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SUMMARY:Canada-Mexico-US: Power\, Politics\, & the Path Forward
DESCRIPTION:A Conversation with Consuls General Tom Clark & Carlos Iriarte. RSVP Today.\nNorth America is at a turning point. \nRising trade tensions\, intensifying immigration debates\, and a looming USMCA review are testing one of the world’s most important partnerships. \nJoin the Consuls General of Canada and Mexico for a rare\, timely\, and candid conversation on the future of this relationship — and what’s at stake. \nHear directly from senior diplomats on the front lines and gain exclusive insight into the forces shaping North America today. Opens with a reception featuring light bites and refreshments. \n\nThe Details \nThursday\, April 30 | 5:30pm – 7:00pm\nDoors open 5:30pm for reception\nStudio A\, World Affairs Council | 1049 Asylum Ave\, Hartford\nTickets: $35 General Admission | $25 Member Admission | No charge for students \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities.\nBecome a member today to unlock special member pricing for events like these all year. \n\nFeaturing\nTom Clark | Consul General of Canada in New York \nPrior to being appointed Consul General in New York by Prime Minister Trudeau\, Tom Clark served as Chair of Global Public Affairs\, one of the largest public affairs and strategic communications firms in Canada. His private sector clients included senior executives in Canada and internationally who sought public policy and strategic communications advice on key business and investment decisions. He was a frequent speaker to business groups and associations across the country as well as a sought after advisor to governments\, both in Canada and abroad. \nPrior to his work in the business community\, Consul General Clark was one of Canada’s most respected broadcast journalists. During his 45 year career\, he was posted as Bureau Chief to Washington DC and China\, in addition to working in more than 30 countries\, including tours in eight active war zones. His work earned him numerous awards in both Canada and the United States. Mr. Clark is a licensed pilot who has flown extensively in Canada’s north. He is married to Jane Clark and has three daughters. \n\nCarlos Iriarte | Consul General of Mexico in Boston \nCarlos Iriarte was appointed by the President of Mexico\, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and ratified on June 25\, 2025 by the Mexican Senate as Consul General of Mexico in Boston\, a position that encompasses the attention to the Mexican community and the promotion of the interests of our country in the states of Connecticut\, Maine\, Massachusetts\, New Hampshire\, Rhode Island and Vermont. He is married to Lucila Ivette Estrada Villanueva (1998)\, and is the father of two daughters. \nThroughout a life dedicated to public service\, Consul Iriarte has been a federal deputy (2015-2018 and 2021-2024) and local deputy (2009-2012) for the State of Mexico\, in addition to having been elected as municipal president of Huixquilucan\, a position he held between 2013 and 2014. As a federal deputy\, he was a member of the commissions of public security\, justice\, economy and foreign relations. The most recent reform to the Mexican Foreign Service Law was approved during his tenure as parliamentary coordinator during the LXIII Legislature with the agreement of all the political parties represented in the Chamber of Deputies. \nIn public administration\, he has served as Secretary of Social Development\, Deputy Secretary General of Government and Director General of Public Security in the State of Mexico; and as director of Sectoral Concertation in the General Directorate of Civil Protection of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. \nConsul Iriarte holds a PhD in Public Administration from the Universidad Anáhuac and a Master's degree in Finance from the same institution; a master's degree in Administration and Public Policy from ITESM; a law degree from the UNAM; and has diploma studies\, specialization in public and national security\, and public policies from the Universidad Iberoamericana\, ITAM and the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University\, respectively. He has been a postgraduate professor at the Universidad Anáhuac\, where he has also advised and evaluated doctoral theses in undergraduate exams. \n\nMission Partners\n \nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities - or learn more on our website. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew 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.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/canada-mexico-us-2026/
LOCATION:Studio A at CT Public\, 1049 Asylum Ave\, Hartford\, CT\, 06105\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260511T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260511T193000
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SUMMARY:Second Monday with CTWAC | May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join fellow World Affairs Council members and friends 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. \n\n\n\nTopic: China’s Power in a Shifting World\n\n\nGlobal tensions are rising\, and China is testing the limits of its global influence. From the Middle East to Ukraine and U.S. ambition in Latin America to Taiwan\, Beijing is navigating a fractured landscape of conflicts\, competition\, and shifting alliances.\nHow is China positioning itself across these regions? Where is it asserting influence\, and where is it holding back? And what challenges could complicate its broader foreign policy goals?\nThis is a no-homework event\, but supplemental readings will be provided to attendees\n\n\n\nThe Details: \nWhen: Monday\, May 11th | 6-7:30PM\nWhere: McCarter & English\, LLP\, Stamford\, CT\nTickets: $20 Members\, $30 Non-members | Registration required\nSpace is limited \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nUpcoming Second Mondays:\nMay 11th - China's Power in a Shifting World\nJune 8th- *Topic TBA\n*Topics will be announced 1 week prior to events. \n\nPast Second Mondays:\nApril 13th - When Inequality Becomes Instability\nMarch 9th - The Iran Question\nFebruary 9th - Is 'The West' Over?\nJanuary 12th - What Just Happened in Venezuela? \n2025\nDecember 8th - Global Inequality & its Impacts on Societal Stability\nNovember 10th - Nuclear Deterrence in the Age of Drones\nOctober 13th - A New Era of U.S. Foreign Policy\nSeptember 15th - Counterterrorism or Extra-Legal Killings: When Do Strikes on Non-State Targets Cross the Line?\nJune 9th - What's at stake in the India-Pakistan conflict?\nMay 12th - So many elections - what do they all mean?\nApril 28th (Special Edition) – Sudan’s Civil War & Sub-Saharan Africa after USAID\nApril 14th - The Future of Immigration Policy\nMarch 10th - NATO's Uncertain Future\nFebruary 10th – The End of USAID?\nJanuary 13th – Greenland\, the Panama Canal\, and The Future of Immigration Policy \n2024\nDecember 9th – A Rebalancing in the Middle East and the Taiwan Question\nNovember 12th – Foreign Policy in a New Administration\nOctober 14th – The World After the U.S. Election\nSeptember 30th – Worldwide Efforts to Battle - or Embrace - Disinformation\nJuly 15th – The Climate Crisis & Global Instability\nJune 10th – Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?\nMay 20th – Democratic Systems at a Crossroad\nApril 8th – War in Gaza: How did we get here?\nMarch 11th – Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next? \n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew 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.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/second-monday-with-ctwac-may-2026/
LOCATION:McCarter & English\, Two Stamford Plaza\, 281 Tresser Blvd\, 11th Floor\, Stamford\, CT\, 06901\, United States
CATEGORIES:Fairfield County
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SUMMARY:The Global AI Race with Sebastian Mallaby | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:Artificial intelligence is reshaping the global balance of power. Nations are racing for advantage\, companies are competing for dominance\, and the quest for superintelligence is moving faster than ever. \nJoin us on WorldNow with Jim Falk as we sit down with Sebastian Mallaby\, author of The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis\, DeepMind\, & the Quest for Superintelligence and Senior Fellow for International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. \nFrom the rise of DeepMind and Silicon Valley to the intensifying global race for AI dominance\, we’ll explore what this technological competition could mean for security\, power\, and the future of the world economy. \nThe details:\nWhen: Wednesday\, May 20th | 6:15pm-7:15pm Eastern\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP Required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Guest\n \nSebastian Mallaby is the author of several books including the bestselling More Money Than God. A former Financial Times contributing editor and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist\, Mallaby is the Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. \nHe is the author of the newly published The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis\, DeepMind\, and the Quest for Superintelligence.  \n  \n\nMeet the Host\n\nJim 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. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. \n  \n  \n\nAbout the Book\nThe Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis\, DeepMind\, and the Quest for Superintelligence by Sebastian Mallaby \nFrom one of our leading chroniclers of the intersection of innovation and capitalism\, a landmark reckoning—based on unprecedented access—with one of the world’s most brilliant and driven tech visionaries\, and his game-changing company. \n“A fascinating portrait of Demis Hassabis\, the influential thinker heading DeepMind\, Google’s AI research laboratory…Mallaby captures Hassabis’ curiosity and relentless drive\, weaving a vivid tapestry of collaborators\, competitors\, and engineers of modern AI systems…A tantalizing glimpse inside the pursuit of machine superintelligence.”--Kirkus Reviews\, starred review \nGet yourself a copy of The Infinity Machine on Bookshop.org and support your local bookstore \n\nPresented by\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut with the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and the World Affairs Councils of America. Presented in partnership with Councils nationwide: \n \n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/the-global-ai-race-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260608T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260608T193000
