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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260420T200000
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SUMMARY:The Iran War: What We Know\, What Comes Next | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:With the U.S. and Iran now in open conflict and the world’s energy supply under threat\, the stakes could not be higher – or more uncertain. \nJoin us on WorldNow with Jim Falk as we sit down with Steven Cook\, senior Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations; Amb. Deborah Jones\, U.S. Ambassador (ret.) to Kuwait and Libya; and Beth Sanner\, CNN National Security Contributor and former Deputy Director of National Intelligence. \nWe’ll explore what’s happened so far in the conflict with Iran\, what may happen next\, and the war’s long-term impact on the region and beyond. \nThe details:\nWhen: Monday\, April 20 | 8:00pm-9:00pm EDT / 7pm CDT\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: Registration Required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \nAs this program will be simulcast with KSFR’s The Forum\, it will begin one hour later than our usual start time. The Zoom link will open at 8:00 PM EDT\, and the program will get underway at 8:04 PM EDT. \n\nFeaturing\n \nSteven A. Cook \nSenior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies\, Council on Foreign Relations \nSteven Cook is Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies and director of the International Affairs Fellowship for Tenured International Relations Scholars at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He is an expert on Arab and Turkish politics as well as U.S.-Middle East policy. Cook is the author of The End of Ambition: America’s Past\, Present\, and Future in the Middle East.  \n\nAmb. Deborah Jones\nU.S. Ambassador (ret.) to Kuwait and Libya \nAmbassador Deborah Jones retired from the U.S. Department of State in 2016 with the rank of Career Minister following a 34-year diplomatic career that included assignments in Argentina\, Iraq\, Tunisia\, Syria\, Ethiopia\, the United Arab Emirates\, and Turkey\, as well as service as U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait and Libya. \n\n \nBeth Sanner\nDeputy Director of National Intelligence (2019-2021)\, National Security Contributor for CNN \nBeth Sanner\, a leading commentator and analyst of global affairs\, is a national security contributor for CNN\, director of geopolitics and strategy at International Capital Strategies. As Deputy Director of National Intelligence from April 2019 to March 2021\, Beth was the nation’s top intelligence analyst and also served as President Trump’s intelligence briefer during his first term. \nIn an intelligence career spanning three decades\, she was director of the President’s Daily Brief\, vice chair of the National Intelligence Council\, and a senior executive in CIA’s Directorate of Analysis\, before being appointed DDNI. She also served on the White House National Security Council staff and at the State Department. \nIn 2021\, Beth received the Presidential Rank Award\, the highest honor granted to civil servants\, for her leadership role in support of U.S. national security and the Distinguished Intelligence Service Medal\, the Intelligence Community’s highest award. \n\nModerated by\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\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-iran-war-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Iran-on-WorldNow-Website-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260331T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260331T200000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20260210T201937Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T144122Z
UID:10000411-1774983600-1774987200@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:The Best & Worst: 250 Years of U.S. Foreign Policy with CFR’s James Lindsay | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:From the Marshall Plan\, the Louisiana Purchase\, and the creation of the United Nations to the bombing of Nagasaki\, Indian Removal Act\, and the invasion of Iraq\, U.S. foreign policy decisions throughout its 250-year history have had an immense impact in reshaping our nation and the world. \nJames Lindsay\, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations\, unveils the ultimate rankings of the best and worst decisions in U.S. foreign policy in 250 years. Join us March 31 on WorldNow with Jim Falk as we explore these foreign policy moves\, their impact on the U.S. and the world\, and the future of U.S. foreign policy in the century ahead. \nThe details:\nWhen: Tuesday\, March 31 | 7:00pm-8:00pm Eastern / 6pm Central\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Guest\n \nJames M. Lindsay is the Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy and Director of Fellowship Affairs at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). A leading expert on U.S. national security and foreign policy\, Lindsay has held senior roles at CFR and previously served on the National Security Council. \nHe is the author of several acclaimed books\, including The Empty Throne and America Unbound\, and hosts the podcast The President’s Inbox. He holds advanced degrees from Yale University and has taught at the University of Texas and the University of Iowa. \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\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/250-years-of-us-foreign-policy-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Jim-Lindsay-250-Years-of-Foreign-Policy.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260305T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260305T124000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20260219T164500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260219T183131Z
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SUMMARY:Women in Power: Ambassador Susan Page | International Women’s Day
DESCRIPTION:Women’s representation in global leadership has slowed and\, in some places\, backslid in recent years. We ask why this is occurring – and where women’s leadership is thriving – with Ambassador Susan Page. Ambassador Page was the first U.S. Ambassador to the newly independent South Sudan and served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. \nCelebrate International Women’s Day and explore where women are leading – from Ukraine to Mexico to Italy – where women leaders are facing increased challenges\, and what it means for the world when women are in power. \nThis celebration of International Women’s Day is part of an annual collaboration between the Women’s Leadership Center at the University of Saint Joseph and the World Affairs Council of Connecticut. \nThe Details\nWhen: Thursday\, March 5 | 12:00PM – 12:40PM ET\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, suggested $20 donation \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nFeaturing\n \nAmbassador Susan D. Page \nFormer U.S. Amb. to South Sudan; Director\, Weiser Diplomacy Center; Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy\, and Professor from Practice at the University of Michigan's Law School \nAmbassador Susan D. Page\, a former diplomat\, joined the Ford School faculty and the Weiser Diplomacy Center in 2020 as a Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy. She also serves as a Professor from Practice at the Law School. Page has served the U.S. Department of State\, the U.S. Agency for International Development\, the United Nations\, and non-governmental organizations in senior roles for decades\, across East\, Central\, and Southern Africa\, and in Haiti and Nepal. \nPage was the first U.S. ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan and served as deputy assistant secretary of State for African Affairs\, covering Central and Southern Africa\, and Sudan; legal adviser to the IGAD-led peace process that resulted in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) for Sudan. Page also served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH). Among her many roles\, she was attorney-adviser for Politico-Military Affairs in the State Department’s Office of the Legal Adviser\, USAID regional legal advisor in Kenya and Botswana covering East and Southern Africa\, and political officer in Rwanda. \nPage earned a JD from Harvard Law School and an AB in English with high distinction from the University of Michigan. She was awarded a Rotary International Postgraduate Fellowship to Nepal where she conducted research on women’s and children’s rights. In addition\, she received certificates of merit and distinction from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland before attending law school. Ambassador Page is an elected member of the American Academy of Diplomacy\, a board member of Road Scholar\, and a member of the Association of Black American Ambassadors. \n\nPresented By\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 \n\nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\nSe-Min Sohn\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/women-in-power-iwd-2026/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Women-in-Power.jpg
END:VEVENT
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260210T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260210T200000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20251219T210051Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260206T193612Z
UID:10000403-1770750000-1770753600@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:The Great Firewall with Yi-Ling Liu | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:Thirty years ago\, the world began to discover the power of the Internet: a digital world and resource to connect\, share ideas\, learn\, and earn. While the rest of the world connected\, the Chinese government began creating a system of strict surveillance and censorship on its internet – now known as the Great Firewall. \nToday\, as the country’s leadership intensifies its control of public discourse and Western headlines reduce the Chinese public to a faceless monolith\, what is the true online and on-the ground reality for Chinese citizens? \nJoin us February 10th on WorldNow as author and journalist Yi-Ling Liu tells the untold story of the Chinese internet. Hear how Chinese citizens have navigated the last 30 years of surveillance and censorship while searching for freedom and connection – behind the Great Firewall \nThe details:\nWhen: Tuesday\, February 10 | 7:00pm-8:00pm Eastern / 6pm Central\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Author\n \nYi-Ling Liu is a writer & editor covering AI and Chinese society\, from a human-centered lens. She is currently a journalist-in-residence at the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism. She is the author of The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet¸out on February 3rd. \nHer work has been published in The New York Times Magazine\, The New Yorker\, Harper’s Magazine\, WIRED\, and The New York Review of Books. She is a New America Fellow\, a recipient of the Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award\, and an Overseas Press Club Foundation Scholar. Born and raised in Hong Kong\, and a graduate of Yale University\, she now lives in London. \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 a Director 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\nAbout the Book\n \nThe Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet by Yi-Ling Liu \nAn eye-opening exploration of the Chinese internet that reveals the intricate dance between freedom and control in contemporary China.\nIn the late 1990s\, as the world was waking up to the power and emancipatory promise of the internet\, Chinese authorities began constructing a system of online surveillance and censorship now known as the Great Firewall. But far from being a barren landscape\, the digital world that sprouted up behind the firewall brimmed with new subcultures and tech innovations\, offering many Chinese citizens previously unimaginable connection and opportunity. \nToday\, as the country’s leadership intensifies its control of public discourse and Western headlines reduce the Chinese public to a faceless monolith\, journalist Yi-Ling Liu presents an intimate portrait of China’s online ecosystem—and a crucial lens into the on-the-ground reality of life there. Tracing the last three decades of the Chinese internet’s evolution—from its lexicon to its memes to the precise nature of its censorship—she equips readers with a critical tool to assess the past\, present\, and future of a global power. \nDrawing on years of firsthand reporting\, The Wall Dancers weaves together the stories of individuals navigating China’s transformation into both the world’s largest online user base and one of its most populous authoritarian states. As these entrepreneurs\, activists\, artists\, and dreamers experience the internet’s power as a tool for both control and liberation\, they grapple with universal questions of success and authenticity\, love and solidarity\, faith and resilience. \nThe Wall Dancers is at once an unforgettable work of human storytelling and a vital exploration of what it means to live with dignity and hope within the technological systems that now shape all our lives. \nOrder a copy of The Wall Dancers\, out on February 3\, 2026. \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\n\n\nMission Partners\n \n\nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\nSe-Min Sohn\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. 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. \n\n\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-great-firewall-liu-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Great-Firewall-WorldNow.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260204T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260204T193000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20260131T204119Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260204T164909Z
UID:10000408-1770231600-1770233400@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:Bad Bunny and the History of Puerto Rico with Dr. Jorell Meléndez-Badillo
