embrace - Disinformation
October 14th – The World After the U.S. Election

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Model United Nations 2024
2024-12-06 - 2024-12-07 | University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave, West Hartford, CT, 06117, US
The CTWAC Model United Nations brings together over 1,000 Connecticut high school students to engage in debate and diplomacy, preparing them to become our future leaders.
The Council’s MUN program is exclusively student-run, offering students opportunities to take leadership positions and negotiate with peers. Students experience the inner workings of international policymaking as they tackle global issues and controversies, navigate crisis scenarios, debate solutions, and draft resolutions. Delegates also have the opportunity to travel to New York to tour the United Nations Headquarters, meet diplomats from the countries they’ll represent, and discuss timely global issues with the policymakers currently working to solve them.
The World Affairs Council of Connecticut’s Model UN began in 1952 at Hartford Public High School and is now one of the largest and longest continuously running Model UN programs in the world. In its 72 years, the program has impacted over 54,000 students across Connecticut.

Learn more about the CTWAC Model UN program and how to get involved here.

Sponsors

Model UN’s impact on the students:
“I learned new skills every year I participated, and though this was my last year with MUN, the skills I’m walking away with are ones that I will carry with me forever.”
“Through MUN, I was able to craft my own opinions on our world’s pressing issues and work to create a resolution to solve them.”
“Model UN gave me a place to learn more about the world, while also giving me an outlet to better my public speaking skills and my research skills.”

About the World Affairs Council of Connecticut
The World Affairs Council of Connecticut (CTWAC) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1924. Through community engagement and collaboration, the World Affairs Council of Connecticut creates experiences that explore critical global issues and promote a greater understanding of the world. Learn more about what we do here and how you can get involved. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Second Monday with CTWAC | December
2024-12-09 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

The Details:
When: Monday, December 9th | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $15 Members, $25 Non-members | Registration required
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.
Reserve your spot today

Upcoming Second Mondays:
December 9th – A Rebalancing in the Middle East and the Taiwan Question
2025
January 13th – *Topic TBA
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?
May 20th: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad
June 10th: Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?
July 15th: The Climate Crisis & Global Instability
September 30th: Worldwide Efforts to Battle - or Embrace - Disinformation
October 14th – The World After the U.S. Election
November 12th – Foreign Policy in a New Administration

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Turkish & Uzbek Feast with Friends | CTWAC International Table Series
2024-12-09 18:00 - 20:00 | City Kebab House, Main Street 207, Hartford, CT, 06106, United States
Join us for a global feast with special guest Senator/Dr. Saud Anwar. The unique experience will feature great company and great global cuisine. Come join us at Hartford’s first Turkish and Uzbek restaurant City Kebab.
City Kebab’s head chef has curated a special tasting menu designed exclusively for guests of the World Affairs Council that highlights the best of Turkish and Uzbek cuisine.
About the evening
When: Monday, December 9th | 6:00PM
Where: City Kebab House | 207 Main St, Hartford, CT 06106
Tickets: $65 Members | $75 Non-members | Space extremely limited, RSVP now
Click the button below to register. Alternatively, you may contact us with your reservation by phone at (860) 241-6118 or by emailing Abby Noyes at noyesa[@]ctwac.org.

Access this special member pricing by joining our global community today. Check your membership status by logging in on our member portal, or view member levels & benefits.

About our guest
Senator Saud Anwar is Deputy President Pro Tempore of the CT State Senate and a member of the board of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut. First elected to public office in 2011, he served twice as South Windsor’s mayor before being elected to the Senate in 2019.
In addition to being a medical doctor, Saud also works with humanitarian and peace initiatives on a local, national and global scale. In Connecticut, Saud is the former commissioner of Asian Pacific American Affairs and served on the Health Equity Leadership Council of Connecticut, CT Health Foundation, and State Emergency Response Commission. Internationally, Saud served on peace missions to Israel and the Middle East, as well as medical missions to Haiti and Pakistan after natural disasters in those countries.
Saud has been recognized by the American Red Cross for his response to September 11 and received the FBI Director Robert Mueller Award for Community Leadership and Alliance Building, the Anti-Defamation League’s Torch of Liberty Award, and many more recognitions for his extraordinary leadership.

About City Kebab House
City Kebab House in Hartford stands as a testament to the harmonious fusion of Turkish and Uzbek flavors. Drawing inspiration from Gaziantep—a renowned Turkish city known for its distinct cuisine influenced by Armenian, Kurdish, and Syrian flavors.
City Kebab was opened earlier this year by owners Timur Rakhimov and Aziza Djalmamedova, who immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan in 2010.
City Kebab’s head chef is Hassan Kormaz, who previously ran the kitchen at Istanbul Gyro and Kebab in Middletown. Kormaz grew up in Gaziantep, Turkey, where his father has a restaurant.