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SUMMARY:Second Monday with CTWAC | June 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join fellow World Affairs Council members and friends 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. \n\n\n\nTopic: A New Monroe Doctrine?\n\n\nFrom Cuba and Venezuela to Greenland and the Panama Canal\, recent U.S. actions raise a larger question: can any country still claim a sphere of influence in a globalized world? What would such a strategy mean for U.S. foreign policy\, America’s competitors\, and the future of the Western Hemisphere?\nThis is a no-homework event\, but supplemental readings will be provided to attendees\n\n\n\nThe Details: \nWhen: Monday\, June 8th | 6-7:30PM\nWhere: McCarter & English\, LLP\, Stamford\, CT\nTickets: $20 Members\, $30 Non-members | Registration required\nSpace is limited \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nUpcoming Second Mondays:\nJune 8th - A New Monroe Doctrine?\nJuly 13th - *Topic TBA\n*Topics will be announced 1 week prior to events. \n\nPast Second Mondays:\nMay 11th - China's Power in a Shifting World\nApril 13th - When Inequality Becomes Instability\nMarch 9th - The Iran Question\nFebruary 9th - Is 'The West' Over?\nJanuary 12th - What Just Happened in Venezuela? \n2025\nDecember 8th - Global Inequality & its Impacts on Societal Stability\nNovember 10th - Nuclear Deterrence in the Age of Drones\nOctober 13th - A New Era of U.S. Foreign Policy\nSeptember 15th - Counterterrorism or Extra-Legal Killings: When Do Strikes on Non-State Targets Cross the Line?\nJune 9th - What's at stake in the India-Pakistan conflict?\nMay 12th - So many elections - what do they all mean?\nApril 28th (Special Edition) – Sudan’s Civil War & Sub-Saharan Africa after USAID\nApril 14th - The Future of Immigration Policy\nMarch 10th - NATO's Uncertain Future\nFebruary 10th – The End of USAID?\nJanuary 13th – Greenland\, the Panama Canal\, and The Future of Immigration Policy \n2024\nDecember 9th – A Rebalancing in the Middle East and the Taiwan Question\nNovember 12th – Foreign Policy in a New Administration\nOctober 14th – The World After the U.S. Election\nSeptember 30th – Worldwide Efforts to Battle - or Embrace - Disinformation\nJuly 15th – The Climate Crisis & Global Instability\nJune 10th – Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?\nMay 20th – Democratic Systems at a Crossroad\nApril 8th – War in Gaza: How did we get here?\nMarch 11th – Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next? \n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew 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.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/second-monday-with-ctwac-june-2026/
LOCATION:McCarter & English\, Two Stamford Plaza\, 281 Tresser Blvd\, 11th Floor\, Stamford\, CT\, 06901\, United States
CATEGORIES:Fairfield County
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260609T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260609T200000
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SUMMARY:The Diplomat + Luminary Award 2026
DESCRIPTION:THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. For last-minute inquiries and accommodations\, please call us at (860) 241-6118. \nJoin us for an unforgettable evening at The Diplomat + Luminary Award\, the World Affairs Council of Connecticut’s signature gathering of diplomats from around the world and Connecticut’s top business\, government\, and community leaders. \nOver 50 nations will be represented as Consuls General\, Ambassadors\, and dignitaries gather in Hartford to offer unparalleled opportunities to connect\, exchange ideas\, and foster international partnerships. \nThis year\, we proudly present the Luminary Award\, honoring a Connecticut leader whose work has made a meaningful impact on the world. \nBe part of an evening where diplomacy meets community\, and where Connecticut shines on the global stage. \n\nThe Details\nWhen: Tuesday\, June 9 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm\nWhere: The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art | Hartford\, CT\nTickets: General Admission $125; Member Admission $99; Patron $250 \nCan’t attend? Donate instead! \n\nThe 2026 Luminary Award\nKarl J. Krapek\nGlobal Visionary\, Titan of Industry\, Philanthropist \nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut is proud to honor Karl J. Krapek with the 2026 Luminary Award\, recognizing his extraordinary global leadership and lasting impact on industry and community.  \nAcross a distinguished career – and through initiatives like Hartford Youth Scholars – Karl exemplifies principled\, forward-looking leadership and a deep commitment to expanding opportunity for the next generation in Hartford and beyond. \nJoin us on June 9 at The Diplomat for an unforgettable evening as we honor a leader who has changed the world for the better. \n\nWith Diplomats Representing\n\n\n\n\nSponsors\nSupport the Luminary-Diplomat as we honor Karl Krapek and celebrate Connecticut’s global impact. Learn about sponsorship opportunities here. \n \n\nMission Partners\n \n  \nJoin the Community\nWith continuous breaking global news\, Council membership allows you to understand it all. Members gain lower-cost and exclusive access to discussions with foreign and local leaders\, events with experts and opposing views\, and – most essentially – a community of engaged people like yourself. \nBecome a member or renew today.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/the-diplomat-luminary-award-2026/
LOCATION:Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art\, 600 Main Street\, Hartford\, CT\, 06103\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260616T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260616T193000
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SUMMARY:The U.S. & Cuba: 250 Years of Change – What’s Next?
DESCRIPTION:From the early days of the republic to today’s headlines\, the story of U.S.–Cuba relations offers a compelling window into the evolution of American foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere. This is a story of empire\, revolution\, crisis\, and diplomacy – and it is far from over. \nJoin the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Pequot Library for a unique opportunity to explore Cuba’s past\, present\, and future with Jack Leslie and Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis\, a central figure in the 2015 restoration of diplomatic relations and the first U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Havana since 1961. \nThe conversation will be moderated by Jack Leslie\, a longtime Fairfield resident and public relations executive\, political consultant\, and international development activist. \nHow has U.S.-Cuba relationship fundamentally changed over 250 years – and where is it headed next? RSVP to find out. \n\n\nDetails\nTuesday\, June 16\, 2026 | 6:00pm – 7:30pm\nPequot Library\, 720 Pequot Ave\, Southport\nTickets: No Charge\, Suggested $20 Donation \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nWith Special Guest\n \nAmbassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis\nCharge d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Havana (2015-2017); Adjunct Professor\, Fordham University; Senior Non-Resident Fellow in International Affairs\, John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding\, Dartmouth College \nDuring his 28-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service\, Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis worked almost exclusively on Western Hemisphere issues and as a multilateral diplomat at the United Nations. He served as the first Charge d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Havana following the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. Prior to taking up his Cuba post in August 2014\, he was the Ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Previously\, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs\, and as Minister Counselor for Political Affairs and Security Council Coordinator at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. \nAmbassador DeLaurentis began his State Department career in 1991 as a consular officer in Havana and returned to Cuba as Political-Economic Section Chief in 1999-2002. In Washington\, he served as the Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs\, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs\, and Director of Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council. His last assignment in the Foreign Service was at the Harvard Kennedy School as a Senior Diplomatic Fellow with the Belfer Center Future of Diplomacy Project. \nSubsequently\, Ambassador DeLaurentis was appointed a Centennial Fellow at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service\, Distinguished Resident Fellow in Latin American and Multilateral Diplomacy Studies at the Georgetown University Institute for the Study of Diplomacy\, George S. McGovern Visiting Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University\, Resident Fellow at the Harvard University David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies’ Cuba Studies Program\, and a Senior Advisor with the Albright Stonebridge Group.   He was also a member of the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition Team and called back to government service in January 2021 as the Senior Advisor for Security Council Affairs and Acting Deputy Permanent Representative at the U.S. Mission to the UN\, a position he held until September 2023. He then began a two-year appointment at Simmons University as the Joan M. Warburg Professor of International Relations. At the same time DeLaurentis also served as a diplomatic advisor on the U.S. interagency task force on Haiti and represented the U.S. on the advisory board of the UN Trust Fund in Support of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) to Haiti\, until December 2024. He was subsequently appointed the Magro Family Distinguished Fellow in International Affairs at the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth College for the 2025 Fall Term. \nDeLaurentis is a graduate of the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service and Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. A recipient of multiple State Department awards\, he is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations\, the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Cuba Study Group. He recently joined the Stimson Center as a Distinguished Fellow and is a member of Stimson’s Latin American Program Advisory Council\, and continues as an associate with the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard. \n\nModerated By\nJack Leslie\nPublic Relations Executive and former Chair\, U.S. African Development Foundation \nJack Leslie is the former Chairman of Weber Shandwick\, one of the world’s leading public relations and public affairs firm. He was appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the US Senate to Chair the Board of Directors of the US African Development Foundation (USADF)\, an independent federal agency. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and is a former Chair of the Ron Brown Scholar Program. \nJack is a veteran communications strategist\, having advised corporations and governments on high-profile campaigns over the past three decades. Jack served as a senior aide to Senator Edward Kennedy in the late 1970s\, and later became President of Sawyer Miller Group\, a pioneer in the political media consulting business. \nIn the 1980s\, he served as political consultant and media advisor to dozens of candidates for U.S. Senate and Governor\, and to presidential candidates in the U.S.\, Latin America\, Africa\, and Asia. Political and business leaders alike have sought his counsel during significant crises\, including American Airlines following the attacks of September 11th. \nJack is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations\, former Chairman of the U.S. Agency for International Development Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid\, former Chairman of USA for UNHCR and is currently a Distinguished Professor at Georgetown University and a Visiting Fellow at the Duke Global Health Institute. He is a member of the board of directors of Water.org\, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and the NIH Clinical Center. Jack is a graduate of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. \n\n \n\nJoin the Community\nWith continuous breaking global news\, Council membership allows you to understand it all. Members gain lower-cost and exclusive access to discussions with foreign and local leaders\, events with experts and opposing views\, and – most essentially – a community of engaged people like yourself. \nBecome a member or renew today. \n\nMission Partners\n \nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/us-cuba-250-years-of-change/
LOCATION:Pequot Library\, 720 Pequot Ave\, Fairfield\, CT\, 06890\, United States
CATEGORIES:Fairfield County
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260618T180000
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SUMMARY:250 Years of American Diplomacy
DESCRIPTION:A Celebration of the U.S. at 250 with Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam and Yale’s Michael Brenes\n\n\n\nJoin us as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with an all-American party and reflect on America’s place in the world. \nWe’ll explore the pivotal decisions\, influential leaders\, and defining moments that propelled the nation onto the global stage. \nHow has diplomacy shaped America – and what does it mean for the road ahead? Join the celebration and RSVP today. \n\nDetails\nThursday\, June 18\, 2026 | 6:00-8:00pm\n6pm Celebration | 7pm Discussion\nWorld Affairs Council\, Studio A\, Hartford CT\nTickets: $30 General Admission\, $20 Members | No Charge for Students \nle=”color: #94be29;”>Reserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\n\nFeaturing\nMichael Brenes is co-director of the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy and lecturer in history at Yale University. \nHis research interests include United States foreign policy\, political history\, and political economy. He is the author of For Might and Right: Cold War Defense Spending and the Remaking of American Democracy\, published by University of Massachusetts Press in 2020\, and the co-editor (with Daniel Bessner) of Rethinking U.S. Power: Domestic Histories of U.S. Foreign Relations\, published by Palgrave MacMillan in 2024. His next book\, co-authored with Van Jackson\, is titled The Rivalry Peril: How Great-Power Competition Threatens Peace and Weakens Democracy\, and will be published by Yale University Press in January 2025. \nIn addition to his academic articles and book chapters\, his work has been published in The New York Times\, The New Republic\, Foreign Affairs\, Foreign Policy\, Politico\, Dissent\, Boston Review\, The Nation\, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. \nHe is currently writing a history of the War and Terror from the 1990s to the present\, to be published by Grove/Atlantic. He is also finalizing a co-edited volume with Daniel Bessner on Cold War liberalism\, which is under contract with Cambridge University Press. \nModerated By\n \nMayor Arunan Arulampalam\nMayor\, City of Hartford \nMayor Arulampalam is a father\, husband\, attorney\, former nonprofit executive\, and is committed to strengthening our neighborhoods and building a Hartford that works for everyone. \nThe son of Sri Lankan refugees\, Mayor Arulampalam was born in Zimbabwe. He made a home and eventually a family in Hartford soon after graduate school. Prior to being elected mayor\, Mayor Arulampalam served as the CEO of the Hartford Land Bank\, where he developed a first-in-the-nation program to train Hartford residents to become local developers and tackle blight in Hartford. The Land Bank takes on the city’s vacant and blighted properties and\, with the help of Hartford developers\, fixes them up to encourage investment in our neighborhoods across the city. \nMayor Arulampalam also served in the Lamont Administration as Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection where he went after a notorious Connecticut slumlord and fought for consumer rights and small businesses. Before then\, he was a lawyer downtown at the firm of Updike\, Kelly & Spellacy\, P.C. Mayor Arulampalam also served on the Board of the Hartford Public Library\, the House of Bread\, and on the Hartford Redevelopment Authority. He earned his B.A. in International Studies from Emory University and his J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law. \nMayor Arulampalam lives in the Frog Hollow neighborhood in a formerly vacant and blighted house with his wife and five small kids. Mayor Arulampalam’s wife\, Liza\, is the Senior Minister of the First Church of Christ (Center Church) in Hartford. \n\nJoin the Community\nWith continuous breaking global news\, Council membership allows you to understand it all. Members gain lower-cost and exclusive access to discussions with foreign and local leaders\, events with experts and opposing views\, and – most essentially – a community of engaged people like yourself. \nBecome a member or renew today. \n\nMission Partners\n \nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/250-years-of-american-diplomacy-hartford/
LOCATION:World Affairs Council of Connecticut\, 1049 Asylum Ave\, Hartford\, CT\, 06105\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260713T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260713T193000
DTSTAMP:20260708T154419Z
CREATED:20260611T165438Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T154419Z
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SUMMARY:Second Monday with CTWAC | July 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join fellow World Affairs Council members and friends 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. \n\n\n\nTopic:Is the Rules-Based World Order at Risk?\n\n\nFrom Ukraine to Sudan to the Middle East\, international law is being tested by persistent conflicts and allegations of war crimes and genocide. Can a rules-based world order survive as alliances shift and fracture? And in an age of rapidly advancing drone technology and use\, how is the nature of war changing?\nThis is a no-homework event\, but supplemental readings will be provided to attendees\n\n\n\nThe Details: \nWhen: Monday\, July 13th | 6-7:30PM\nWhere: McCarter & English\, LLP\, Stamford\, CT\nTickets: $20 Members\, $30 Non-members | Registration required\nSpace is limited \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nUpcoming Second Mondays:\nJuly 13th - Is the Rules-Based World Order at Risk?\nAugust 10th - *Topic TBA\n*Topics will be announced 1 week prior to events. \n\nPast Second Mondays:\nJune 8th - A New Monroe Doctrine?\nMay 11th - China's Power in a Shifting World\nApril 13th - When Inequality Becomes Instability\nMarch 9th - The Iran Question\nFebruary 9th - Is 'The West' Over?\nJanuary 12th - What Just Happened in Venezuela? \n2025\nDecember 8th - Global Inequality & its Impacts on Societal Stability\nNovember 10th - Nuclear Deterrence in the Age of Drones\nOctober 13th - A New Era of U.S. Foreign Policy\nSeptember 15th - Counterterrorism or Extra-Legal Killings: When Do Strikes on Non-State Targets Cross the Line?\nJune 9th - What's at stake in the India-Pakistan conflict?\nMay 12th - So many elections - what do they all mean?\nApril 28th (Special Edition) – Sudan’s Civil War & Sub-Saharan Africa after USAID\nApril 14th - The Future of Immigration Policy\nMarch 10th - NATO's Uncertain Future\nFebruary 10th – The End of USAID?\nJanuary 13th – Greenland\, the Panama Canal\, and The Future of Immigration Policy \n2024\nDecember 9th – A Rebalancing in the Middle East and the Taiwan Question\nNovember 12th – Foreign Policy in a New Administration\nOctober 14th – The World After the U.S. Election\nSeptember 30th – Worldwide Efforts to Battle - or Embrace - Disinformation\nJuly 15th – The Climate Crisis & Global Instability\nJune 10th – Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?\nMay 20th – Democratic Systems at a Crossroad\nApril 8th – War in Gaza: How did we get here?\nMarch 11th – Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next? \n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew 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.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/second-monday-with-ctwac-july-2026/
LOCATION:McCarter & English\, Two Stamford Plaza\, 281 Tresser Blvd\, 11th Floor\, Stamford\, CT\, 06901\, United States
CATEGORIES:Fairfield County
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T200000