DESCRIPTION:Global superstar and Puerto Rican icon Bad Bunny is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show\, and we refuse to let you show up without context. \nBefore kickoff\, join Dr. Jorell Meléndez-Badillo\, UConn alum\, author of Puerto Rico: A National History\, and the historian who worked with Bad Bunny on his Puerto Rican residency\, for a deeper look at Puerto Rico’s history\, its complex relationship with the United States\, and the futures the Puerto Rican people envision for themselves. We’ll also explore behind the scenes of Bad Bunny’s meteoric rise\, the messages in his music\, and his global impact. \nCome for the context\, stay for the culture\, and leave ready to impress your friends and family with the best Bad Bunny facts at your Super Bowl party. \nKnow the lyrics? Now know the history. RSVP today. \nThe Details\nWhen: Wednesday\, Feb. 4 | 7:00PM – 7:30PM ET\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, suggested $20 donation \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nFeaturing\nDr. Jorell Meléndez-Badillo \nAuthor & Associate Professor of History\, University of Wisconsin-Madison \nDr. Jorell Meléndez-Badillo is a historian of Puerto Rico\, the Caribbean\, and Latin America and the author\, most recently\, of the critically acclaimed book\, Puerto Rico: A National History (Princeton University Press\, 2024)\, translated to Spanish by Aurora Lauzardo Ugarte as Puerto Rico: historia de una nación (Grupo Planeta\, 2024). He is also the author of The Lettered Barriada: Workers\, Archival Power\, and the Politics of Knowledge in Puerto Rico (Duke University Press\, 2021) and Voces libertarias: Orígenes del anarquismo en Puerto Rico (Secret Sailor Books\, 2013) \nDr. Meléndez-Badillo is also the co-editor of Without Borders or Limits: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Anarchist Studies (Cambridge Scholars Publishing\, 2013) and editor of Páginas libres: Breve antología del pensamiento anarquista en Puerto Rico (Editora Educación Emergente\, 2021). I am also the co-editor of Interrogating the Future of Puerto Rican Studies\, forthcoming with Duke University Press in 2026. \nMore recently\, he collaborated with global superstar Bad Bunny in the creation of historical narratives that accompanied each song’s YouTube visualizer in DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. He also wrote 40 historical and cultural short texts that are used in the screens of Bad Bunny’s historic residency in Puerto Rico. His work has been featured in the LA Times\, Vogue\, New York Magazine\, Good Morning America\, Univisión\, Telemundo\, AFP\, La Nación\, La Jornada\, and El Nuevo Día\, among many national and international outlets. \nBefore UW-Madison\, he was a Mellon Faculty Fellow and Assistant Professor of History at Dartmouth College. He is from the capital of the Caribbean: Aguadilla\, Puerto Rico. \n\nModerated By\nAmanda Jolly \nModerator | World Affairs Council of Connecticut \nAmanda is the former Vice President for Programs and Communications at the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and international nonprofit technology consultant. Amanda is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University SAIS with a Master’s Degree in Global Risk and a specialization in digital policy. \n\nHost & Partners\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 \n\nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\nSe-Min Sohn\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/bad-bunny-history-of-puerto-rico/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bad-Bunny-and-the-History-of-Puerto-Rico-Event-Graphic.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T200000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20251218T203335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251219T205320Z
UID:10000402-1769022000-1769025600@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:The Trillion Dollar War Machine with Bill Hartung | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:The U.S. spends nearly a trillion dollars on its military each year\, making up 40% of the world’s military spending. Is this spending really keeping America safe? \nBill Hartung\, author and senior fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft\, argues that not only is this spending not keeping America safe\, but it is endangering both the U.S. and the world at large. \nOn January 21st\, Hartung joins WorldNow with Jim Falk to reveal how the American military industrial complex operates\, its key players – from Hollywood and Silicon Valley to lobbyists and the Pentagon’s top contractors – and how we can secure America’s future and prosperity by re-envisioning America’s trillion-dollar war machine. \nThe details:\nWhen: Wednesday\, January 21 | 7:00pm-8:00pm Eastern / 6pm Central\nWhere: Zoom Webinar | Registration required\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Author\n \nWilliam D. Hartung is a senior fellow at the Quincy Institute\, focusing on the arms industry and US military budget. He was previously the director of the Arms and Security Program at the Center for International Policy and the co-director of the Center’s Sustainable Defense Task Force. Bill is the co-author\, with Ben Freeman\, of the recently released The Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Home. \nBill previously directed programs at the New America Foundation and the World Policy Institute. He also worked as a speechwriter and policy analyst for New York State Attorney General Robert Abrams. Hartung’s articles on security issues have appeared in the New York Times\, the Washington Post\, the Los Angeles Times\, The Nation\, and the World Policy Journal. \nHe has been a featured expert on national security issues on CBS 60 Minutes\, NBC Nightly News\, the PBS Newshour\, CNN\, Fox News\, and scores of local\, regional\, and international TV and radio outlets. \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 a Director 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\nAbout the Book\n \nThe Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Home by William D. Hartung and Ben Freeman \nA hard-hitting investigation into how the Pentagon’s runaway spending embroils America in foreign wars\, squanders its wealth\, and enriches a privileged elite\n“A damning indictment of the conflicts of interest running rampant in the defense establishment.”―Publishers Weekly\nAmerica spends nearly a trillion dollars a year on its military. This extraordinary spending not only detracts from our ability to address pressing social problems but compels us into foreign wars to justify our vast arsenal. Sold to us in the name of “security\,” our military industrial complex actually makes us far less safe. \nTop policy experts William D. Hartung and Ben Freeman follow the profits of militarism from traditional Pentagon contractors\, which receive more than half of the Pentagon’s budget\, to the upstart high-tech firms that shamelessly promote unproven and destabilizing technologies. They unmask the enablers of the war machine—politicians\, lobbyists\, the media\, Hollywood\, think tanks\, and so many more—whose work enriches a wealthy elite at the expense of everybody else\, spreading conflict around the world and embroiling America in endless wars. \nA damning tour de force\, The Trillion Dollar War Machine shows who is pulling the strings and pushing for war\, and offers a blueprint for how we can shut down the war machine and restore American security and prosperity. \nGet yourself a copy of The Trillion Dollar War 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\n\n\nMission Partners\n \n\nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\nSe-Min Sohn\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. 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. \n\n\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/trillion-dollar-war-machine-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Trillion-Dollar-War-Machine-.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T130000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20260114T212116Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260120T214318Z
UID:10000405-1768996800-1769000400@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:[Postponed] Greenland\, Denmark\, & the U.S.