Stay Globally Involved
Become a member or renew today. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

The World Ahead 2025
2024-12-12 12:00 - 13:00
Each year, The Economist publishes The World Ahead series: an informed prediction of the major themes that will dominate the coming year. Spanning topics from politics to technology to sociology and more, this series edited by Tom Standage is as ambitious as it is awe-inspiring.
On December 12, Standage rejoins the Council to discuss his publication’s analysis for 2025 in conversation with Council President Emeritus and host of WorldNow Jim Falk. This virtual event is free to the public through registration at dfwworld.org.
The details:
When: Thursday, December 12 | 12:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar | Registration required

Stay Globally Involved
Become a member or renew today. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Most Honorable Son with Gregg Jones: A Forgotten Hero’s Fight Against Fascism
2025-01-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar
Join us January 9 to hear the story of a Japanese-American combat pilot and forgotten war hero’s fight against fascism abroad and bigotry at home during World War II.
Author Gregg Jones introduces us to Ben Kuroki, who enlisted following Pearl Harbor and eventually became the first Asian American and only Japanese American to fight in the Pacific theater during WWII. Ben’s vocal championing of anti-bigotry, patriotism, and honor spurred the Roosevelt Administration to reconsider the incarceration of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans on the West Coast.
Get a copy of Most Honorable Son on Bookshop.org and support local bookstores.
The details:
When: Thursday, January 9 | 7:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: No charge | RSVP for Zoom link
RSVP Now

WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the Asia Society - Texas, Alaska World Affairs Council, Colorado Springs World Affairs Council, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, World Affairs Council of Albuquerque, World Affairs Council of Austin, World Affairs Council of Charlotte, World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads, World Affairs Council of Houston, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, World Affairs Council of Orange County, World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, WorldOregon, and Perspectives Matter.

About the Author
A long-time foreign correspondent and investigative journalist, Pulitzer Prize finalist Gregg Jones has covered civil wars and insurgencies in Asia and Latin America, the fall of Asia’s two longest-ruling twentieth-century dictators, and the early months of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.
He is the author of the acclaimed nonfiction books Honor in the Dust: Theodore Roosevelt, War in the Philippines, and the Rise and Fall of America’s Imperial Dream, and Last Stand at Khe Sanh: The U.S. Marines’ Finest Hour in Vietnam, which received the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation's General Wallace M. Greene Jr. Award for distinguished nonfiction.
About the Host
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, NM, he is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe. In addition to hosting WorldNow with Jim Falk, Jim produces and hosts The Forum, a weekly talk show on KSFR-FM, Santa Fe Public Radio. Jim also hosts Perspectives Matter, which airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

About the Book
Most Honorable Son: A Forgotten Hero’s Fight Against Fascism and Hate During World War II by Gregg Jones
The first comprehensive biography of unjustly forgotten war hero Ben Kuroki, a Japanese American farm boy from Nebraska who flew fifty-eight combat missions, fighting the Axis Powers during World War II and battled racism, injustice, and prejudice on the home front.
Ben Kuroki was a twenty-four-year-old Japanese American farm boy whose heritage was never a problem in remote Nebraska--until Pearl Harbor. Among the millions of Americans who flocked to military stations to enlist, Ben wanted to avenge the attack, reclaim his family honor, and prove his patriotism. But as anti-Japanese sentiment soared, Ben had to fight to be allowed to fight for America. And fight he did.
As a gunner on Army Air Forces bombers, Ben flew fifty-eight missions spanning three combat theaters: Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific. In between his tours in Europe and the Pacific, he challenged FDR's shameful incarceration of more than one hundred thousand people of Japanese ancestry in America, and he would be credited by some with setting in motion the debate that reversed a grave national dishonor. In the euphoric wake of America's victory, the decorated war hero used his national platform to carry out what he called his "fifty-ninth mission," urging his fellow Americans to do more to eliminate bigotry and racism at home.
Told in full for the first time, and long overdue, Ben's extraordinary story is a quintessentially American one of patriotism, principle, perseverance, and courage. It's about being in the vanguard of history, the bonding of a band of brothers united in a just cause, a timeless and unflinching account of racial bigotry, and one man's transcendent sense of belonging--in war, in peace, abroad, and at home.
Get a copy of Most Honorable Son on Bookshop.org and support local bookstores.

