Global I.Q. with Jim Falk

Hacking is no longer a far-off, fictional plot from science fiction. We all participate in the digital world. The threats to individuals and their identities are real and inevitable; no person or corporation is exempt from identity theft or data breach. Last year, Microsoft was infiltrated by at least 10 different hacker groups as a result of software flaws and unsuspecting users. Cyber-tech leaders Shawn Wiora and Mike Echols will show Global Forum members how to manage cyber risks and be empowered to safely navigate the tech world.   About the Speakers: Mike Echoles headshotMike Echols is the CEO of IACI, a Kennedy Space Center nonprofit, and CEO of Max Cybersecurity LLC. Echols spent 10 years at the Department of Homeland Security in critical infrastructure protection and cybersecurity leadership and served as the point person for President Obama's Executive Order Promoting Private Sector Cybersecurity Information Sharing, Chair of the Communications Sector and Network Security Information Exchange, and designated federal official for the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. Echols is a graduate of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative – Harvard Kennedy School of Public Health, and the Federal Executive Institute.     Shawn Wiora headshotShawn Wiora is the co-founder and CEO of Maxxsure, a leading cyber risk quantification and blockchain company in DFW. Known as a cyber industry expert, Wiora has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, CIO.com, and CNNMoney and is a frequent keynote and conference speaker for SOX, PCI, NIST, and HIPAA. Additionally, he took the first healthcare company in the U.S. to the cloud, a company which received the designation of the most cyber-resilient healthcare company in the U.S. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Over the past century, Americans have seen several iterations of the Republican Party, from the post-WWII Eisenhower days to Reaganomics to the rise of Trump's MAGA movement. Amid so much change, how does one define the modern-day Republican Party, and what does it mean to be a conservative in 2022? Political scholar Matthew Continetti seeks to answer these questions and more in his book, The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism. In The Right, Continetti takes readers through the history of the party and how the ideology that drives it has evolved over the decades, in the face of changing social, political, and economic circumstances. From a “network of intellectuals” to a 21st century political organization, Continetti explains the intricacies behind what many see as the party's “desire for mainstream acceptance and the pull of extremism.” Matthew Continetti is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies American political thought and history, emphasizing on the Republican Party and conservative movements throughout the 20th century. Continetti has written two books, The Persecution of Sarah Palin: How the Elite Media Tried to Bring Down a Rising Star and The K Street Gang: The Rise and Fall of the Republican Machine. He is also the founding editor of The Washington Free Beacon, as well as a contributing editor at National Review. He holds a B.A. in history from Columbia University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

When facing technical difficulties with your computer, the easiest solution is often just to reboot it. But can you hit control, alt, delete on a political party? In his book, American Reboot: An Idealist's Guide to Getting Big Things Done, former Republican congressman and CIA officer William Hurd argues you definitely can. Dubbed “the future of the GOP” by Politico and Texas Monthly, Hurd reveals his secrets to success in turning red a large district that has traditionally voted blue. He provides a clear-eyed path forward for America, grounded by what Hurd calls "pragmatic idealism"—a concept forged from enduring American values to achieve what is actually achievable. From his critical analysis of the GOP's foggy vision for the future to discussing the impact of rapid technological advancements, Hurd will tackle five seismic problems facing the U.S. as outlined in his book. Join us as Hurd shares his unique experience as a Black republican in the House, with a vibrant career in intelligence, articulating what domestic policy can look like by appealing to the middle and empowering people. William Hurd served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 23rd congressional district from 2015-2021. He is currently a managing director at Allen & Company and most recently served as a fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. Additionally, he is growing the U.S. transatlantic partnership with Europe as a trustee of the German Marshall Fund and an OpenAI board member. Hurd worked for the CIA from 2000 to 2009, completing a tour of duty as an operations officer in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. He has a B.S. in Computer Science and a minor in international relations from Texas A&M University. Moderated by Lee Cullum, journalist at Public Media of North Texas (KERA/PBS) and Senior Fellow at the John Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs at SMU. