World Affairs Councils of America
Our Mission
• Creating citizens well-informed in world affairs
• Building international interests among young people
• Fostering people-to-people relationships
• Enhancing international understanding
Our System
8686 Councils Councils
17 17 National AffiliatesNational Affiliates
11 11 International AffiliatesInternational Affiliates
484,000484,000 Members and Participants Members and Participants
20,000,00020,000,000 People Reached Annually People Reached Annually
Aggregate Funding
Speakers
• Largest international affairs speakers program in the country with 2,500 events a year
50th Anniversary Celebration
• Host 10 heads of state annually
Great Decisions
Grassroots foreign policy education program run by the Foreign Policy Association of New York
350,000 people participate in Great Decisions programs in 880 locations
Produces a PBS TV series and a national poll of informed citizen opinion
A National Flagship Program
School ProgramsWe reach 50,000 teachers and 2 million students.
We support international education in schools through:
• Teacher Workshops
• Organizing Model UN Events
• Field Trips for Students
• Study Tours Abroad for Teachers
• Bringing Speakers and International Visitors to Schools
• Scholarships and Awards
• Organizing World Affairs Knowledge Competitions
• Publishing Curriculum Units
World In Transition
Our multimedia curriculum series produced by the Southern Center for International Studies in Atlanta.
It covers Europe, Eurasia, Africa, East Asia, Middle East, Latin America, and South Asia.
Used by 38,000 teachers and 1.5 million students nationwide
A National Flagship Program
Academic WorldQuest
Our national competition for high school students testing knowledge of world affairs, current events, geography and more.
Councils send teams to Washington, DC each spring for a weekend of competition, networking, meetings with leaders, museum visits, and a whole lot of fun!
A National Flagship Program
Preparing for the game
Philly team scores in round six
It’s Your WorldOur weekly radio program run by the San Francisco council
• News and Commentary
• Interviews
• Human Interest Features
• Call-ins
Originates from KQED studios
Presents diverse views and balanced discussion
Currently carried by 21 NPR stations nationwide
A National Flagship Program
Council President Jane Wales moderating
On Television
• Atlanta council makes a PBS series with former Secretaries of State, Defense, Treasury and world leaders
• New York council makes a PBS series that parallels Great Decisions topics
• Councils participate in MacNeill-Lehrer’s election-year By The People events
• C-SPAN covers over 40 council programs annually
International Exchanges
• Host 5000 international visitors a year
• Support foreign student programs
• Handle protocol functions for various cities and states
Dallas Mayor Laura Miller hosts visitors of Riga, Latvia
Conferences
• National conference in Washington for the whole council system
• Asilomar conference in Monterey run by the San Francisco council
• World Leadership Forum in New York by the FPA in association with the opening of the UN General Assembly
• Chicago Council’s Atlantic Conference with Americans, Latin Americans, and Europeans
National Program Series
• Rising Anti-Americanism with American Academy of Diplomacy
• Future of the Korean Peninsula with Korean Economic Institute
• Human Rights Series with State Department
• By The People with MacNeill – Lehrer Productions
• The People Speak with UN Foundation
• Is America Secure? with Fourth Freedom Forum
• The New Transatlantic Relationship with European Union
• Space Weapons or Space Arms Control? with Carnegie Corporation
• Expanding Freedom and Creating Democracy with National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute
Travel
• National Leadership Missions
• Philadelphia Travel Program
• Study Tours for Teachers
• Field Trips for Students
• Membership Travel by Local Councils
• People-to-People Diplomacy Trips
Delegation visits War Remembrance Museum in Kuwait
Opinion Polls
• Global Views and US Foreign Policy Chicago Council on Foreign Relations
• National Opinion Ballot Report Foreign Policy Association
• Statewide Foreign Policy Survey World Affairs Council of Montana
Corporate Programs• Business roundtables on global economy
• Corporate breakfasts with international leaders
• Great Decisions in the workplace
• Young Professionals networking and social events
500 Corporate Executives Serve as Board Members
100 US and Foreign Corporate Leaders Speak to our Councils Annually
Our AffiliatesNational
American Academy of DiplomacyAmerican Forum for Global EducationAmerican Foreign Service Association
Brookings InstitutionCouncil on Foreign Relations
Center for Strategic and Int’l StudiesForeign Policy Research Institute
Inter-American DialogueInternational Center for Journalists
International Law InstituteKorean Economic Institute
Middle East InstituteNational Council for International Visitors
National Geographic SocietyNew York Times
United States-Indonesia Society
InternationalAmerican University of Kuwait
Canadian Institute of Int’l Affairs
Economist
Fares Foundation
Korea America Friendship Society
Japan Center for International Exchange
Mexican Council on Foreign Relations
Royal Institute for International Affairs
Singapore International Foundation
Turkish Business Confederation
Awards
• Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Award
• Distinguished International Journalist Award
• Teacher of the Year Awards
• World Citizen Awards
• Scholastic Awards
• President’s Awards
Publications• Foreign Policy 500
• Recommended Speakers
• Headline Series
• Citizen’s Guide to US Foreign Policy
• Foreign Policy Book Review
• Policy Reports
• Leadership Mission Reports
• Program Series Reports
• Books
Sponsors
More than 2,000 Corporations, Foundations, and Individuals
Generously Support our Work
Our National Sponsors Include
American Airlines Claremont Group Gambrinus Samuel Aaron Int’l
Anheuser-Busch European Union Nike Siemens
Carnegie James H. Falk Sr. Northrop Grumman Wedge
What People Say about Us
“The world of world affairs councils is so very important because the future of mankind will be determined in the area of foreign policy.”
Walter CronkiteWalter Cronkite
“You in the world affairs council movement have done much praiseworthy work in building trust and affection among nations.”
Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
World Affairs Councils of America
1800 K St. NW Suite 1014Washington, DC 20006
Phone 202 833 4557 Fax 202 833 [email protected]
Contact UsNational Chairman
Amb. James R. Jones
National President
Dr. Jerry W. Leach