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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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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T200000
DTSTAMP:20260911T212034Z
CREATED:20260715T225825Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T212034Z
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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
UID:10000429-1792090800-1792094400@ctwac.org
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
UID:10000433-1792497600-1792500300@ctwac.org
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Critical-Minerals-Cover-Image-scaled.png
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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
UID:10000434-1793880000-1793883600@ctwac.org
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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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
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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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