World Affairs Council of Austin

Japan Business Seminar and Oita Summer Festival
2026-08-30 11:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Drive, Austin, TX, 78704, United States
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.
Texas exports over $6 billion in goods and services to Japan. Japan is also a top five export market for central Texas companies. Be sure to attend this informative session to learn more from our friends at Q-Branch, JETRO-Houston, and the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce.
The business-focused session will include an overview of Japan’s industry sectors including a look at the Japanese corporate presence in the U.S., Japanese cultural characteristics, promising sectors for U.S. goods and services, and resources for American companies wishing to establish a corporate entity in Japan.

Fiesta de El Grito de Independencia 2026 Celebration
2026-09-15 18:00 - 21:00 | Republic Square Park, 422 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX, 78701, United States
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 216th anniversary of the declaration of independence from Spain by the Mexican priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. The event is free and open to the public.
The highlight of the evening will be when Consul General of Mexico Humberto Hernández Haddad reenacts the cry for independence. The event will include music, dance, an artisan mercado with arts and crafts from México.
No RSVPs necessary.

Critical Rare Earths/Strategic Minerals: Geopolitical Competition Among Major Powers
2026-09-23 17:30 - 19:00
Join us on this special evening as we welcome back distinguished speaker, Dr. Sharyl Cross. Dr. Cross will provide details about the competition among China, Russia and the United States in the area of critical rare earths/strategic minerals.
This event is by invitation-only. Please notify us of your interest to receive an invitation by providing your contact information in the form below. Priority registration is available for World Affairs Council of Austin members. Bring your invitation to the event. Invitations are non-transferable.

REQUEST YOUR INVITATION HERE
Dr. Sharyl Cross is Distinguished Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at St. Edward’s University. She served previously in the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch Germany, U.S. Air War College at Maxwell AFB and as Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the United States Air Force Academy. Professor Cross earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles with concentrations in international relations, comparative politics (Soviet Union/Russia/ Eurasia/Eastern Europe and Latin America regional concentrations), and American foreign and security policy. She held appointments as a U.S. Fulbright Visiting Senior Research Scholar and Professor at the Institute of USA and Canada Studies and Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Visiting Professor of Transatlantic Security and International Political Studies at Science-Po Lille, Kennan Institute Woodrow Wilson Center, post-Doctoral Fellowship Scholar at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and resident fellowship scholar and consultant at the RAND Corporation. Dr. Cross published China, Russia, and Twenty First Century Global Geopolitics co-authored with Paul J. Bolt Oxford University Press and has published extensively on issues of international security, foreign policy and geopolitics in leading professional peer reviewed journals. She is offering a new course in 2026 on Applied Geopolitical Risk in support of a certificate concentration for the programs in Political Science and International Affairs at St. Edward’s University. Her students, engaged this semester in regional research initiatives exploring the relevance of rare earth minerals to global geopolitics and risk, will present their conclusions next week at a session sponsored by World Affairs Council Austin in cooperation with the Global Affairs Society at St. Edward’s University.

Full List of Upcoming Events for Members of the World Affairs Council of Austin
2026-12-16 | MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
Members, please check your newsletter for registration details. Non-members may join by visiting our Membership page.

June —
17th at 5:30 pm The Middle East: Where are We Now? //
24th at 6:30 pm Globalist Coffeehouse: Middle East //
July —
15th at 6:00 pm ONLINE WorldNow: The Future of War //
16th TBD International Social Event //
August —
30th at 11:00 am Annual Oita (Japan) Summer Festival //
September —
15th at 6:00 pm Fiesta de El Grito de Independencia 2026 Celebration //
23rd at 5:30 pm Critical Rare Earths/Strategic Minerals: Geopolitical Competition Among Major Powers (China, Russia, USA) //
October —
15th at 5:30 pm Cross Cultural Understanding with Tomomi “Jimi” Kumai //

more events will be listed as details and speakers are confirmed