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SUMMARY:The Future of War | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:What will war look like in 2084 – in a world devastated by climate change? \nJoin us on WorldNow with Jim Falk as we sit down with Elliot Ackerman\, author of 2084: A Novel of the Future of War; NYT bestselling author\, and contributing writer at The Atlantic. \nIn 2084\, decorated military officers and award-winning authors Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis write a world on the brink of war\, divided between equatorial countries ravaged by climate change and the wealthier\, politically fractured countries like China and the U.S. 2084 follows their two previous novels\, envisioning a war between the U.S. and China in 2034 and the breakdown of American politics fueled by AI in 2054. \nThe details:\nWhen: Wednesday\, July 15 | 7:00pm-8:00pm EDT\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP Required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Guest\n \nElliot Ackerman is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Halcyon\, 2034\, Red Dress In Black and White\, Waiting for Eden\, Dark at the Crossing\, and Green on Blue\, as well as the memoir The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan\, and Places and Names: On War\, Revolution and Returning. \nHis books have been nominated for the National Book Award\, the Andrew Carnegie Medal in both fiction and nonfiction\, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize among others. \nHe is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and Marine veteran who served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan\, where he received the Silver Star\, the Bronze Star for Valor\, and the Purple Heart. He divides his time between New York City and Washington\, D.C. \n  \n\nMeet the Host\n\nJim Falk is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe\, a member organization of the World Affairs Councils of America. He is the host of WorldNow with Jim Falk and the producer and host of The Forum\, the weekly public affairs program on KSFR-FM\, Santa Fe Community Radio (KSFR.org). A member of the Council on Foreign Relations\, Falk led the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth as President and CEO from 2001 to 2021\, helping expand the organization's role as one of the nation's leading forums for international affairs and public policy. His guests have included diplomats\, senior intelligence officials\, policymakers\, military leaders\, scholars\, journalists\, and bestselling authors from around the world. Through WorldNow and The Forum\, he continues his commitment to fostering informed\, civil dialogue on the international\, political\, social\, and cultural issues shaping our world. \n  \n\nAbout the Book\n2084 (A Novel of Future War) by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis \n“Gripping…Ackerman and Stavridis stage a harrowing global conflict that pits military might against an appetite for justice… equal parts haunting and entertaining.” —Publishers Weekly\, starred review\nA gripping drama and chilling prophecy about the possible path to war for a planet devastated by climate change \nIn their novel 2034\, decorated military officers and award-winning authors Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis imagined a war between the US and China. In their follow-up novel\, 2054\, they envisioned a breakdown in American politics fueled by a radical advance in AI. Now they make their boldest\, most astonishing\, and arguably most necessary leap—imagining the consequences of a climate war. \nBy the year 2084\, the world is divided into the equatorial countries that bear the brunt of the climate crisis—led by Nigeria\, Brazil\, and Indonesia—and wealthier countries like China and the US\, beset by their own problems after a series of civil wars. Tensions between the two sets of countries have reached a breaking point\, until finally the so-called Reparationist nations of the equator decide that only military force can bring them justice. \nA fascinating and disturbingly plausible extrapolation from current realities\, 2084\, like other classics of the genre such as Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future and Neal Stephenson’s Termination Shock\, deploys a global cast of characters\, all protecting their interests as the fate of human civilization hangs in the balance. Individuals often seem small in the face of the forces that drive global change\, but in the end human agency proves surprisingly decisive. Big doors can swing on small hinges. We have it within ourselves to write a different destiny\, if only we can imagine it. \nGet yourself a copy of 2084 on Bookshop.org and support your local bookstore \n\nPresented by\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut with the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and the World Affairs Councils of America. Presented in partnership with Councils nationwide: \n \n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/future-of-war-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260817T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260817T193000
DTSTAMP:20260804T214709Z
CREATED:20260714T143401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260804T214709Z
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SUMMARY:Second Monday with CTWAC | August 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join fellow World Affairs Council members and friends 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. \n\n\n\nTopic: How AI Has Changed the World\n\n\nFrom autonomous weapons and intelligence operations to civic life\, artificial intelligence is reshaping how nations compete\, economies grow\, and power is projected around the world. As governments and companies race to develop increasingly powerful AI\, who will set the rules – and who will gain the strategic advantage? How will AI transform warfare\, global stability\, and the international order in the decades ahead?\nThis is a no-homework event\, but supplemental readings will be provided to attendees\n\n\n\nThe Details: \nWhen: Monday\, August 17th | 6-7:30PM\nWhere: McCarter & English\, LLP\, Stamford\, CT\nTickets: $20 Members\, $30 Non-members | Registration required\nSpace is limited \nTickets \n\n\n \n\nUpcoming Second Mondays:\nAugust 17th - How AI Has Changed the World\nSeptember 14th - *Topic TBA\n*Topics will be announced 1 week prior to events. \n\nPast Second Mondays:\nJuly 13th - Is the Rules-Based World Order at Risk?\nJune 8th - A New Monroe Doctrine?\nMay 11th - China's Power in a Shifting World\nApril 13th - When Inequality Becomes Instability\nMarch 9th - The Iran Question\nFebruary 9th - Is 'The West' Over?\nJanuary 12th - What Just Happened in Venezuela? \n2025\nDecember 8th - Global Inequality & its Impacts on Societal Stability\nNovember 10th - Nuclear Deterrence in the Age of Drones\nOctober 13th - A New Era of U.S. Foreign Policy\nSeptember 15th - Counterterrorism or Extra-Legal Killings: When Do Strikes on Non-State Targets Cross the Line?\nJune 9th - What's at stake in the India-Pakistan conflict?\nMay 12th - So many elections - what do they all mean?\nApril 28th (Special Edition) – Sudan’s Civil War & Sub-Saharan Africa after USAID\nApril 14th - The Future of Immigration Policy\nMarch 10th - NATO's Uncertain Future\nFebruary 10th – The End of USAID?\nJanuary 13th – Greenland\, the Panama Canal\, and The Future of Immigration Policy \n2024\nDecember 9th – A Rebalancing in the Middle East and the Taiwan Question\nNovember 12th – Foreign Policy in a New Administration\nOctober 14th – The World After the U.S. Election\nSeptember 30th – Worldwide Efforts to Battle - or Embrace - Disinformation\nJuly 15th – The Climate Crisis & Global Instability\nJune 10th – Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?\nMay 20th – Democratic Systems at a Crossroad\nApril 8th – War in Gaza: How did we get here?\nMarch 11th – Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next? \n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew 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.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/second-monday-with-ctwac-august-2026/
LOCATION:McCarter & English\, Two Stamford Plaza\, 281 Tresser Blvd\, 11th Floor\, Stamford\, CT\, 06901\, United States
CATEGORIES:Fairfield County
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260914T193000
DTSTAMP:20260910T185018Z
CREATED:20260819T204916Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T185018Z
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SUMMARY:Second Monday with CTWAC | September 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join fellow World Affairs Council members and friends 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. \n\n\n\nTopic: Germany’s Election and the Future of Europe\n\n\nGermany’s election has brought renewed focus to the growing influence of the far right in Europe. What is driving this political shift\, and what does it reveal about the changing political landscape in Germany and beyond? What does it mean for Europe’s future – and for U.S. foreign policy and the transatlantic relationship?\nThis is a no-homework event\, but supplemental readings will be provided to attendees\n\n\n\nThe Details: \nWhen: Monday\, September 14th | 6-7:30PM\nWhere: McCarter & English\, LLP\, Stamford\, CT\nTickets: $20 Members\, $30 Non-members | Registration required\nSpace is limited \nTickets \n\n\n \n\nUpcoming Second Mondays:\nSeptember 14th - Germany’s Election and the Future of Europe\nOctober 19th - *Topic TBA\n*Topics will be announced 1 week prior to events. \n\nPast Second Mondays:\nAugust 17th - How AI Has Changed the World\nJuly 13th - Is the Rules-Based World Order at Risk?\nJune 8th - A New Monroe Doctrine?\nMay 11th - China's Power in a Shifting World\nApril 13th - When Inequality Becomes Instability\nMarch 9th - The Iran Question\nFebruary 9th - Is 'The West' Over?\nJanuary 12th - What Just Happened in Venezuela? \n2025\nDecember 8th - Global Inequality & its Impacts on Societal Stability\nNovember 10th - Nuclear Deterrence in the Age of Drones\nOctober 13th - A New Era of U.S. Foreign Policy\nSeptember 15th - Counterterrorism or Extra-Legal Killings: When Do Strikes on Non-State Targets Cross the Line?\nJune 9th - What's at stake in the India-Pakistan conflict?\nMay 12th - So many elections - what do they all mean?\nApril 28th (Special Edition) – Sudan’s Civil War & Sub-Saharan Africa after USAID\nApril 14th - The Future of Immigration Policy\nMarch 10th - NATO's Uncertain Future\nFebruary 10th – The End of USAID?\nJanuary 13th – Greenland\, the Panama Canal\, and The Future of Immigration Policy \n2024\nDecember 9th – A Rebalancing in the Middle East and the Taiwan Question\nNovember 12th – Foreign Policy in a New Administration\nOctober 14th – The World After the U.S. Election\nSeptember 30th – Worldwide Efforts to Battle - or Embrace - Disinformation\nJuly 15th – The Climate Crisis & Global Instability\nJune 10th – Potential Flash Points - How is the U.S. positioned and what happens next?\nMay 20th – Democratic Systems at a Crossroad\nApril 8th – War in Gaza: How did we get here?\nMarch 11th – Western Consensus on Ukraine: What’s Next? \n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew 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.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/second-monday-with-ctwac-september-2026/
LOCATION:McCarter & English\, Two Stamford Plaza\, 281 Tresser Blvd\, 11th Floor\, Stamford\, CT\, 06901\, United States
CATEGORIES:Fairfield County
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260924
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261113
DTSTAMP:20260916T163727Z
CREATED:20260911T145824Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T163727Z
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SUMMARY:Global Security Forum 2026 Series | Fault Lines