DESCRIPTION:Thank you for your interest in this event. Unfortunately\, this discussion has been postponed as MG Jensen’s schedule has changed due to the unprecedented current events that require his full attention. \nThe Embassy of Denmark would like to share that MG Jensen highly values this discourse and we’re working hard to reschedule. We will announce the new date and time as soon as MG Jensen’s schedule and the diplomatic situation allows. Please check back soon. \nAny questions\, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Council at: info@ctwac.org. \n\nThe U.S. has stated its desire to take Greenland – by purchase or by force. \nPresident Trump claims the island is a strategic Arctic asset\, and that U.S. ownership would deter Russia and China. Denmark’s leadership states the island is “not for sale\,” and the use of military force to take Greenland could mean the end of NATO. Greenland itself prefers Denmark\, according to its Prime Minister. \nAs this conflict unfolds between NATO allies\, Major General Karsten Jensen\, Defence Attache of Denmark to the U.S. joins the Council to speak with us directly. \nRSVP now to hear directly from Denmark’s top military representative in the U.S.\, on Denmark’s response to U.S. threats and the future of the Denmark\, Greenland\, and the U.S. \nThe Details \nWhen: Wednesday\, Jan. 21 | 12:00PM – 1:00PM ET Postponed\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, suggested $20 donation \nReserve your spot today \n\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 \n\nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\nSe-Min Sohn\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/greenland-denmark-us/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Greenland-Denmark-and-the-U.S.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260114T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260114T200000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20251215T171603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T190623Z
UID:10000401-1768417200-1768420800@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:The Architect of Espionage: The Man Who Built Israel's Mossad | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:How did Mossad\, Israel’s intelligence service\, come to be one of the world’s most notorious and prominent players in global intelligence? Just look to Meir Dagan\, the Mossad’s former director who transformed the service into the leading force in counterterrorism and espionage it is today. \nSamuel Katz\, bestselling author of The Architect of Espionage: The Man Who Built Israel’s Mossad in to the World’s Boldest Intelligence Force\, joins WorldNow to introduce us to the former Mossad director. \nKatz will give us an inside look at Dagan’s leadership and the operations carried out during his tenure\, including counterterrorism efforts\, covert missions related to Iran’s nuclear program\, and expanded intelligence cooperation with international partners – and how he transformed modern espionage and the Middle East. \nThe details: \nWhen: Wednesday\, January 14 | 7:00PM EST / 6PM Central\nWhere: Zoom Webinar | Registration required\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP required \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Author\n \nSamuel M. Katz is a New York Times bestselling author who has written over twenty books on the Arab Israeli conflict\, military and law enforcement special operations\, espionage\, and counterterrorism. He has written hundreds of articles for magazines and journals around the world\, as well as documentaries for television. He is also the former editor-in-chief of Special Operations Report\, a trade publication for the world’s commando and counterterrorist community. Katz lectures police agencies and military commands around the world on the history of terrorism\, and he is a frequent guest on television and radio networks. \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 a Director 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 Architect of Espionage: The Man Who Built Israel’s Mossad into the World’s Boldest Intelligence Force by Samuel M. Katz \nFrom a New York Times bestselling author and an expert on Middle Eastern conflict comes a riveting biography of Meir Dagan\, the legendary Mossad director who transformed Israel’s intelligence service into a global powerhouse of espionage and counterterrorism.\nIn The Architect of Espionage\, Samuel M. Katz masterfully chronicles the life of Meir Dagan\, a visionary covert warfare veteran who revolutionized the art of intelligence and espionage. Born in the shadows of the Holocaust\, his life personified the modern history of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Dagan’s journey embodies decisive action\, innovative thought\, and bold leadership under fire. His tenure as the head of the Mossad marked a transformative era in Israel’s history\, reshaping the agency into a formidable global force. \nDagan spent thirty-two years in uniform\, and under his eight-year leadership\, Mossad orchestrated a series of high-stakes missions\, including targeted assassinations\, clandestine attempts to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power\, and the covert expansion of Israel’s strategic collaborations with members of the global intelligence fraternity\, notably with the CIA. These operations not only bolstered Israel’s security but also altered the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East. \nKatz brings to life the portrait of a spymaster whose influence extended far beyond Israel’s borders\, shaping intelligence relationships across the Middle East and worldwide. \nFor anyone captivated by espionage thrillers or historical biographies\, this is an essential and timely read\, providing an insightful glimpse into the mind of one of the most influential spymasters of our era. \nGet yourself a copy of The Architect of Espionage 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\n\n\nMission Partners\n \n\nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\nSe-Min Sohn\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. 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. \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/the-architect-of-espionage-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Architect-of-Espionage-WorldNow.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260107T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260107T130000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20260106T202428Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T202644Z
UID:10000404-1767787200-1767790800@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:Briefing: Maduro's Capture & the Future of U.S.-Venezuela Relations
