It is time for our annual social with the World Affairs Councils of Austin and San Antonio. Enjoy the afternoon and conversations with our friends from the Alamo City! This event is invitation-only. Please notify us of your interest to receive an invitation by completing the form linked below. Priority registration is available for World […]
As a country and world power, we are in a period of transition, from how we approach both our allies and potential adversaries to the impact of technology, from drone warfare to cybertechnology and even AI. We are in the process of redefining our role in the world. What are our vital interests? Is there […]
Join our friends at the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and their partners at the CT Mirror for a virtual conversation on the Supreme Court’s decisions this past term – from birthright citizenship and immigration rights to judicial oversight and healthcare. With Adam Liptak, New York Times Supreme Court reporter and moderator John Dankosky - […]
When Wilburn and Orville Wright built the world's first airplane, there was a lot of skepticism as to how reliable and worthwhile it was. Their first flight happened on December 17th, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. They are now considered to be inventors and pioneers, ushering in the aviation industry. Today, the average number of commercial […]
Join the World Affairs Council of Austin and hear from our featured guest speaker, Kiersten Kullenberg, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Outreach Director for Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. Ms. Kullenberg will share details of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition's (USGLC) brand new report, “Economic Security is National Security.” In addition to explaining USGLC’s work […]
The global threats to US national security increase day by day, with our adversaries and competitors working together to create chaos and disruption, not just on the military front, but also economically, and they are playing to win. Yet, too often, security and economic threats are addressed on separate tracks, not recognizing the connection between […]
As climate change accelerates the melting of Arctic ice, the region is rapidly emerging as a new geopolitical frontier. The Arctic holds immense strategic value due to its untapped natural resources—estimated to include 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30% of its natural gas—as well as critical rare earth minerals essential for modern technologies. […]
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman – de facto ruler of one of the wealthiest states in the Middle East – has positioned himself as a transformative leader. His rule is defined by economic and social change, a close relationship with President Trump, and concerns about human rights abuses and power consolidation. Jordan’s King […]
The World Affairs Council of Austin, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Mexico, the Austin-Saltillo Sister Cities Association, the City of Austin Econonic Development Department, and Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation host the annual Fiesta de El Grito de Independencia. This day marks the 215th anniversary of the declaration of independence from Spain by the Mexican […]
Join your fellow World Affairs Council of Austin members for a conversation with Lawrence Wright, author, screenwriter, and playwright. Mr. Wright received the Pulitzer Prize for this book, "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11." With a degree from American University in Cairo, he has spent time living and reporting on the Middle […]
The World Affairs Council of Austin is once again a partner organization for the annual Oita Japan Festival! You won't want to miss the "Doing Business in Japan" seminar from 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm in Gallery 701. Texas exports over $6 billion in goods and services to Japan. Japan is also a top five […]
How each country views emotion, conflict, universalism, achievement, or even their environment can vary from one part of the world to another. In the United States and Western Europe countries tend to be more expressive and lean towards confrontation. Meanwhile, in Asia and South Asia countries tend to avoid conflict. Of course, there are always exceptions no […]
An online conversation with LTG Robert Ashley, USA (Ret.), 21st Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and MG Garrett Yee, USA (Ret.) About the speakers: Lieutenant General Robert P. Ashley, Jr. retired from the U.S. Army November 2020 after over 36 years of activity duty service as an intelligence officer. He assumed his last duty […]
As the nuclear threat heats up, we sit down with Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, former Undersecretary of State for Arms Control & International. As the under secretary of state for arms control and international security from 2021 to 2024, Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins oversaw three bureaus: Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability; International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN); and […]
What is the region’s future, starting with Gaza and the West Bank? What will be the role of the US and countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt? The US has announced a 20-point plan for the region, and at this time, some would say that a ceasefire and the return of the Israeli […]