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Honeybees seem to attract the spotlight but our pollinators in general are in a bind. We aren't helpless though. Everyone has the capacity to be a huge help to our bee populations, both native and introduced, but first we must discuss what's threatening them and why we need to act. Join us in this special Earth Day conversation with Dr. Sammy Ramsey, founder and director of the Ramsey Research Foundation. Alongside his research focused on predatory and parasitic insect behavior, Dr. Sammy dedicates much of his time to making his work and other entomological efforts more accessible to the community at large. He has generated a significant online following through platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube in the process of making STEM more inclusive, equitable, and diverse. About Dr. Sammy Dr. Sammy, founder and director of the Ramsey Research Foundation, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Entomology from Cornell University in 2011, and focused his research on Predatory & Parasitic Insect Behavior. He cultivated an interest and expertise in the close relationships between insects and other creatures (symbioses), and dedicated his doctoral research to understanding a parasite killing honey bees globally (Varroa destructor). In Dr. Dennis vanEngelsdorp's Honey Bee lab at the University of Maryland, College Park; he completed his formal education. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Only three months into the new year, the world has already faced a multitude of new challenges. From humanitarian crises to threats to global democracy to the resurgence of Covid-19 and crippled supply chains, there are many obstacles to clear in the months ahead. Furthermore, with the escalating war between Russia and Ukraine and increasing access to lethal autonomous weapons, the stakes are greater than ever. As we enter a novel era of interstate conflict and potential new world order, it becomes crucial to evaluate how the United States might take on these challenges. As part of the Council's 2022 International Perspectives series, Richard Fontaine will walk us through what the future holds for U.S. foreign policy in an era of revolutionary global change. Drawing from his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and a lifetime career on the frontlines of foreign policy, Fontaine is uniquely equipped to forecast how the United States' will navigate this time of great conflict and uncertainty. Richard Fontaine is the chief executive officer of CNAS, executive director of the Trilateral Commission, on the Defense Policy Board, and a Sine Institute Fellow at American University. He has previous experience as president and senior fellow at CNAS and as foreign policy advisor to Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. At the State Department, Fontaine worked for the Deputy Secretary and in the department's South Asia bureau. He holds a B.A. in International Relations from Tulane University and an M.A. in international Affairs from the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

The Abraham Accords represent the first public normalization of relations between an Arab nation and Israel since 1994. The future looms on the precipice of change as this joint statement between the State of Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States signals an opening between Israel and the Middle East. This is evidenced by the American Jewish Committee's recent announcement of opening a branch in Dubai. As a principal architect of the Accords, Robert Greenway will delve into their growth and evolution to the state of Israel-U.A.E. relations today. As part of the Council's 2022 International Perspectives series, Greenway will advocate for the expansion of The Abraham Accords and the vitality of U.S. leadership in the matter. Drawing on his experience of developing strategies for the Middle East and with over 30 years in public service on the National Security Council (NSC), Greenway will attempt to map how the Accords could continue to alter the path to peace between Israel and the rest of the region. Robert Greenway is the President and Executive Director of the Abraham Accords Peace Institute and an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute. He was previously Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director of the NSC's Middle Eastern and North African Affairs Directorate. Before being assigned to the NSC, he served at the Defense Intelligence Agency and U.S. Army Special Forces. Greenway has a B.A. from the Virginia Military Institute and an M.A. from Webster University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Reporter Kelly Weill has spent most of her journalism career covering misinformation and conspiracy theories. As a recent college graduate in 2016, Weill entered the media world at a time of immense change, when terms like “fake news” and “disinformation” became part of the mainstream American vocabulary. Coinciding with this time was the rise in “Flat Earthers,” a group of people who support the idea that “we all live on a flat plane, under a solid dome, ringed by an impossible wall of ice.” In Off the Edge: Flat Earthers, Conspiracy Culture, and Why People Will Believe Anything, Weill sets out to explain where the fringe theory of Flat Earth came from, how it relates to other conspiracy theories, and what it is about society that leads people to believe things that most consider inherently untrue. Kelly Weill is a reporter at The Daily Beast, where she covers extremism, disinformation, and the internet. She is a frequent media contributor on the topics of her work and has been featured on Nightline, CNN, and Al Jazeera, among other outlets, to discuss conspiracy theories, such as the Flat Earth theory and similar ideas outside of mainstream acceptance. She holds a dual degree in journalism and English from New York University. Moderated by Anna Merlan Merlan is a New Mexico-born, Los Angeles-based journalist and author, specializing in subcultures, alternative communities, conspiracy theories, crime, belief, death, sexual violence and women's lives. She is currently a reporter at Motherboard, a division of VICE. Her work has also appeared in Rolling Stone, BBC Travel, Topic, and on the op-ed page of the New York Times. She is the author of the book Republic of Lies. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia could not feel "safe, develop, and exist" because of what he claimed was a constant threat from modern Ukraine. Immediately after, a full-scale military invasion on Ukraine was launched, resulting in number of casualties, both military and civilian. With President Joe Biden's recent decisions to increase sanctions on Russia and keep all Russian airlines out of U.S. airspace as tensions escalate, it is pertinent to analyze and evaluate the role the United States will play in this crisis. While current events are still current, the Council is dedicated to offering a RealTime Report, hosting speakers with firsthand knowledge of the issues at bay and the ability to best interpret the situation as it unfolds. For this Russo-Ukrainian crisis, we've invited the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison, the 22nd permanent representative of the United States to NATO, in conversation with moderator and Russia and Near East expert Anna Borshchevskaya. Ambassador Hutchison has worked tirelessly with members of the 72-year-old alliance to protect our freedoms at home and abroad. She will share her informed insights on the world's response to the unfolding war in Ukraine while Borshchevskaya will offer perspective on Putin's intentions and Russia's foreign policy. Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison served her term as U.S. permanent representative to NATO in Brussels, Belgium from 2017-2021. During her three-and-a-half years as permanent representative, she focused on the importance of U.S. leadership in the organization and strengthening the transatlantic bond that provides the security umbrella for Europe and North America. She represented Texas in the U.S. Senate from 1993-2013 and was Texas state treasurer from 1991-1993. Ambassador Hutchison is also the author of three books, including the bestseller American Heroines. She earned a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. Anna BorshchevskayaModerated by Anna Borshchevskaya Anna Borshchevskaya is a senior fellow in The Washington Institute's Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on the Great Power Competition and the Middle East, focused on Russia's policy toward the Middle East. She is also a contributor to Oxford Analytica and a fellow at the European Foundation for Democracy. Borshchevskaya has experience as a former analyst for a U.S. military contractor in Afghanistan and has served as communications director at the American Islamic Congress. Alongside her other publications, Borshchevskaya is the author of the 2021 book, Putin's War in Syria: Russian Foreign Policy and the Price of America's Absence. She holds a B.A. from State University of New York at Geneseo, an M.A. from John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and a Ph.D. from George Mason University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Not all heroes wear capes, but the best of them take brave stands for people most in need. With a life devoted to issues that affect people in the margins, that bravery is woven in the very fabric of who Shalonda Spencer is. She has spent her career affecting legislation regarding women's rights, foreign affairs, immigration, healthcare, and education – notably issues pertaining to people of color. Her voice has been heard in some of the nation's most important spaces, from serving as a legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives to working on presidential campaigns with bold platforms. She is a proven, decorated expert in women's rights advocacy, serving in various advising roles for multiple organizations that elevate the causes of women. Today, Shalonda Spencer serves as the executive director of Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS), a global organization that advances the voices of women of color in International Relations. Aligned with her own life mission, WCAPS places an emphasis on mentorship and allows for women of color – who are most affected by major global issues – to have strong voices in international policy discussions. In this conversation, taking place during Black History Month and leading into Women's History Month, Spencer will explore the benefits of diverse voices, why women of color are an asset to U.S. international relations and diplomacy, and how nongovernmental organizations can create pathways for people of color. Shalonda Spencer is a proud Mississippi native and graduate of Jackson State University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in public policy and administration. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Dan Hunt is no stranger to the professional sports industry. His father, Lamar Hunt, was key to the establishment of professional sports in the U.S. He founded professional leagues and owned many teams – notably the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) and FC Dallas (MLS). Dan inherited his father's passion, working with him to make Toyota Stadium a reality and Frisco, TX a premier destination for both professional and youth soccer. In 2018, the National Soccer Hall of Fame opened in connection with Toyota Stadium, honoring the history of soccer but unmistakably focused on the future. If Hunt has his way, part of that future will include hosting 2026 World Cup tournament games in that stadium here in DFW. He's part of a bid committee made up of elected officials, business leaders, and sports franchise executives lobbying FIFA for North Texas to host as many as six matches of the 2026 World Cup – including the final. Seventeen other cities are also contending for the ten or eleven North American locations to be chosen. Cementing hope that DFW might be a top contender, tournament delegates recently toured the city of Fort Worth, AT&T Stadium, Fair Park, and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco. Why would this be so significant? The World Cup is the world's most celebrated tournament; the final match would put North Texas on the world's stage and mean hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Be a part of this conversation with Hunt, discussing the bid, why he believes North Texas is the best location, and what all to expect should DFW be selected. Moderated by Gina Miller. Miller is an award-winning journalist who is currently the Vice President of Media and Communications for FC Dallas, North Texas SC, the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Toyota Stadium. She oversees the organizations' broadcast, social and digital media operations as well as public relations efforts. The Dallas native has served as a sportscaster in Dallas, Los Angeles, Knoxville and Guam. Gina has been nominated for multiple Lone Star Emmy awards and won a prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for a feature story she did on the Southlake Carroll football team. She also worked three seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and started her sports media career as an intern for the Houston Rockets where she won an NBA championship ring. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

There are countless examples of spies in modern popular culture. There are not, however, many examples of the reality behind modern espionage, a world that's changing faster than most people realize. Rapid advances in technology, combined with ever-changing geopolitical dynamics, have created an intelligence world that Dr. Amy Zegart argues looks quite different from what is portrayed in spy novels, television shows, and movies. In Spies, Lies, and Algorithms, Dr. Zegart takes readers through the long history of American espionage, from George Washington's Revolutionary War spies to the present day, providing context for the reality faced by American intelligence professionals today, and laying out what the modern landscape looks like today and where it may be heading. Considered “one of the ten most influential experts in intelligence reform” by the National Journal, Dr. Zegart has served in presidential administrations, co-authored a book with Condoleezza Rice, and published award-winning research on intelligence failures leading up to the September 11 attacks. Dr. Amy Zegart is a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, where she is also the Morris Arnold and Nona Jean Cox Senior Fellow at the university's Hoover Institution. She is a professor of political science and chair of Stanford's Artificial Intelligence and International Security Steering Committee. She is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and the author of five books on intelligence topics. Dr. Zegart holds an A.B. in East Asian studies from Harvard University, as well as an M.A. and a Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University. Moderated by Jess Koloini, Senior Program Manager, F-16 Programs, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Jess Koloini is the Senior Program Manager for F-16 Block 72 Programs at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (LM Aero). In this role, she leads all activity related to platform development and delivery, working closely with multiple U.S. Government stakeholders across Program Management and Policy organizations. Prior to this role, Jess was the F-16 Program Manager for the Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, and the Sultanate of Oman, supporting all Sustainment and Production activities for each country. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Making important decisions under pressure can be tough for even the most confident individuals. Marc Polymeropoulos, a 26-year CIA veteran, has some solutions to offer. In his new book, Clarity in Crisis, Polymeropoulos shares his approach to leadership, an intentional process he honed over his long career, during which the consequences of his decisions held enormous weight. As an expert in counterterrorism, covert action, and human intelligence, Polymeropoulos stands as one of the most highly decorated field officers in intelligence history. Through Clarity in Crisis, he hopes to share strategies with the civilian world that can help to avoid the damage caused by bad decisions made under pressure and to inspire the confidence needed to “lead when others want to flee.” Marc Polymeropoulos is a nonresident fellow in forward defense at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Polymeropoulos retired from the CIA in 2019 after a 26-year career that brought him across the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe (during a trip to Russia in 2017, he experienced Havana Syndrome, symptoms of which he's still managing today). He is a recipient of the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the Intelligence Commendation Medal, and the Intelligence Medal of Merit. Polymeropoulos is a weekly contributor to the Washington Examiner, where he writes about intelligence issues. He holds a B.A. and an M.P.A. in political science and government from Cornell University. Moderated by David McCloskey David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst and former consultant at McKinsey & Company. While at the CIA, he wrote regularly for the President's Daily Brief, delivered classified testimony to Congressional oversight committees, and briefed senior White House officials, Ambassadors, military officials, and Arab royalty. He worked in CIA field stations across the Middle East throughout the Arab Spring and conducted a rotation in the Counterterrorism Center focused on the jihad in Syria and Iraq. During his time at McKinsey, David advised national security, aerospace, and transportation clients on a range of strategic and operational issues. David holds an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, where he specialized in energy policy and the Middle East. He lives in Texas with his wife and three children. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

The Economist's “The World Ahead” series is published every year as an outlook of what is likely to occur in the upcoming year. Tom Standage, the series' editor, will share an overview of the publication's content, delving into informed predictions of the year to come, analysis of world affairs from experts and public figures, and important topics to think about as 2021 draws to an end. In 2022, what state will Western democracy be in? How will the Earth fare in the face of unprecedented climate change? Will it become more common for regular civilians to leave the Earth via space travel? Standage will cover these questions and more. Tom StandageAbout Tom Standage Tom Standage is deputy editor of The Economist, where he is editor of the publication's annual “The World Ahead” series. Standage has been with The Economist since 1998 and is currently in charge of digital strategy and product development. He has written six history books, and his work has been featured in The New York Times and The Guardian, among other publications. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in engineering and computer science from Oxford University. Moderated by President Emeritus Jim Falk. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

About Jessica L. Bedoya Global financial services firm Deloitte projects that the collective economies of Latin America will grow by 3.8 percent in 2022. Some countries, like Colombia, are expected to grow by as much as 5.8 percent. What's going on down south? On January 11, regional expert Jessica Bedoya will share her insight into Latin America's recent economic growth, drawing on nearly two decades of experience guiding American policy in the region. Bedoya was instrumental in executing the América Crece initiative, working with the private sector to grow private investment in Latin American and the Caribbean. Her efforts have led to investment growth of up to $1 billion in agriculture, infrastructure, and technology, key industries for the region. Jessica L. Bedoya is chief of staff and chief strategy officer in the Office of the Presidency at the Inter-American Development Bank, where she focuses on institutional strategy and investment policy. Her extensive leadership experience in international affairs includes 15 years in the U.S. government, where she held foreign policy roles within the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the National Security Council, and the U.S. intelligence community. She holds a B.A. in international politics and international economics from the George Washington University and an M.A. in world politics from the Catholic University of America. Moderated by Arielle Tobin - Partner, Jones Day

In the first half of the twentieth century, the United States and Japan navigated a tumultuous relationship. When devastating attacks from both sides during World War II led both countries to a desire to avoid any future conflict, a strong alliance formed. Today, that alliance has grown into a closely intertwined friendship, as the American and Japanese economies work together for mutual benefit. Increasingly, North Texas is playing an important role in this critical alliance. More than 170 Japanese companies, including major companies like Toyota and Fujitsu, have made their homes in North Texas and provided job opportunities and services to the region. In this program, we'll dive into how DFW came to be a desired destination for Japanese businesses, explore the attraction and the mutual benefits to our population and the greater U.S. economy. Panelist: Yasuhiro Uozumi is the executive director of Keidanren USA in Washington DC. He has been with the organization for more than 20 years. Uozumi is a certified public accountant and is known for his expertise in accounting, taxation, industrial policies, transportation, and emerging markets. His previous experience includes roles as secretary to the Keidanren chairman and as a researcher in accounting for the Program on U.S.