DESCRIPTION:What just happened in Venezuela?  \nJoin us for a special virtual briefing with Amb. Charles Shapiro\, former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela (2002-2004)\, on the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. troops in Caracas and what’s next for U.S.-Venezuela relations. \nCo-moderated by Aaron Rosen\, President & Founder of the World Affairs Council of Miami and Rickey Bevington\, President of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. \nFeatures special commentary on counter-narcotics by former U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica Luis Moreno\, former U.S. Narcotics Affairs Director in Bogota\, Colombia. \nDetails\nWednesday\, January 7 | 12:00pm ET\nZoom Webinar \n\n\nFeaturing\nAmbassador Charles Shapiro \nAmbassador (ret.) Charles Shapiro is a senior advisor at the Pendleton Group\, co-founder of Art of Diplomacy Tours\, and a Professor of Practice at the Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech. \nA career foreign service officer with 34 years of service\, Shapiro held a number of senior positions at the United States Department of State including Ambassador to Venezuela\, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere\, and Coordinator for Cuban Affairs. \nIn 2011 Shapiro became the president of the Institute of the Americas\, a think tank at the University of California San Diego. In 2014 he became president of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. While at the World Affairs Council\, he taught international business in the Executive MBA program at the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. \nShapiro’s op-eds have been published in the Toronto Star\, Efecto Cocuyo\, the Atlanta Journal Constitution\, the Atlanta Business Chronicle\, the Miami Herald\, the San Diego Union Tribune\, and the Los Angeles Times.\nAmbassador Luis G. Moreno \nAmbassador Moreno previously served as U.S. Narcotics Affairs Director in Bogota\, Colombia and was instrumental in planning and implementing Plan Colombia (a U.S. foreign aid and military initiative aimed at supporting counter-narcotics in Colombia) \n\nPresented by
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/briefing-maduros-capture-us-venezuela/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Venezuela-Briefing.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251209T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251209T200000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20251120T191357Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T175529Z
UID:10000396-1765306800-1765310400@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:Venezuela and the U.S.: What Comes Next?
DESCRIPTION:Gunboat diplomacy\, armed conflict\, or all-out regime change? As tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela continue to rachet up\, all outcomes and more seem to be on the table. \nThe U.S. has declared an armed conflict with Venezuela\, increased military pressure in the Caribbean\, and accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of heading Cartel de los Soles\, recently declared to be a foreign terrorist organization. Simultaneously\, President Trump has indicated an openness to talks with his Venezuelan counterpart. \nIs the U.S. headed towards war with Venezuela? \nFormer Ambassador to Venezuela\, Charles Shapiro\, joins us to unpack everything we know about the potential of further U.S. military action and what could come next. \nA career foreign service officer with 34 years of service\, Amb. Shapiro held a number of senior positions at the United States Department of State including Ambassador to Venezuela\, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere\, and Coordinator for Cuban Affairs. \nThe Details:\nWhen: Tuesday\, Dec. 9 | 7:00PM – 8:00PM ET\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, suggested $20 donation \nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nFeaturing\nAmbassador Charles Shapiro \nAmbassador (ret.) Charles Shapiro is a senior advisor at the Pendleton Group\, co-founder of Art of Diplomacy Tours\, and a Professor of Practice at the Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech. \nA career foreign service officer with 34 years of service\, Shapiro held a number of senior positions at the United States Department of State including Ambassador to Venezuela\, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere\, and Coordinator for Cuban Affairs. \nIn 2011 Shapiro became the president of the Institute of the Americas\, a think tank at the University of California San Diego. In 2014 he became president of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. While at the World Affairs Council\, he taught international business in the Executive MBA program at the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. \nShapiro’s op-eds have been published in the Toronto Star\, Efecto Cocuyo\, the Atlanta Journal Constitution\, the Atlanta Business Chronicle\, the Miami Herald\, the San Diego Union Tribune\, and the Los Angeles Times. \nModerated by\n \nMegan Clark Torrey \nCEO\, World Affairs Council of Connecticut \nMegan Clark Torrey is the CEO of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut. In 2016\, she founded the Global Security Forum – a globally recognized forum for defense and security hosted annually in Hartford\, CT. \nIn 2022\, Megan participated in the Secretary of Defense Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC93)\, and in 2023 was nominated by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro to be the first U.S. Navy Community Ambassador to Connecticut. \nBefore joining the Council in 2003\, she worked with UNESCO’s International Year for the Culture of Peace at its headquarters in Paris and the UN International Training & Research Institute for the Advancement of Women. Megan holds two degrees in International Relations and Diplomacy. \n\nPresented by\n \n\nMission Partners\n \n  \nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\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/venezuela-and-the-u-s-what-comes-next/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Venezuela-Event-Image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251103T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251103T160000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20251029T165045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251029T170116Z
UID:10000394-1762182000-1762185600@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:Edible Economics: A Hungry Economist Explains the World