DESCRIPTION:The international system is under pressure.  \nAlliances are fracturing and new rivalries emerging. Technology\, energy\, and critical minerals are the now lynchpins of national security. Fault lines are emerging where nations\, interests\, and competing visions collide. \nYou’re invited to the Global Security Forum 2026 Series: Fault Lines\, where leaders\, policymakers\, strategists\, and experts reveal the pressures reshaping global security – and the choices that will define what comes next. \n\nGSF2026 Events\nSept. 24\, In-Person | South Korea: Where Fault Lines Collide\nWith South Korea’s former Foreign Minister and current Ambassador to the U.S.\, H.E. Kang Kyung-wha \nOct. 8\, Virtual | All the Presidents’ Wars: 25 Years of America’s War on Terror | WorldNow\nWith Peter Bergen\, CNN National Security Analyst \nOct. 15\, Virtual | Brink: Inside the Race to Free the Oct. 7 Hostages | WorldNow\nWith Brett McGurk\, author and former diplomat \nOct. 20\, Virtual | The Global Race for Critical Minerals\nWith Gracelin Baskaran\, Director of the CSIS Critical Minerals Security Program \nNov. 5\, In-Person | Acting Ambassador of Poland in the U.S.\,Mr. Bogdan Klich \nNov. 11\, In-Person | State of the World \nWith David Sanger\, New York Times Chief White House & National Security Correspondent \nNov. 12\, Virtual | Big Tech & the Future of War | WorldNow\nWith Sharon Weinberger\, Editor-in-Chief-of The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists \n\nGSF2026 All-Access Pass (CTWAC Members Only) \nYour ticket to all in-person and virtual GSF2026 events\, for just $75. Perks include your name listed as a supporter and a special invitation to a private reception with David Sanger. Click here to unlock this member-exclusive offer. \n\nGSF2026 Sponsors\n \nBecome a GSF2026 Sponsor by contacting Council CEO Megan Torrey at mctorrey@ctwac.org. Unlock exclusive access\, increased visibility\, and shape the future of global security. \n\n\nMission Partners\n \nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nJoin the Community\nWith continuous breaking global news\, Council membership allows you to understand it all. Members gain lower-cost and exclusive access to discussions with foreign and local leaders\, events with experts and opposing views\, and – most essentially – a community of engaged people like yourself. \nBecome a member or renew today and unlock member benefits for the entire 2026 Global Security Forum Series. \n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint. \n\n 
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/gsf2026/
CATEGORIES:Global Security Forum 2026
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T190000
DTSTAMP:20260916T195610Z
CREATED:20260911T210248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T195610Z
UID:10000436-1790271000-1790276400@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:South Korea: Where Fault Lines Collide | Ambassador of Korea\, H.E. Kyung-wha Kang | GSF2026
DESCRIPTION:North Korea. China. Nuclear threats. AI. Cybersecurity. Defense. The future of America’s alliances. South Korea stands on the front lines of today’s biggest security challenges. \nAs Korea emerges as a major defense\, technology\, and economic power\, it is also navigating one of the most complex security environments in the world. The choices Korea makes – and the forces shaping the region – could have consequences far beyond the Peninsula. \nH.E. Kang Kyung-wha\, Ambassador of Korea to the U.S. and 36th Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs\, and Scott Snyder\, President & CEO of the Korea Economic Institute of America\, join Roy Kamphausen for a conversation on Korea\, power\, and security – and what comes next. \nJoin us for the opening event of the 2026 Global Security Forum: Fault Lines\, with a reception featuring light Korean bites. \nThe Details \nThursday\, September 24 | 5:30pm-7pm\nWorld Affairs Council\, Café\, Hartford\nTickets: $20 Members | $30 General Admission | No charge for Students & Educators \nTickets \n\n\n  \n\nThis is the opening event of the 2026 Global Security Forum Series: Fault Lines. where leaders\, policymakers\, strategists\, and experts reveal the pressures reshaping global security - and the choices that will define what comes next. \nGSF2026 All-Access Pass (CTWAC Members Only)\nYour ticket to all in-person and virtual GSF2026 events for just $75\, including your name listed as a supporter and an invitation to a private reception with David Sanger. Click here to unlock this member-exclusive offer. \n\nFeaturing\nH.E. Kang Kyung-wha\nAmbassador of the Republic of Korea to the U.S. \nHer Excellency Kang\, Kyung-wha was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the United States of America by President Lee\, Jae Myung in October\, 2025. \nPrior to her appointment\, Ambassador Kang served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2017-2021 under President Moon\, Jae-in. Between April 2024 and September 2025\, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Asia Society in New York. \nDuring her varied and distinguished career in public service\, Ambassador Kang served as Secretary for International Relations in the Office of the Speaker of the Korean National Assembly and as Senior Advisor and Principal Speechwriter to the Foreign Minister and Principal Interpreter to the President of Korea. \nShe was also Director-General for International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea. At the United Nations\, she was Deputy High Commissioner at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights\, Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator and Assistant Secretary-General at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs\, Chief of the Transition Team for the 9th United Nations Secretary-General-elect and later his Senior Advisor on Policy. \nEarlier in her career\, Ambassador Kang worked for the English Section of Radio Korea International of the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS)\, served as Assistant Professor at Cleveland State University in Cleveland\, Ohio and was active in several women’s organizations in Korea. She was affiliated with Ewha Women’s University as Distinguished Professor Emeritus (Sept. 2022 - Feb. 2023) and is Honorary Professor at the Institute for Global Engagement and Empowerment at Yonsei University since September\, 2023. \nAmbassador Kang has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and International Studies from Yonsei University\, and both a Master’s Degree and Doctorate in International/Intercultural Communication from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is married with three children. \n\nScott Snyder\nPresident & CEO\, Korea Economic Institute of America \nScott A. Snyder is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI). Prior to joining KEI\, he was senior fellow for Korea studies and director of the program on U.S. Korea policy at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) from 2011 to March 2024. At CFR\, Mr. Snyder also served as an adjunct fellow from 2008 to 2011 and as project director for CFR’s Independent Task Force on policy toward the Korean Peninsula. Mr. Snyder was also a senior associate in the international relations program of the Asia Foundation\, where he founded and directed the Center for U.S.-Korea Policy and served as the Asia Foundation’s representative in Korea from 2000 to 2004. \nHe has worked as a senior associate at Pacific Forum CSIS\, an Asia specialist in the research and studies program of the U.S. Institute of Peace\, and acting director of Asia Society’s contemporary affairs program. Mr. Snyder was a Pantech visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center from 2005 to 2006\, and received an Abe fellowship\, administered by the Social Sciences Research Council\, in 1998 to 1999. He has provided advice to NGOs and humanitarian organizations active in North Korea and serves as co-chair of the advisory council of the National Committee on North Korea. \nMr. Snyder has authored numerous book chapters on aspects of Korean politics and foreign policy and Asian regionalism. He received a BA from Rice University and an MA from the regional studies East Asia program at Harvard University. He was a Thomas G. Watson fellow at Yonsei University in South Korea. \n\nModerated By\n \nRoy Kamphausen\nSpecial Advisor to the President and Senior Fellow for Chinese Security\, The National Bureau of Asian Research \nRoy D. Kamphausen is a retired president of the National Bureau of Asian Research\, where he now serves Senior Fellow for Chinese Security. \nMr. Kamphausen combines analytical and policy experience on the national security dimensions of U.S.-China Strategic Competition and U.S. relations with allies in the Asia-Pacific. He was China policy director in the Office of the Secretary of Defense\, a political-military strategist for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff\, and a military attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. He was a Commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission for two terms. He has led the principal international conference on the PLA for the last 21 years. He has co-edited fourteen volumes in the People’s Liberation Army Conference series\, in partnership with U.S. Pacific Command. \nMr. Kamphausen holds a BA in Political Science from Wheaton College and an MA in International Affairs from Columbia University. \n\nIn Partnership With\n\nGSF2026 Sponsors\nBecome a GSF2026 Sponsor by contacting Council CEO Megan Torrey at mctorrey@ctwac.org. Unlock exclusive access\, increased visibility\, and shape the future of global security. \nSponsor the GSF2026 Series\n\n\n\n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/ambassador-of-korea-gsf2026/
LOCATION:World Affairs Council Cafetorium\, 1049 Asylum Ave\, Hartford\, CT\, 06105\, US
CATEGORIES:Global Security Forum 2026
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T200000
DTSTAMP:20260911T212034Z
CREATED:20260715T225825Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T212034Z