-Japan Relations at Harvard University's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. He holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Tokyo and an M.B.A. from the University of Oxford. Panelist: Masahiro (Mark) Ikeno is president and CEO of NEC Corporation America, a biometrics, communications technology, and IT solutions firm. In his current role, Ikeno manages business strategy, operations, and company leadership. Ikeno's more than 30-year career has included management roles in international solutions sales for multiple organizations across several continents. He holds a bachelor's degree in theoretical physics from Kyoto University. Panelist: Yoichiro Suzuki is the senior vice president of Corporate Collaboration for NTT DATA Services. With 20 years of experience, including previous employment with the parent company, NTT DATA Corporation, he serves as a liaison to leadership in Japan and to other Japanese-based operations as well as a member of the board of directors at NTT DATA International L.L.C. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo. Moderator: Shanti Shoji has served as Director of Programs for Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA since 2020 and has spent her entire career in U.S.-Japan relations. After working in Japan for six years in international exchange, she moved to Washington, DC where she worked at the Embassy of Japan and co-founded a U.S.-Japan virtual exchange organization for youth. Shoji has a M.A. in international communications from American University's School of International Service and her B.A. in Japanese language and international studies from the University of Oregon. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

As one of the largest cities in the South, Atlanta has recently been the focus of news coverage on everything from election controversies to significant social justice reforms. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has found herself at the center of many of these headlines. Through the lens of her One Atlanta initiative, Mayor Bottoms sees the future of Atlanta as a “an affordable, resilient, and equitable city of commerce and compassion.” Her efforts have led to major reforms in financial transparency, diversity and inclusion, criminal justice, and policing, both locally and nationwide. In conversation with former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, Mayor Bottoms will discuss the importance of cities, like Dallas and Atlanta, in terms of the role they play on the world stage. Keisha Lance Bottoms is the 60th mayor of Atlanta. She currently serves as chair of the Community Development and Housing Committee and on the Census Task Force for the United States Conference of Mayors. Honored as 2020 Georgian of the Year by Georgia Trend magazine, Mayor Bottoms is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, Jack and Jill of America, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Mayor Bottoms is the first Atlanta mayor to have served as a judge, city councilmember, and mayor. She holds an undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University and a J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Attorney Adam Schiff was in his 18th year as a California congressman in the summer of 2019 when President Donald Trump made a telephone call to the newly elected president of Ukraine. That phone call resulted in an abuse of power allegation against the President and Adam Schiff became the man charged with proving it. He served as a lead investigator for the December 18, 2019 House impeachment of President Trump and as manager of the unsuccessful 2020 Senate impeachment trial. Schiff writes about his experience in a new book that Kirkus Reviews describes as “a full-throated denunciation of Donald Trump and his congressional enablers.” Midnight in Washington Congressman Adam Schiff represents California's 28th Congressional District. Schiff currently serves as the Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which oversees the nation's intelligence agencies. Schiff is on a leave of absence from the House Appropriations Committee, where he remains an ex-officio member. After Schiff graduated from Stanford University and Harvard Law, he moved to Los Angeles to serve as a law clerk for Judge William Matthew Byrne, Jr. Schiff then joined the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles as a federal prosecutor, where he served for almost six years. Moderated by WACDFW President & CEO, Liz Brailsford. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Dr. Sandro Galea was born in Malta, spent his formative years in Canada, and entered adulthood in the United States. Multinational at his core, Dr. Galea learned early on that global health would be his life's passion. While volunteering as a physician with Doctors Without Borders in Somalia, Dr. Galea realized that the only way to eliminate suffering at the individual and community levels was to look at health from a macro perspective. The experience led Dr. Galea to leave behind “the immediate gratification of medicine to labor in the vineyard of public health.” Named an “epidemiology innovator” by Time magazine and one of the “World's Most Influential Scientific Minds” by Thomson Reuters, Dr. Galea stands at the forefront of global public health. His latest book, The Contagion Next Time, discusses ways that the United States can address underlying health issues to lay a solid foundation for American public health — an endeavor that may unlock the United States' next phase as a “truly vibrant and equitable nation,” something we can all benefit from with or without another global pandemic. Dr. Sandro Galea is a physician, epidemiologist, and Robert A. Knox Professor at Boston University's School of Public Health, where he is also the youngest person to ever hold the position of dean. He has written prolifically on topic related to social and psychiatric epidemiology. His academic career has included roles at Columbia University, the University of Michigan, and the New York Academy of Medicine. Dr. Galea holds an M.D. from the University of Toronto and graduate degrees from Harvard University and Columbia University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommends that global CO2 emissions should decrease by 50%–80% by 2050. This goal is particularly challenging for hydrocarbon-based economies that depend on fossil fuel exports and for the oil and gas industry –but there are solutions- such as the use of renewable energy, carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), among others. It is, however, especially vital that technological solutions be customized based on each country's unique emission profile. This talk will look into different energy transitions, the role of hydrogen, policies and technologies from a systems perspective. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

In the coming months, Germany will have a new chancellor for the first time in 16 years. Following the country's recent elections, Angela Merkel, one of the world's longest serving democratically elected leaders, will step down. As she leaves behind a legacy of decisive action and an unrelenting moral compass, Merkel's retirement comes at a time when there is a great deal of uncertainty in the world, which stands in stark contrast to the guiding pillar of stability she has been for her countrymen over the past two decades. In The Chancellor, biographer Kati Marton takes an in-depth look into Merkel's success as a leader, uncovering the secrets of her political and diplomatic success, as well as the unique personal background that helped shape her into the strong, yet humble, leader she is known for being today. Kati Marton is an author and award-winning former correspondent for NPR and ABC News. She became a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist following her book, Enemies of the People: My Family's Journey to America. Marton has also written books on other topics of international affairs, such as True Believer: Stalin's American Spy, The Great Escape: Nine Jews Who Fled Hitler and Changed the World; The Polk Conspiracy, and A Death in Jerusalem. She holds a B.A. and an M.A. from George Washington University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

This event is now a virtual program. About the Book Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been the world's dominant superpower. But in the decades that have followed the collapse of the Soviet Union, Michael O'Hanlon argues that American leadership has done little to solidify a strategic approach to the country's comprehensive national security policy. While China has clearly laid out its aggressively expansionist ambitions, and Russia steadily regains its lost power by capitalizing on newfound influence, has the United States developed its own vision of the future? In The Art of War in an Age of Peace, O'Hanlon argues that we haven't – but that we easily can. Drawing on decades of experience in defense and security, O'Hanlon proposes a blueprint for American national security that considers realistic viability, the current political atmosphere, and moral duty, envisioning a future in which the United States is not at risk of losing sight of its place in the world. Michael E. O'Hanlon is the Sydney Stein, Jr. Chair and director of research in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution. He has been named one of the “most influential people” in national security and defense by Washingtonian. His vast experience includes roles with the CIA, a Congressional budget office, the Peace Corps, and the Institute for Defense Analyses, among other organizations. He holds both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Princeton University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

About the Book In Three Dangerous Men, defense expert Seth Jones argues that the US is woefully unprepared for the future of global competition. While America has focused on building fighter jets, missiles, and conventional warfighting capabilities, its three principal rivals—Russia, Iran, and China—have increasingly adopted irregular warfare: cyber attacks, the use of proxy forces, propaganda, espionage, and disinformation to undermine American power. About Seth Jones Seth G. Jones is senior vice president, Harold Brown Chair, director of the International Security Program, and director of the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He leads a bipartisan team of over 50 resident staff and an extensive network of non-resident affiliates dedicated to providing independent strategic insights and policy solutions that shape national security. He also teaches at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Moderated by Steve Coll Dean Steve Coll is a staff writer at The New Yorker, the author of eight books of nonfiction, and a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Coll is the author of Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, From the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 published in 2004, for which he received an Overseas Press Club Award and a Pulitzer Prize. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

