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The World Affairs Councils of America is a network of 90 autonomous and nonpartisan councils serving 43 states. As of 2023, it has an annual reach of over 200,000 people.[1] It is the largest nonprofit international affairs organization in the United States.
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| Formation | 1986 |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit educational/cultural organization |
| Headquarters | Washington, DC United States |
Chairman | Glenn Creamer |
President & CEO | Matthew Hughes |
Revenue (2022) | $10,242,551 |
| Expenses (2022) | $764,345 |
| Website | worldaffairscouncils.org |
The World Affairs Councils of America was founded in 1918 as the League of Free Nations, which later reconstituted as the Foreign Policy Association.[2] As World Affairs Councils were created across the United States, the World Affairs Councils of America National Office was founded in the 1986 to serve as a central hub for the network in Washington, DC.[3]
In mid-February 2011, Chairman of the Board Ambassador Marc Grossman stepped down to become the United States Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, replacing Richard Holbrooke. In June 2011, Ambassador Paula Dobriansky filled the position of Chair of the National Board. In June 2015, WACA announced that Ambassador Roman Popadiuk who served as the first United States Ambassador to Ukraine under George H. W. Bush, from 1992 to 1993, has been elected the new chairman of the national Board of Directors. Following a three-month co-chair period, Glenn Creamer succeeded Popadiuk as chairman in November 2020, chosen for his work as chairman of the Catholic Relief Services Foundation.
In 2014, the World Affairs Councils of America won the Diversity and Inclusion (DANDI) Award in the international category.[4]
The World Affairs Councils of America supports a network of 90 councils who present programs annually.[citation needed] The Councils sponsor international exchanges, school programs, teachers workshops, foreign policy discussions, travel programs, young professionals’ programs, conferences, and corporate programs.
National Conference
The national office organizes an annual conference, usually held in November in Washington, DC. Each conference is thematically organized, and includes speakers from think tanks, embassies, governments, non governmental organizations, and corporations. At the conference opening dinner, several awards are given, including Council of the year, the Chairman's individual of the year, and the International Service Award. Previous International Service Award honorees include Ambassador Thomas Pickering, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, former Secretary of State James Baker, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Academic WorldQuest
Academic WorldQuest is an annual team-based international affairs, geography, history, and culture competition for high school students sponsored by the World Affairs Councils of America.[5] The WorldQuest has been held every year since 2003. WorldQuest was created in 1995 by Jennifer Watson Roberts of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.
In order to compete at the Carlos and Malú Alvarez National Academic WorldQuest competition, teams must first win at their regional council level (usually held from November to March). Every year, 4,000 high school students across the country participate in local competitions hosted by their World Affairs Council. Previous national competition venues include the U.S. Institute of Peace and the National Press Club.
| National champions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | High School |
Council |
| 2006 | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology | World Affairs Councils of Washington D.C. |
| 2007 | Daniel Hand High School | World Affairs Forum (Stamford) |
| 2008 | North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics | International Affairs Council of Raleigh |
| 2009 | DuPont Manual High School | World Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana |
| 2010 | DuPont Manual High School | World Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana |
| 2011 | Plano Senior High School | World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth |
| 2012 | Plano Senior High School | World Affairs Councils of Dallas/Fort Worth |
| 2013 | Plano West Senior High School | World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth |
| 2014 | Plano West Senior High School | World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth |
| 2015 | DuPont Manual High School | World Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana |
| 2016 | Keystone School | World Affairs Council of San Antonio |
| 2017 | Plano West Senior High School | World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth |
| 2018 | Plano West Senior High School | World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth |
| 2019 | Jasper High School[6] | World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth |
| 2023 | Plano West Senior High School | World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth |
| 2024 | DuPont Manual High School | World Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana |
National Delegations
For more than a decade, the WACA has been invited to bring small delegations of council leaders to learn about a host country. A leadership mission consists of an overseas fact-finding visit to a city, country, or organization by a delegation of the World Affairs Council.
| Host Countries | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Year |
Country |
Year |
Country |
| 1998 | China | 2006 | Taiwan |
| South Korea | Tunisia | ||
| Taiwan | 2007 | Germany | |
| 1999 | Japan | Saudi Arabia | |
| Singapore | Taiwan | ||
| 2000 | Morocco | 2008 | Israel |
| Northern Ireland | South Korea | ||
| 2001 | Taiwan | UAE | |
| 2002 | Israel | 2009 | China |
| Lebanon | Iraq | ||
| Libya | Oman | ||
| 2003 | Jordan | 2010 | Taiwan |
| Mexico | 2011 | Azerbaijan | |
| Poland | Taiwan | ||
| 1996 | Japan | 2012 | Afghanistan |
| 1997 | Brazil | China | |
| 2004 | Kuwait | 2013 | Taiwan |
| Lebanon | 2014 | China | |
| Taiwan | 2015 | Taiwan | |
| 2005 | Egypt | 2016 | Israel |
| 2018 | Qatar | ||
| EU/NATO | |||
Engage America Speakers Series
The Speakers Series includes partnerships between the National Office and think tanks, foundations, publishing companies, and government agencies to provide speakers to America's communities through our local councils on the critical global issues of our times. Recent organizations have included NATO, the Korean Economic Institute,[7] and the International Labour Organization.