UID:10000428-1791486000-1791489600@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:All the Presidents' Wars with Peter Bergen | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:How did the War on Terror reshape America – and the world?  \nPeter Bergen\, the journalist who conducted the first televised interview with Osama bin Laden in 1997 and author of All the Presidents’ Wars\, joins WorldNow with Jim Falk to examine the decisions of four U.S. presidents over 25 years of conflict and their lasting consequences: from the rise of ISIS and the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan to today’s war with Iran. \nThe details:\nWhen: Thursday\, October 8 | 7:00pm-8:00pm EDT\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP Required \nTickets \n\n\nThis event is part of the 2026 Global Security Forum Series: Fault Lines. \nThe international system is under pressure. Alliances are fracturing and new rivalries emerging. Technology\, energy\, and critical minerals are the now lynchpins of national security. Fault lines are emerging where nations\, interests\, and competing visions collide. \nJoin us for GSF2026\, where leaders\, policymakers\, strategists\, and experts reveal the pressures reshaping global security – and the choices that will define what comes next. \nGSF2026 All-Access Pass (CTWAC Members Only)\nYour ticket to all in-person and virtual GSF2026 events\, for just $75. Perks include your name listed as a supporter and a special invitation to a private reception with David Sanger. Click here to unlock this member-exclusive offer. \n\nMeet the Guest\n \nPeter Bergen is the author of seven books\, including Manhunt\, one of three New York Times bestsellers. Bergen is vice president at New America\, professor at Arizona State University\, and CNN national security analyst. \nHe is the author of All the Presidents’ Wars: Twenty-Five Years of America’s War on Terror\, available September 8th\, 2026. \n  \n\nMeet the Host\n\nJim Falk is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe\, a member organization of the World Affairs Councils of America. He is the host of WorldNow with Jim Falk and the producer and host of The Forum\, the weekly public affairs program on KSFR-FM\, Santa Fe Community Radio (KSFR.org). A member of the Council on Foreign Relations\, Falk led the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth as President and CEO from 2001 to 2021\, helping expand the organization's role as one of the nation's leading forums for international affairs and public policy. His guests have included diplomats\, senior intelligence officials\, policymakers\, military leaders\, scholars\, journalists\, and bestselling authors from around the world. Through WorldNow and The Forum\, he continues his commitment to fostering informed\, civil dialogue on the international\, political\, social\, and cultural issues shaping our world. \n\nAbout the Book\n \nAll the Presidents' Wars: Twenty-Five Years of America's War on Terror by Peter Bergen \nFrom the New York Times best-selling author\, an eye-opening history of the United States’ war on terror across four presidential administrations.\n2026 is the twenty-fifth anniversary of 9/11\, the most devastating attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor. Within days\, the United States began to declare its war on terror: “Either you are with us\, or you are with the terrorists\,” President George W. Bush proclaimed. The resulting war on terror cost trillions of dollars\, hundreds of thousands of lives\, a series of misguided wars\, and the damaged perception of American power. And yet despite its blunders\, this campaign has kept America safe from large-scale foreign attack. \nBased on hundreds of interviews\, All the Presidents’ Wars focuses on critical decisions of four successive presidents—Bush\, Obama\, Biden\, and Trump—and their global consequences. One of the few journalists to interview Osama bin Laden and have unparalleled access to the US intelligence community\, Peter Bergen covers the history that might have been avoided: the many terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups around the world; the rise of al-Qaeda in Iraq\, largely responsible for the Iraqi civil war in the mid-2000s; the birth of ISIS; the resurrection of Afghanistan’s Taliban; and Trump’s war with Iran. From the failure to capture and the eventual killing of Osama bin Laden to the disastrous rise of sectarian violence in the Middle East\, Bergen traces the profound ramifications of this epoch in American life. \nAll the Presidents’ Wars also explores the innovations and unintended consequences of each presidency’s military and political decisions\, including debates over military intervention and withdrawal; the tactics of special operations units\, armed drones\, and armies of counterterrorism partners; and whether the idea of war ever properly captured the defining conflict of recent American foreign policy. All the Presidents’ Wars is essential reading to understand America’s devastating war on terror and to avoid the mistakes of the past. \nPre-order a copy of All the Presidents’ Wars on Bookshop.org and support your local bookstore. \n\nPresented by\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut in partnership with Councils nationwide: \n \n\nGSF2026 Sponsors\nBecome a GSF2026 Sponsor by contacting Council CEO Megan Torrey at mctorrey@ctwac.org. Unlock exclusive access\, increased visibility\, and shape the future of global security. \nSponsor the GSF2026 Series\n\n\n\n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/all-the-presidents-wars-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/All-the-Presidents-Wars-GSF2026-scaled.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T200000
DTSTAMP:20260911T212102Z
CREATED:20260804T210404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T212102Z
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SUMMARY:Brink: Inside the Race to Free the October 7th Hostages with Brett McGurk | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:Brett McGurk\, former White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa and author of Brink (available Oct. 6\, 2026)\, takes us inside the high-stakes negotiations to free the October 7 hostages and secure a ceasefire in Gaza. \nMcGurk led U.S. diplomacy on some of the region’s most consequential challenges\, offering a rare firsthand look at the negotiations and decisions that continue to shape the Middle East today. \nThe details:\nWhen: Thursday\, October 15 | 7:00pm-8:00pm EDT\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP Required \nTickets \n\n\nThis event is part of the 2026 Global Security Forum Series: Fault Lines. \nThe international system is under pressure. Alliances are fracturing and new rivalries emerging. Technology\, energy\, and critical minerals are the now lynchpins of national security. Fault lines are emerging where nations\, interests\, and competing visions collide. \nJoin us for GSF2026\, where leaders\, policymakers\, strategists\, and experts reveal the pressures reshaping global security – and the choices that will define what comes next. \nGSF2026 All-Access Pass (CTWAC Members Only)\nYour ticket to all in-person and virtual GSF2026 events\, for just $75. Perks include your name listed as a supporter and a special invitation to a private reception with David Sanger. Click here to unlock this member-exclusive offer. \n\nMeet the Guest\n \nBrett McGurk served as a top national security advisor under Presidents George W. Bush\, Barack Obama\, and Donald Trump. He has been involved in U.S. military strategy\, diplomacy\, and foreign policy for nearly two decades\, most recently as Obama and Trump’s envoy leading the campaign to defeat ISIS. He served as a law clerk to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist on the U.S. Supreme Court from 2001 to 2002\, and was at the Court on the morning of 9/11\, a day that changed history and his life. McGurk is currently the Payne Distinguished Lecturer at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute where he teaches and lectures on presidential decision-making in wartime. \nHe is the author of the forthcoming book Brink: Inside the Race to Free the October 7 Hostages\, available October 6th\, 2026.  \n\nMeet the Host\n\nJim Falk is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe\, a member organization of the World Affairs Councils of America. He is the host of WorldNow with Jim Falk and the producer and host of The Forum\, the weekly public affairs program on KSFR-FM\, Santa Fe Community Radio (KSFR.org). A member of the Council on Foreign Relations\, Falk led the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth as President and CEO from 2001 to 2021\, helping expand the organization's role as one of the nation's leading forums for international affairs and public policy. His guests have included diplomats\, senior intelligence officials\, policymakers\, military leaders\, scholars\, journalists\, and bestselling authors from around the world. Through WorldNow and The Forum\, he continues his commitment to fostering informed\, civil dialogue on the international\, political\, social\, and cultural issues shaping our world. \n\nAbout the Book\n \nBrink: Inside the Race to Free the October 7th Hostages by Brett McGurk \nThe first major insider account of the high-stakes negotiations to free the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7—written in gripping detail by the American mediator who was in the room through it all.\nHaving served four American presidents on matters of war and peace\, Brett McGurk was no stranger to high-stakes diplomacy\, but this was different. With American citizens missing\, the hostages’ release critical to ending the war in Gaza\, and the desperate situation for civilians\, McGurk and his team faced impossible tradeoffs at every turn. Caught between Hamas’s maximalist demands and Israel’s determination that Hamas could not maintain power in Gaza\, McGurk and his colleagues worked relentlessly over fifteen months to get a deal that most increasingly thought impossible. \nTaking readers inside McGurk’s discussions and negotiations with President Joe Biden\, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman\, and presidents\, generals\, spies\, and diplomats in Qatar\, Egypt\, Oman\, and more\, Brink paints a portrait of a region one wrong choice away from tipping into total war\, as Iran and its proxy militias seized upon the chaos to open fire on Israeli and American targets. With the 2024 election reshaping the political landscape and time running out on the hostages\, McGurk found himself working hand in hand with an unlikely partner—Trump’s emissary from the New York real estate world\, Steve Witkoff. They forged a bipartisan front when it mattered most—to secure a ceasefire and save lives. \nA gripping account of diplomacy under fire\, Brink takes readers from the Oval Office to the seats of power in the Middle East and offers a remarkable look inside a crisis that reshaped the world\, the consequences of which are still unfolding today. \nPre-order a copy of Brink\, available October 6\, on Bookshop.org and support your local bookstore. \n\nPresented by\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut in partnership with Councils nationwide: \n \n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/brink-brett-mcgurk-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Brink-with-Brett-McGurk-GSF2026-scaled.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T124500
DTSTAMP:20260911T212126Z
CREATED:20260911T164602Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T212126Z