Hosts & Partners

Stay Globally Involved
Become a member or renew today. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Second Monday with CTWAC | January
2025-01-13 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

The Details:
When: Monday, January 13th | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $15 Members, $25 Non-members | Registration required
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.
Reserve your spot today

Upcoming Second Mondays:
2025
January 13th – Greenland, the Panama Canal, and The Future of Immigration Policy
February 10th – *Topic TBA
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
2024
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?
May 20th: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad
June 10th: Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?
July 15th: The Climate Crisis & Global Instability
September 30th: Worldwide Efforts to Battle - or Embrace - Disinformation
October 14th – The World After the U.S. Election
November 12th – Foreign Policy in a New Administration
December 9th – A Rebalancing in the Middle East and the Taiwan Question

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Global Economic and Geopolitical Outlook 2025
2025-01-23 08:30 - 09:30 | Robinson+Cole LLP, One State St, Hartford, CT, 06103
The world is preparing for major shifts in 2025. From a new U.S. administration to new technologies and the threat of tariffs and trade wars, uncertainty is at an all-time high. Be prepared for the world ahead.
Join Shailesh Kumar, Head of Economic and Geopolitical Risk at The Hartford, for the key insights you need to navigate this unpredictable landscape.
Doors open at 8:15am for coffee, light breakfast, registration and networking. Presentation starts at 8:30am, followed by audience Q&A.
The Details
When: Thursday, January 23 | 8:30am-9:30am
Where: Robinson + Cole | One State St, Hartford, CT 06103
Tickets: $20 Members | $25 Non-Members | RSVP Required
Reserve your spot today

Support global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities

About the Speaker
Shailesh Kumar is the Head of The Hartford’s Global Insights Center, an exclusive research hub offering analysis on macroeconomics, geopolitics, and sectoral risks in form of research, insights and thought leadership. These deliverables are designed to give global businesses an edge – leaving them better prepared to navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities found around the world.

In Partnership With

Stay Globally Involved
Become a member or renew today. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Priorities for the New Administration with H.R. McMaster | WorldNow
2025-01-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar
For 13 months, Lt. Gen. (ret.) H.R. McMaster served as President Trump’s National Security Advisor. Just days after the inauguration, he joins us to break down the critical national security and foreign policy priorities that will shape the next four years.
McMaster is also the author of At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House.
The details:
When: Thursday, January 23, 2025 | 7:00PM ET
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: Free | Register for Zoom link
Register today

About the Speaker
Lt. General H. R. McMaster (US Army, Ret.) is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. General McMaster was the 26th National Security Advisor to President Donald J. Trump from February 2017 to April 2018. Upon graduation from the U.S. Military Academy, he served as a commissioned officer for 34 years in the Army before retiring in June 2018.
McMaster earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the author of several books including At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House; Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World and Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam.
Additionally, General McMaster hosts Battlegrounds: Vital Perspectives on Today’s Challenges, a podcast produced by the Hoover Institution. He is a Distinguished University Fellow at Arizona State University.
About the Host
Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, NM, he is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe. In addition to hosting WorldNow with Jim Falk, Jim produces and hosts The Forum, a weekly talk show on KSFR-FM, Santa Fe Public Radio. Jim also hosts Perspectives Matter, which airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Hosts & Partners
WorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe.

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Second Monday with CTWAC | February
2025-02-10 18:00 - 19:30 | McCarter & English, LLP, One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
Join fellow World Affairs Council members in conversation over dinner on the issues impacting our world. Connect and engage with others, share your thoughts, and explore how we can secure our global future.

The Details:
When: Monday, February 10th | 6-7:30PM
Where: McCarter & English, LLP | One Canterbury Green 201 Broad St, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: $15 Members, $25 Non-members | Registration required
Registration is on a “first-come” basis and is limited to 20 participants.
Reserve your spot today

Upcoming Second Mondays:
February 10th – The End of USAID?
March 10th - *Topic TBA
*Topics will be announced 2 weeks prior to events.

Past Second Mondays:
2024
March 11th: Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next?
April 8th: War in Gaza: How did we get here?
May 20th: Democratic Systems at a Crossroad
June 10th: Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?
July 15th: The Climate Crisis & Global Instability
September 30th: Worldwide Efforts to Battle - or Embrace - Disinformation
October 14th – The World After the U.S. Election
November 12th – Foreign Policy in a New Administration
December 9th – A Rebalancing in the Middle East and the Taiwan Question
2025
January 13th – Greenland, the Panama Canal, and The Future of Immigration Policy

Stay Globally Involved
Renew your membership or become a member on our website. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

Digitally Invisible with Dr. Nicol Turner-Lee
2025-02-13 17:30 - 19:00 | Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St, Hartford, CT
Today, healthcare, education, and jobs are all online. Where does that leave the billions of people around the world without internet access?
In Digitally Invisible: How the Internet is Creating the New Underclass, author Nicol Turner Lee tells stories from across America – including two from Hartford – that highlight the challenges faced by communities without internet access.
Dr. Nicol Turner-Lee, Director of the Brookings Institution’s Center for Technology Innovation, joins us on Digital Learning Day to reveal how the global digital divide is affecting our community and the world – and how closing the gap will increase America’s competitiveness on the global stage. Moderated by CTWAC’s Amanda Jolly.
In partnership with the Hartford Public Library.
Sponsored by Infosys Foundation USA