DESCRIPTION:Presented by the World Affairs Council of Alaska \nWhat do okra\, chocolate\, and economic theory have in common? Join the Alaska World Affairs Council for a thought-provoking conversation with renowned economist and bestselling author Ha-Joon Chang as he explores the surprising connections between food\, economics\, and global change. \nDrawing from his latest work\, Edible Economics\, Chang uses the stories behind everyday foods to illuminate big questions about globalization\, climate change\, inequality\, and the future of capitalism. Through humor\, insight\, and real-world examples\, he challenges conventional thinking and offers fresh ways to understand the forces shaping our world. \nThis is not your average economics talk — it’s a global feast for curious minds. \nWhen: Monday\, November 3rd | 3pm-4pm Eastern\nWhere: Zoom Webinar \n\n\nAbout the Speaker\nHa-Joon Chang is a Distinguished Research Professor of economics\, as well as Co-director of CSST (Centre for Sustainable Structural Transformation) and of DLD (Development Leadership Dialogue) at SOAS University of London. Previously he taught at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Cambridge (1990-2022). In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters\, he has published 17 authored books (five co-authored) and 11 edited books (seven co-edited). His main books include The Political Economy of Industrial Policy (1994)\, Kicking Away the Ladder (2002)\, Bad Samaritans (2007)\, 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism (2010)\, Economics: The User’s Guide (2014)\, and Edible Economics (2022). His writings have been translated and published in 46 languages and 48 countries. Worldwide\, his books have sold around 3 million copies. Chang has advised numerous international organizations\, national governments\, civil society organizations\, and corporations (both private-sector and public). He is currently a member of CDP (Committee for Development Policy)\, the highest advisory body of the United Nations on development issues\, as well as committees overseeing or advising other international organizations\, academic bodies\, and charitable organisations. Chang is the winner of the 2003 Gunnar Myrdal Prize and the 2005 Wassily Leontief Prize. \n\nAbout the Moderator\nLise Kristiansen\, born and raised in Anchorage\, Alaska\, serves as the Norwegian Honorary Consul for Alaska and Advisor to the Alaska World Affairs Council. From 2007 to 2023\, she was President and CEO of the Alaska World Affairs Council\, where she developed high-impact programs featuring more than 450 world leaders\, including diplomats\, NATO commanders\, policymakers\, public officials\, presidents\, and royalty. \nLise has been recognized for her leadership and civic contributions\, including being named one of Anchorage’s Top 40 Under 40\, inducted into the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Athena Society\, and honored as Leader of the Year by the National World Affairs Councils of America — selected from 94 council leaders nationwide. \nA frequent speaker on Arctic and international affairs\, Lise has shared her expertise both nationally and internationally. In recognition of her contributions to Norway-Alaska relations\, she was awarded the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit\, Knight 1st Class\, by the King of Norway. \nLise has a passion for sports and music\, including playing the piano\, and has participated in 6 Ironman Triathlons including the Ironman World Championship in Kona\, Hawaii.  During her free time\, you can often find her on a nearby pickleball court. \n\nHosted By\n \n\n 
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/edible-economics-a-hungry-economist-explains-the-world/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ha-Joon-Chang-1-e1761757006826.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250624T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250624T193000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20250527T181343Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250616T191444Z
UID:10000377-1750791600-1750793400@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:Empty Vessel with Ian Kumekawa: The Story of the Global Economy in One Barge
DESCRIPTION:In his newly published Empty Vessel\, Harvard economic historian Ian Kumekawa tells the history of the global economy through a single barge: which throughout the 20th century served as a floating prison\, military barracks\, housing for migrant workers\, serviced offshore oil rigs\, and anything else the market demanded. \nIan Kumekawa joins us on WorldNow with Jim Falk to explore the making and offshoring of the modern global economy – from mass incarceration\, tax havens\, and fossil fuel extraction to military power and deregulation. We’ll also discuss what the story reveals about the global economy today and the administration’s increased use of offshore prisons\, tariffs\, and economic nationalism. \n“Kumekawa gives us a ‘barge’s-eye view’ of what his protagonist witnessed…tracing how the vessel became a passive yet essential participant in a rapidly changing world. Empty Vessel joins a growing shelf of books about the new forms that globalization is taking” – Jennifer Szalai\, New York Times\n\nThe Details:\nWhen: Tuesday\, June 24th | 7:00PM – 7:30PM ET\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, suggested $20 Donation | RSVP Required\nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nAbout the Book\nEmpty Vessel: The Story of the Global Economy in One Barge by Ian Kumekawa \nThe rise of globalization and financialization as seen from a barge—one Swedish barge\, to be exact\, built in 1979\nWhat do a barracks for British troops in the Falklands War\, a floating jail off the Bronx\, and temporary housing for VW factory workers in Germany have in common? A single barge that served all three roles. \nEmpty Vessel follows the many lives of a barge—from floating jail to troopship—revealing how a single vessel housed soldiers\, prisoners\, and migrant workers\, playing a role in mass incarceration\, tax havens\, military power\, and fossil fuel extraction. Kumekawa has crafted an astounding\, narrative-driven microhistory in which the forces of globalization converge on one barge\, exposing the infrastructure behind the political economy of the late 20th century. \nKumekawa connects the barge’s different uses with shifts in the global economy\, demonstrating how the Vessel came to represent tax havens\, exploited labor forces\, free banking zones\, Thatcherism\, Reaganomics\, and mass incarceration. The result\, as Eric Klinenberg puts it\, is “a brilliant\, unforgettable tale of our modern times.” \nGet a copy of Empty Vessel on Bookshop.org to support your local bookstore. \n\nMeet the Author\n \nIan Kumekawa is a historian of economic thinking and capitalism at the Center for History and Economics at Harvard University and a Lecturer at MIT. He is the author of The First Serious Optimist (2017)\, which examines the intellectual origins of welfare economics and won the Joseph J. Spengler Prize. He hails from Clinton\, CT and now lives in Boston. Learn more about Ian here.  \n  \n\nMeet the Host\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\nHosts & Partners\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut\, Global Santa Fe\, and the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth.\n \n\nMission Partners\n \n  \nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\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. 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/empty-vessel-with-ian-kumekawa-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Empty-Vessel-Cover-Image-v2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250506T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250506T200000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20250414T141904Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T153135Z