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SUMMARY:The Global Race for Critical Minerals | GSF2026
DESCRIPTION:Critical minerals have become a new fault line in global security. \nFrom advanced weapons and defense systems to semiconductors\, energy infrastructure\, and emerging technologies\, access to these resources is increasingly essential to national power and security. \nChina dominates many of the world’s critical mineral supply chains\, creating strategic vulnerabilities for the United States and its allies – and intensifying the global competition to secure the resources that will shape the future. \nGracelin Baskaran\, Director of the CSIS Critical Minerals Security Program\, joins the Global Security Forum’s Fault Lines series to examine the geopolitics of critical minerals\, China’s strategic advantage\, and the growing race to secure the resources essential to economic and national security. \nThe details:\nTuesday\, October 20 | 12:00pm ET\nZoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP Required \nRSVP \n\n\nThis event is part of the 2026 Global Security Forum Series: Fault Lines. \nThe international system is under pressure. Alliances are fracturing and new rivalries emerging. Technology\, energy\, and critical minerals are the now lynchpins of national security. Fault lines are emerging where nations\, interests\, and competing visions collide. \nJoin us for GSF2026\, where leaders\, policymakers\, strategists\, and experts reveal the pressures reshaping global security – and the choices that will define what comes next. \nGSF2026 All-Access Pass (CTWAC Members Only)\nYour ticket to all in-person and virtual GSF2026 events\, for just $75. Perks include your name listed as a supporter and a special invitation to a private reception with David Sanger. Click here to unlock this member-exclusive offer. \n\nFeaturing\n \nDr. Gracelin Baskaran\nDirector\, Critical Minerals Security Program\, CSIS \nDr. Gracelin Baskaran is director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She is a mining economist and has spent over a decade working on critical minerals globally. \nShe began her career in South Africa’s platinum belt and later spent five years at the World Bank in South Africa\, where she coauthored the book Africa’s Resource Future: Harnessing Natural Resources for Economic Transformation during the Low-Carbon Transition. She recently published a policy playbook\, Critical Minerals and the Future of the United States Economy\, and is now writing a book on an international strategy for critical minerals engagement for the United States. \nDr. Baskaran is also an adjunct associate professor at Georgetown University\, where she teaches critical minerals in the Center for Security Studies. She was a Fulbright Scholar and has held positions at the University of Cambridge\, the University of London\, and the University of Cape Town. \nDr. Baskaran has been cited as an expert in The Economist\, Financial Times\, the New York Times\, the Wall Street Journal\, the Washington Post\, Fox\, CNN\, Bloomberg\, and BBC\, and regularly appears on television. She has authored more than 200 policy reports\, white papers\, and op-eds. \nIn 2025\, Mining Journal ranked Dr. Baskaran No. 8 on its “Top 50 Most Influential” list—the only woman in the top 12. She regularly speaks at international conferences and policymaker forums and has testified before the U.S. Congress. She holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge. \n\nGSF2026 Sponsors\nBecome a GSF2026 Sponsor by contacting Council CEO Megan Torrey at mctorrey@ctwac.org. Unlock exclusive access\, increased visibility\, and shape the future of global security. \nSponsor the GSF2026 Series\n\n\n\n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/global-race-for-critical-minerals-gsf2026/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
CATEGORIES:Global Security Forum 2026
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T130000
DTSTAMP:20260911T212147Z
CREATED:20260911T194707Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T212147Z
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SUMMARY:A Conversation with the Acting Ambassador of Poland\, Mr. Bogdan Klich | GSF2026
DESCRIPTION:Join the World Affairs Council of Connecticut for a special conversation with Mr. Bogdan Klich\, Acting Ambassador of Poland\, a special event of the Global Security Forum 2026: Fault Lines. \nAt a pivotal moment for Europe and the transatlantic relationship\, Poland is at the front line of conversations about the future of global security. We’ll explore Poland’s role in a changing world and the challenges and opportunities shaping Europe and the world. \nJoin us for a conversation and light lunch with the Ambassador. \nThe details:\nThursday\, November 5 | 12pm – 1pm\nWorld Affairs Council\, Café\, Hartford CT\nTickets: $30 General Admission\, $20 Member Admission \nTickets \n\n\nThis event is part of the 2026 Global Security Forum Series: Fault Lines. \nThe international system is under pressure. Alliances are fracturing and new rivalries emerging. Technology\, energy\, and critical minerals are the now lynchpins of national security. Fault lines are emerging where nations\, interests\, and competing visions collide. \nJoin us for GSF2026\, where leaders\, policymakers\, strategists\, and experts reveal the pressures reshaping global security – and the choices that will define what comes next. \nGSF2026 All-Access Pass (CTWAC Members Only)\nYour ticket to all in-person and virtual GSF2026 events\, for just $75. Perks include your name listed as a supporter and a special invitation to a private reception with David Sanger. Click here to unlock this member-exclusive offer. \n\nFeaturing\n \nMr. Bogdan Klich\nActing Ambassador of Poland in the U.S. \nMr. Bogdan Klich is the Head of Mission in the Embassy of the Republic of Poland as of 18th November 2024. He has been Senator in the Polish Parliament between 2011 and 2024. Between 2015 and 2019\, he was Minority Leader of the Polish Senate. Mr. Bogdan Klich served as Poland’s Minister of Defence from 2007 to 2011 and was a member of the European Parliament. \nMr. Bogdan Klich managed the Information Department at State TV Centre in Cracow between 1990 and 1992. He then was Head of the International Centre for Development of Democracy in Krakow from 1993 to 1999 and Head of the Institute for Strategic Studies from 1999 to 2003. In 1998 and 1999\, he was an Adviser to the government plenipotentiary for Poland’s accession negotiations with the EU. Mr. Klich graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the Krakow Medical Academy and the Faculty of Philosophy and History at the Jagiellonian University. He was a lecturer at the Institute of European Studies at the Jagiellonian University. Mr. Klich has authored numerous publications on foreign policy and international security. In the late 1970’s and 1980’s he was active in the democratic opposition movement. \n\nGSF2026 Sponsors\nBecome a GSF2026 Sponsor by contacting Council CEO Megan Torrey at mctorrey@ctwac.org. Unlock exclusive access\, increased visibility\, and shape the future of global security. \nSponsor the GSF2026 Series\n\n\n\n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/ambassador-of-poland-gsf2026/
LOCATION:World Affairs Council of Connecticut\, 1049 Asylum Ave\, Hartford\, CT\, 06105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Global Security Forum 2026
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261111T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261111T190000
DTSTAMP:20260914T133527Z
CREATED:20260911T205353Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T133527Z
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SUMMARY:State of the World with David Sanger | GSF2026
DESCRIPTION:Where are the world’s fault lines – and where are they headed next? \nPulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author David Sanger returns to the Global Security Forum for a special keynote on the State of the World\, moderated by Arthur House. \nFrom intensifying competition among global powers and wars reshaping the international order to rapidly evolving threats in technology\, security\, and defense\, Sanger will examine the forces driving global instability — and what they mean for the United States and the world. \nA five-time GSF favorite\, Sanger is the author of New Cold Wars: China’s Rise\, Russia’s Invasion\, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West and has been a member of three Pulitzer Prize-winning teams. \nJoin us for one of the signature conversations of Global Security Forum 2026: Fault Lines. \nThe details:\nWednesday\, November 11 | 5:30pm – 7pm\nMark Twain House\, Hartford CT\nTickets: $40 General Admission | $30 Member Admission \nMember-Exclusive Presale opens next week \n\nThis event is part of the 2026 Global Security Forum Series: Fault Lines. \nThe international system is under pressure. Alliances are fracturing and new rivalries emerging. Technology\, energy\, and critical minerals are the now lynchpins of national security. Fault lines are emerging where nations\, interests\, and competing visions collide. \nJoin us for GSF2026\, where leaders\, policymakers\, strategists\, and experts reveal the pressures reshaping global security – and the choices that will define what comes next. \nGSF2026 All-Access Pass (CTWAC Members Only)\nYour ticket to all in-person and virtual GSF2026 events\, for just $75. Perks include your name listed as a supporter and a special invitation to a private reception with David Sanger. Click here to unlock this member-exclusive offer. \n\nFeaturing\n \nDavid Sanger\nChief White House and National Security Correspondent\, The New York Times \nDavid E. Sanger is the White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times and the bestselling author of New Cold Wars\, The Inheritance\, Confront and Conceal\, and The Perfect Weapon. He has been a member of three teams that won the Pulitzer Prize\, including in 2017 for international reporting about Russia’s effort to manipulate the presidential election. A contributor to CNN\, he also teaches national security policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. \n  \nModerated By\nArthur House\nAdjunct Professor\, University of Connecticut  \nArthur House became Chief Cybersecurity Risk Officer for the State of Connecticut in October 2016 after four years as Chairman of Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. House has a background in national security\, having served as Director of Strategic Communications and Congressional Affairs in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and as Chief of the Communications Group for the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. \nHe worked in Asia and Africa as an economist and loan officer for the World Bank and was a Congressional Adviser to the United States Mission to the United Nations. In the private sector\, House was Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Webster Bank and also held senior executive positions at Cigna\, Aetna\, and Tenneco. House serves on the Board of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut. \n\nGSF2026 Sponsors\nBecome a GSF2026 Sponsor by contacting Council CEO Megan Torrey at mctorrey@ctwac.org. Unlock exclusive access\, increased visibility\, and shape the future of global security. \nSponsor the GSF2026 Series\n\n\n\n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/state-of-the-world-gsf2026/