Councils are funded through membership dues, corporate sponsorships, grants, in-kind donations, fundraising events, and fee-for-service activities.
| State | Name | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama World Affairs Council | Montgomery |
| Alaska | Alaska World Affairs Council | Anchorage |
| Juneau World Affairs Council | Juneau | |
| Arizona | Global Ties AZ | Phoenix |
| California | World Affairs Council of Orange County | Irvine |
| Los Angeles World Affairs Council | Los Angeles | |
| World Affairs Council of Monterey Bay Area | Monterey | |
| World Affairs Council of the Desert | Palm Springs | |
| San Diego World Affairs Council | San Diego | |
| World Affairs Council (Northern California) | San Francisco | |
| World Affairs Council of Sonoma County | Santa Rosa | |
| Colorado | Colorado Springs World Affairs Council | Colorado Springs |
| Denver World Affairs Council | Denver | |
| Colorado Foothills World Affairs Council | Littleton | |
| Connecticut | World Affairs Council of Connecticut | Hartford |
| Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council | Waterford | |
| Florida | Gulf Coast Diplomacy | Pensacola |
| World Affairs Council of Jacksonville | Jacksonville | |
| World Affairs Council of Miami | Miami | |
| Naples Council on World Affairs | Naples | |
| World Affairs Council of Palm Beach | Palm Beach | |
| Sarasota World Affairs Council | Sarasota | |
| Georgia | World Affairs Council of Atlanta | Atlanta |
| Savannah Council on World Affairs | Savannah | |
| Hawaii | Pacific and Asian Affairs Council | Honolulu |
| Illinois | Peoria Area World Affairs Council | Peoria |
| Indiana | Indiana Council on World Affairs | Indianapolis |
| Iowa | World Affairs Council of the Quad Cities | Davenport-Bettendorf |
| Kentucky | World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana | Louisville |
| World Affairs Council of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky | Highland Heights | |
| Louisiana | World Affairs Council of New Orleans | New Orleans |
| Maine | World Affairs Council of Maine | Portland |
| Maryland | Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs | Baltimore |
| Massachusetts | WorldBoston | Boston |
| World Affairs Council of W. Massachusetts | Springfield | |
| Worcester World Affairs Council | Worcester | |
| Michigan | World Affairs Council of Detroit | Detroit |
| World Affairs Council of W. Michigan | Grand Rapids | |
| International Affairs Forum | Traverse City | |
| Minnesota | Global Minnesota | Minneapolis |
| Missouri | International Relations Council | Kansas City |
| World Affairs Council of St. Louis | St. Louis | |
| Montana | Montana World Affairs Council | Missoula |
| Nevada | World Affairs Council of Las Vegas | Las Vegas |
| New Hampshire | World Affairs Council of New Hampshire | Manchester |
| New Jersey | World Affairs Council of New Jersey | Paramus |
| New Mexico | World Affairs Council of Albuquerque | Albuquerque |
| Global Santa Fe | Santa Fe | |
| New York | International Institute of Buffalo | Buffalo |
| International Center of the Capital Region | Troy | |
| Foreign Policy Association | New York City | |
| World Affairs Council of Mid-Hudson Valley | Poughkeepsie | |
| World Affairs Council of Rochester | Rochester | |
| North Carolina | World Affairs Council of W. North Carolina | Asheville |
| World Affairs Council of Charlotte | Charlotte | |
| Ohio | Cleveland Council on World Affairs | Cleveland |
| Columbus Council on World Affairs | Columbus | |
| Dayton Council on World Affairs | Dayton | |
| World Affairs Council of Northwest Ohio | Stony Ridge | |
| Oregon | WorldOregon | Portland |
| Pennsylvania | World Affairs Council of Harrisburg | Harrisburg |
| World Affairs Council of Philadelphia | Philadelphia | |
| World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh | |
| World Affairs Council of Greater Reading | Reading | |
| Rhode Island | World Affairs Council of Rhode Island | Providence |
| South Carolina | Columbia World Affairs Council | Columbia |
| World Affairs Council of Hilton Head | Hilton Head | |
| World Affairs Council of Charleston | Charleston | |
| World Affairs Council Upstate | Greenville | |
| South Dakota | South Dakota World Affairs Council | Brookings |
| Tennessee | Tennessee World Affairs Council | Nashville |
| Texas | World Affairs Council of Austin | Austin |
| World Affairs Council of South Texas | Corpus Christi | |
| World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth | Dallas | |
| World Affairs Council of Greater Houston | Houston | |
| World Affairs Council of San Antonio | San Antonio | |
| Utah | Utah Global Diplomacy | Salt Lake City |
| Vermont | Vermont Council on World Affairs | Burlington |
| Windham World Affairs Council | Brattleboro | |
| Virginia | World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads | Hampton Roads |
| World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond | Richmond | |
| Washington | Olympia World Affairs Council | Olympia |
| World Affairs Council of Seattle | Seattle | |
| World Affairs Council of Tacoma | Tacoma | |
| Wisconsin | Institute of World Affairs | Milwaukee |
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