UID:10000372-1746558000-1746561600@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:Human Scale: A Conversation with Lawrence Wright | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:In his new political thriller The Human Scale\, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright tells the story of an Israeli cop and a Palestinian-American FBI agent who join forces to solve the murder of an Israeli police chief in the West Bank – set against the backdrop of the decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict. \nWright joins us on WorldNow to discuss how his novel\, which concludes on October 8th\, 2023\, underscores the human cost of this longstanding conflict. As he writes at the end of the book: “One cannot hope for an end to the strife without acknowledging the separate histories that each side claims.” \nA staff writer at The New Yorker\, Wright has spent decades reporting from the Middle East as a journalist\, playwright\, and novelist. He won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11\, his acclaimed nonfiction account of the rise of Al-Qaeda. \n“The politics in this book are impossible to ignore; indeed\, they’re the point. Wright is thorough in his recounting of key elements of the conflict.” – The New York Times\n\nThe Details:\nWhen: Tuesday\, May 6th | 7:00PM – 8:00PM ET\nWhere: Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, Suggested $20 Donation | RSVP Required\nReserve your spot today \n\n\n \n\nAbout the Book\nThe Human Scale by Lawrence Wright \nIn this sweeping\, timely thriller\, a Palestinian American FBI agent teams up with a hardline Israeli cop to solve the murder of the Israeli police chief in Gaza—from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Looming Tower and The End of October.\nIn his historically accurate novel\, Lawrence Wright tells the story of the decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict through richly-drawn characters: a Palestinian-American FBI agent\, an anti-Arab Israeli police officer\, family members with ties to Hamas\, religious leaders\, corrupt cops\, and militants on both sides. Through these intersecting lives\, Wright weaves an intricate tapestry that culminates in the devastating Hamas attack on Israel on October 7\, 2023. \nMore than a thriller\, Wright’s novel explores the complex history between Israel and Palestine\, revealing the tragic human scale of this long-standing conflict and offering a nuanced perspective on a tragedy that continues to shape the region and the world. \nGet a copy of The Human Scale on Bookshop.org and support local bookstores. \n\nMeet the Author\nLawrence Wright is an author\, screenwriter\, playwright\, and staff writer for The New Yorker magazine. \nHe is the author of eleven nonfiction books. His book about the rise of al-Qaeda\, “The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11” (Knopf\, 2006)\, was published to immediate and widespread acclaim. It won numerous awards\, including the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. It was made into a series for Hulu in 2018\, starring Jeff Daniels\, Alec Baldwin\, and Tahar Rahim. \nWright has published four novels\, “Noriega: God’s Favorite” (Simon and Schuster\, 2000) which was made into a Showtime movie starring Bob Hoskins; “The End of October” (Knopf\, 2020)\, a bestseller about a viral pandemic that came out right at the beginning of COVID; “Mr. Texas” (Knopf\, 2023)\, which has been optioned as a limited streaming series; and his most recent novel\, “The Human Scale\,” released in the spring of 2025. \nIn 2006\, Wright premiered his first one-man play\, “My Trip to Al-Qaeda\,” at The New Yorker Festival\, which led to a sold-out six-week run off-Broadway. It was made into a documentary film of the same name\, directed by Alex Gibney\, for HBO. \nWright wrote and performed another one-man show\, “The Human Scale\,” about the standoff between Israel and Hamas over the abduction of an Israeli soldier\, Gilad Shalit. The Public Theater in New York produced the play\, which ran for a month off-Broadway in 2010\, before moving to the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv. Many of the ideas developed in that play later evolved into the novel of the same name\, published 15 years later. \nIn addition to his one-man productions\, Wright has written five other plays that have enjoyed productions around the country\, including “Camp David\,” about the Carter\, Begin\, and Sadat summit in 1978; and “Cleo\,” about the making of the movie “Cleopatra.” \nWright is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations\, the Society of American Historians\, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also serves as the keyboard player in the Austin-based blues band\, WhoDo. \nMeet the Host\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\nHosts & Partners\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut in partnership with Global Santa Fe.\n \n\nMission Partners\n \n  \nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\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. 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/human-scale-a-conversation-with-lawrence-wright/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ctwac.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Conversation-with-Lawrence-Wright-3.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250319T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250319T200000
DTSTAMP:20260424T165452
CREATED:20250207T181649Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250225T201458Z
UID:10000364-1742410800-1742414400@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:The Future of Borders with Edward Alden | WorldNow
DESCRIPTION:In its first few weeks\, the Trump administration announced sweeping changes to immigration policy – from mass deportations and a migrant detention center at Guantanamo Bay to suspending asylum and trying to restrict birthright citizenship. What is the cost of these policies – to citizens and noncitizens alike? \nCFR’s Edward Alden joins us on WorldNow with Jim Falk to explain the economic\, social\, and international impact of the new administration’s border policies and mass deportations. \nThe details:\nWhen: Wednesday\, March 19 | 7:00PM ET\nWhere: Zoom Webinar \nRSVP Here \n\n\n \n\nMeet the Author\nEdward Alden is Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Alden's career spans more than three decades in journalism\, think tanks\, and academia. He was the bureau chief for the Financial Times newspaper in Toronto\, Canada\, and Washington\, DC before joining the Council on Foreign Relations in 2007. \nIn addition to his own books and articles\, he has worked with senior US policymakers on in-depth investigations of issues such as US immigration policy\, US trade policy\, border security\, and the future of work. Since 2019 he has also been a visiting professor at Western Washington University\, and he currently writes a column for Foreign Policy. \nMeet the Host\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. Jim also hosts Perspectives Matter\, which airs weekly on KERA-Dallas (PBS). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. \n\nWhen the World Closed Its Doors: The Covid-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders by Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman \nA detailed exploration of the most sweeping government border closures in human history during the Covid-19 pandemic and the implications for the future of global mobility.\nIn When the World Closed Its Doors\, Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman tell the story of how nearly every country in the world shut its borders to respond to an external threat and explain how this global shock to the system ended up transforming state border policies around the world. \nThey detail the consequences of the COVID border restrictions - couples separated for years\, children blocked from reuniting with their parents\, container ship workers moving essential goods trapped at sea\, pregnant citizens barred from returning home - and explain why governments used their harshest containment measures on those coming from outside. \nThroughout\, Alden and Trautman focus on human stories to show the multiple impacts that states' increasing restrictiveness has had - economic\, demographic\, social\, and political. And the fallout continues: governments left unchecked will continue to restrict borders with little regard to the collateral damage and disruption they cause. \nA sweeping overview of the re-bordering of the world\, both during and after 2020\, this synthetic\, wide-angle view of a singular shock to the international systems of travel and migration highlights why citizens need better protections and governments more robust guardrails. \nGet a copy of When the World Closed Its Doors \n\nHosts & Partners\nWorldNow with Jim Falk is hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and Global Santa Fe. Presented in partnership with the Alaska World Affairs Council\, Colorado Springs World Affairs Council\, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations\, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations\, World Affairs Council of Albuquerque\, World Affairs Council of Austin\, World Affairs Council of Charlotte\, World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads\, World Affairs Council of Houston\, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville\, World Affairs Council of Orange County\, World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts\, WorldOregon\, and Perspectives Matter. \n\nStay Globally Involved\nBecome a member or renew today. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut\, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities\, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries\, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/the-future-of-borders-edward-alden-worldnow/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
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UID:10000365-1741089600-1741093200@ctwac.org
SUMMARY:Global Trade | A Celebration of International Women's Day 2025
DESCRIPTION:A future-focused conversation on global trade\, tariffs\, and transformation featuring Anne Evans and Dr. Rhona Free. Register today.\nFrom the threat of tariffs and unpredictable new federal “auditors” to supply chain instability\, how will shifting global trade trends reshape the global economy in 2025? \nJoin us for a timely conversation in celebration of International Women’s Day with Anne Evans\, CEO of Universal Strategies\, and Dr. Rhona Free\, President of the University of Saint Joseph on global trade\, tariffs\, and their impact on economies at every level. \nAnne became the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration Director for Connecticut in 2007\, and drove Connecticut’s economic recovery through the recession. She received the Hartford Business Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. \nAs the world undergoes rapid change\, new national policies are poised to reshape the global economic landscape\, with women playing a pivotal role in this transformation. Don’t miss this chance to gain critical insights into the forces driving the future of global trade and economic policy. \nThe Details:\nWhen: Tuesday\, March 4th | 12:00 PM\nWhere: Virtual | Zoom Webinar\nTickets: No charge\, RSVP for zoom link\nRegister Today \n\n\n This celebration of International Women’s Day is part of an annual collaboration between the Women’s Leadership Center at the University of Saint Joseph and the World Affairs Council of Connecticut. \n\nFeaturing\nAnne Evans | CEO of Universal Strategies Limited; Board Member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut; and former Director of the International Trade Administration in Connecticut \nAnne founded Universal Strategies in 1999 as an international business\, government relations\, trade and specialty environmental consulting company. \nReturning to the company in 2021 after a 13 year leadership position with the US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration\, Anne brings more than 45 years of experience in the global marketplace with senior government and private sector business and trade positions. She has led numerous trade missions worldwide and organized high level business\, trade and procurement events including events at the White House and at USA and foreign embassies. At Universal Strategies Limited she leads a team that specializes in business development\, government relations and international trade with a particular focus on Australia and AUKUS opportunities. \nAnne was recognized by tire industry and awarded the Tire Industry Pioneer Award for her innovation and leadership in waste tire recovery. She was the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award winner by the Hartford Business Journal. She has been recognized twice by the US Congress for her support of USA businesses and employment of veterans. \nRead more about Anne here. \n\nRhona C. Free | President\, University of Saint Joseph \nRhona C. Free\, Ph.D.\, became the ninth President of the University of Saint Joseph in July 2015. During her time at USJ\, she has guided the deliberations that led to the University’s decision to become fully-coeducational and championed the creation of the Women’s Leadership Center. She has overseen the launch of new academic majors to meet student interests and workforce needs; the consolidation of health care programs onto the West Hartford campus; significant expansion of athletic programs and facilities; the implementation of the Catholic Promise Scholarship program; and completion of numerous capital projects to enhance student life\, campus accessibility\, and educational training facilities including studios\, classrooms\, and laboratories. \nLearn more about Dr. Free here \n\nMission Partners\n \n  \nMark & Linda Caplan\nDonna Collins\nSusan & Peter G. Kelly\n\nStay Globally Involved\nBecome a member or renew today. As a member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut\, you can get exclusive access to events and travel opportunities\, build relationships with local leaders and global dignitaries\, and join our community of global citizens. Let us bring the world to you.
URL:https://ctwac.org/event/global-trade-iwd-2025/
LOCATION:Zoom Webinar
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