LOCATION:World Affairs Council of Connecticut\, 1049 Asylum Ave\, Hartford\, CT\, 06105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Global Security Forum 2026
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T200000
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SUMMARY:Big Tech & the Future of War with Sharon Weinberger | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:Who will shape the future of war – the Pentagon or Silicon Valley? \nBig Tech is transforming the battlefield. Artificial intelligence\, autonomous weapons\, drones\, and private technology companies are changing not only how wars are fought\, but who holds power over the technologies that define national security. \nSharon Weinberger\, author of Valley of Death: How Big Tech is Fueling the Future of War and veteran national security correspondent\, joins WorldNow for an inside look at Silicon Valley’s growing influence on the Pentagon – and the technologies that could determine the next era of warfare. \nThe details:\nWhen: Thursday\, November 12 | 7:00pm-8:00pm EDT\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP Required \nTickets \n\n\nThis event is part of the 2026 Global Security Forum Series: Fault Lines. \nThe international system is under pressure. Alliances are fracturing and new rivalries emerging. Technology\, energy\, and critical minerals are the now lynchpins of national security. Fault lines are emerging where nations\, interests\, and competing visions collide. \nJoin us for GSF2026\, where leaders\, policymakers\, strategists\, and experts reveal the pressures reshaping global security – and the choices that will define what comes next. \nGSF2026 All-Access Pass (CTWAC Members Only)\nYour ticket to all in-person and virtual GSF2026 events\, for just $75. Perks include your name listed as a supporter and a special invitation to a private reception with David Sanger. Click here to unlock this member-exclusive offer. \n\nMeet the Guest\n \nSharon Weinberger \nEditor-in-Chief of The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists \nSharon Weinberger has been writing on national security issues for more than 25 years\, and was most recently the National Security Editor at The Wall Street Journal from 2022 to 2026. Previously\, she was the Washington\, D.C.\, bureau chief for Yahoo News\, and before that\, the executive editor for news at Foreign Policy magazine. She is the author of the forthcoming book Valley of Death: How Big Tech Is Fueling the Future of War. Her prior books include The Imagineers of War\, A Nuclear Family Vacation and Imaginary Weapons. \nWeinberger was a 2026 Omidyar Network reporter-in-residence and has also held fellowships at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University\, MIT’s Knight Science Journalism program\, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars\, the International Reporting Project at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies\, and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Her writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal\, New York Times\, Washington Post\, New York Magazine\, Nature and WIRED\, among many other publications. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and lives in Washington\, D.C. \n\nMeet the Host\n\nJim Falk is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe\, a member organization of the World Affairs Councils of America. He is the host of WorldNow with Jim Falk and the producer and host of The Forum\, the weekly public affairs program on KSFR-FM\, Santa Fe Community Radio (KSFR.org). A member of the Council on Foreign Relations\, Falk led the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth as President and CEO from 2001 to 2021\, helping expand the organization's role as one of the nation's leading forums for international affairs and public policy. His guests have included diplomats\, senior intelligence officials\, policymakers\, military leaders\, scholars\, journalists\, and bestselling authors from around the world. Through WorldNow and The Forum\, he continues his commitment to fostering informed\, civil dialogue on the international\, political\, social\, and cultural issues shaping our world. \n\nAbout the Book\n \nValley of Death: How Big Tech is Fueling the Future of War by Sharon Weinberger \n“A knowledgeable account of Silicon Valley’s growing influence on Washington\, a relationship with potentially huge pitfalls.” – Kirkus Reviews\nA veteran national security correspondent reveals how a new military-industrial complex is arising from the cradle of Silicon Valley\, with vast implications for American democracy and the global balance of power.\nElon Musk\, Peter Thiel\, and Alexander Karp. These tech titans are fast becoming some of the most powerful figures in the realm of national security\, with enormous implications for us all. As Sharon Weinberger reveals in this gripping account\, the American military and spy agencies helped to create Silicon Valley as we now know it\, and some of its biggest and most valuable companies today owe much of their success to the Pentagon and CIA. \nBeginning with the War on Terror and accelerating under Donald Trump\, however\, the old alliance between elected leaders in Washington and the unelected CEOs of Silicon Valley has grown increasingly uneasy as power shifts to the private sector and Big Tech exerts greater influence over its old patrons. Companies like SpaceX and Palantir are proudly supporting – and quietly shaping – US national defense\, whether by providing spies and soldiers with AI and cloud-computing tools or actual military hardware such as microwave weapons\, hypersonic missiles\, and advanced drones. \nWhat happens when mercurial billionaires like Elon Musk control weapons and technologies that were once the preserve of the US government? How will this new military-industrial complex affect the way wars are fought\, or even which wars are fought? That is the urgent question before us today—and as Weinberger reveals\, it is one on which our collective future might well hinge. \nPre-order a copy of Valley of Death\, available September 22\, on Bookshop.org and support your local bookstore. \n\nPresented by\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut in partnership with Councils nationwide: \n \n\nGSF2026 Sponsors\n \nBecome a GSF2026 Sponsor by contacting Council CEO Megan Torrey at mctorrey@ctwac.org. Unlock exclusive access\, increased visibility\, and shape the future of global security. \n\n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/big-tech-future-of-war-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261203T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261203T130000
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SUMMARY:The World Ahead: 2027 | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:Each year\, The Economist‘s The World Ahead series examines the forces expected to shape the year ahead. Covering politics\, technology\, society\, and beyond\, this series edited by Tom Standage offers an ambitious and wide-ranging look at what’s next. \nOn December 3\, Standage returns to WorldNow with Jim Falk to unpack his predictions for the trends that will define 2027. \nThe details:\nWhen: Thursday\, December 3 | 12:00PM – 1:00PM ET\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP Required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Guest\n \nTom Standage is deputy editor of The Economist and editor of its future-gazing annual\, “The World Ahead.” Standage directs the newspaper’s digital strategy and the development of new digital products and is the author of seven history books\, including Writing on the Wall (2013)\, The Victorian Internet (1998)\, and A History of the World in 6 Glasses (2005). He studied engineering and computing at Oxford University and has written for other publications including the New York Times\, Daily Telegraph\, The Guardian\, and Wired. \n  \n\nMeet the Host\n\nJim Falk is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe\, a member organization of the World Affairs Councils of America. He is the host of WorldNow with Jim Falk and the producer and host of The Forum\, the weekly public affairs program on KSFR-FM\, Santa Fe Community Radio (KSFR.org). \nA member of the Council on Foreign Relations\, Falk led the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth as President and CEO from 2001 to 2021\, helping expand the organization's role as one of the nation's leading forums for international affairs and public policy. His guests have included diplomats\, senior intelligence officials\, policymakers\, military leaders\, scholars\, journalists\, and bestselling authors from around the world. \nThrough WorldNow and The Forum\, he continues his commitment to fostering informed\, civil dialogue on the international\, political\, social\, and cultural issues shaping our world. \n\nPresented by\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and presented in partnership with Councils nationwide: \n \n\nMission Partners\n\nSupport global engagement in Connecticut by contacting CEO Megan Torrey about sponsorship opportunities. Learn more on our website about available opportunities. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nRenew your membership or become a member on our website. Council members gain exclusive\, lower-cost access to global events and travel opportunities\, while engaging with top international leaders. Join our community of global citizens and let us bring the world to you. \n\n\n\nThe World Affairs Council of Connecticut provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas on global issues. The views expressed by speakers and contributors to this organization’s public programs—in person\, online\, and through affiliated social media sites— are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of CTWAC\, its individual staff\, board members\, members\, or sponsors. As a nonpartisan and nonpolitical organization\, CTWAC’s purpose is to foster informed discussion and greater understanding of the world\, without endorsing any particular viewpoint.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/world-ahead-2027-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
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