The Details
When: Thursday, February 13th | 5:30PM – 7:00PM
Where: Hartford Public Library, Downtown branch
Tickets: Free | RSVP required
Reserve your spot today

Support global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities

About the Author
Dr. Nicol Turner Lee writes at the intersection of technology, race, and social justice. She is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution, and the founder of the AI Equity Lab. A tech policy expert and storyteller, her work has appeared in the Washington Post and New York Times, and on NBC, CNBC, NPR, and the PBS NewsHour. She has served as an adviser on technology policy issues for government agencies, including the National Academies of Sciences and the Federal Communications Commission. She received a PhD from Northwestern University, and resides in Alexandria, Virginia.

About the book
Digitally Invisible: How the Internet Is Creating the New Underclass by Nicol Turner Lee
Billions of people around the world lack internet access. No one cared until the whole world had to go online.
Economic and health disparities are worsening in rural communities without available internet access. Students living in urban digital deserts with little technology exposure are ill-prepared to compete for emerging occupations. Even seniors struggle to navigate the aging process without access to online information and remote care.
Nicol Turner Lee, a leading expert on the American digital divide, uses personal stories from individuals around the country to show how the emerging digital underclass is navigating the spiraling online economy, while sharing their joys and hopes for an equitable and just future. Turner Lee argues that achieving digital equity is crucial for the future of America’s global competitiveness and requires radical responses to offset the unintended consequences of increasing digitization. Learn more and get a copy of Digitally Invisible.

In Partnership With

Mission Partners

Mark & Linda Caplan
Donna Collins
Susan & Peter G. Kelly

Stay Globally Involved
Become a member or renew today. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.

In The Shadows with Hostage Negotiator and Author Mickey Bergman
2025-02-20 18:00 - 19:30 | Ferguson Library, 1 Public Library Plaza, Stamford, CT, 06901, United States
When an American is captured abroad, that’s when private hostage negotiators like Mickey Bergman step in to bring them home.
Mickey Bergman, two-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and CEO of Global Reach, has spent the past decade freeing Americans from the world’s most insulated countries.
He joins us in Stamford to reveal true stories from his career “in the shadows” to rescue Americans held hostage abroad – including Brittney Griner, Trevor Reed, and Paul Whelan.
During the discussion, Mickey will share real-time updates on the current hostage situations in Gaza, Venezuela, Russia, and more.
The Details:
What: Conversation with Mickey Bergman followed by book signing
When: Thursday, February 20th | 6:00PM-7:30PM
Where: Ferguson Library | 1 Public Library Plaza, Stamford, CT 06901
Tickets: No charge, registration required
Reserve your spot today

Support global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities.

In Partnership With

Featuring
Mickey Bergman
Chief Executive Officer of Global Reach
With over 17 years of experience, Mickey has managed relationships and private diplomacy efforts in North Korea, Cuba, Myanmar, Russia, the Middle East, Venezuela, and Africa.
Nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 and 2023 alongside the late Governor Bill Richardson, Mickey previously led his team at the Richardson Center as its Vice President and Executive Director to facilitate the release of more political prisoners than any other organization.
Mickey was recently honored with the 2023 James W. Foley Legacy Foundation American Hostage Freedom Award and serves on the Center for Strategic and International Studies Commission on Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention.

About the Book
In the Shadows: True Stories of High-Stakes Negotiations to Free Americans Captured Abroad by Mickey Bergman
A top negotiator in countless high-stakes missions to free Americans captured abroad and held in the world's scariest prisons takes readers inside the dramatic and shadowy world of international hostage rescue.
Brittney Griner, Danny Fenster, Otto Warmbier, Trevor Reed, Paul Whelan, Kenneth Bae…When an American citizen is unjustly imprisoned overseas, that’s when Mickey Bergman’s phone starts to ring.
This is the heart-pounding story of these urgent negotiations, what it’s like to climb inside the minds of some of the world’s most notorious strongmen, where the clear divisions between good and evil are replaced by a thousand shades of gray.
As Mickey Bergman and Ellis Henican make clear on every page, international diplomacy isn’t just for government officials anymore.
Get yourself a copy of In the Shadows here.

About Global Reach
Global Reach is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing home Americans who are wrongly held abroad—whether by terrorist groups, criminal gangs, or foreign governments.
Global Reach represents and works on behalf of the families of victims, and does not accept money or any form of donation from the victims and families it serves. In the last 10 years, the officers of Global Reach have worked on 124 cases of wrongfully held prisoners worldwide. 78 are now safely home with their families. Learn more at https://reach.global/

With Support from

Mission Partners

Mark & Linda Caplan
Donna Collins
Susan & Peter G. Kelly

Stay Globally Involved
Become a member or renew today. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.