In this year's annual Gail Koppman American History endowed lecture, David Rubenstein takes an introspective look at what it means to be American in his latest book, The American Experiment. Diversity is a foundational element of the United States of America, reflected in culture, religion, political views, and ideas. The bringing together of fifty individual states and of people from all ethnicities forms the basis of what it means to be American, a nationality built on the belief in freedom as a right, regardless of background. Through conversations with some of the most influential thought-leaders of our time, Rubenstein explores the idea of “America as a grand experiment in democracy,” gleaning insight from the likes of Madeleine Albright, Ken Burns, and John Meacham, attempting to define “what America is” and “what it can be.” David Rubenstein is chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations as well as co-founder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group private equity firm. He is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Lead and The American Story. He also hosts The David Rubenstein Show on Bloomberg TV and PBS. Before forming The Carlyle Group, Rubenstein was a practicing lawyer in Washington, D.C. His experience also includes serving as chief counsel to a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, as well as board membership of several philanthropic organizations. He is a graduate of Duke University and the University of Chicago Law School.

Ambassador P. Michael McKinley Ambassador McKinley (Ret.) joined The Cohen Group as a Senior Counselor after a decorated 37-year career at the Department of State. Ambassador McKinley most recently served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State until October 2019, covering a wide range of global policy issues. This month he penned the sagacious "We All Lost Afghanistan" — a must-read piece published in Foreign Affairs. As a four-time ambassador, he led some of the largest and most sensitive U.S. embassies in the world as the U.S. Ambassador to Peru (2007-2010), Colombia (2010-2013), Afghanistan (2014-2016), and Brazil (2017-2018). Ambassador McKinley has also had extensive experience with regional conflicts and peace negotiations across three decades on three continents including Afghanistan, where he played a central role in shaping key policy decisions.

 Ambassador Anne W. Patterson is moderating this event. Like Ambassador Mckinley, Ambassador Patterson has led critical U.S. embassies around the world. In addition to being appointed as Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern and North African Affairs at the Department of State (2013-2017), she served as Ambassador to Egypt (2011-2013), Pakistan (2007-2010), Colombia (2000-2003), and El Salvador (1997-2000). Ambassador Patterson recently retired with the rank of Career Ambassador after more than four decades in the Foreign Service. Currently, she is a senior fellow at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs at Yale and a member of the Commission on National Defense Strategy. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Emily Haber has been Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United States since June 2018. Prior to her transfer to Washington, DC, she served in various leadership functions at the Foreign Office in Berlin. In 2009, she was appointed political director and, in 2011, state secretary, the first woman to hold either post. Thereafter, she was deployed to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, serving as state secretary in charge of homeland security and migration policy from 2014 until 2018. Emily Haber has many years of experience with Russia and the former Soviet Union, including Head of the Political Department. At the Foreign Office in Berlin, she served as Head of the OSCE Division and as Deputy Director-General for the Western Balkans, among other positions. Moderated by Lee Cullum, journalist at Public Media of North Texas (KERA/PBS) and Senior Fellow at the John Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs at SMU. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Fisher and Garten will discuss Garten's new book, THREE DAYS AT CAMP DAVID, which describes how and why the Nixon administration broke the link between the dollar and gold, setting shock waves throughout the world economy and upending America's most important political and military alliances. They will explain why this decision was perhaps the biggest one ever made in the international monetary system since the Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944, how it led to floating exchange rates, to more financial engineering, more intense globalization, and even to the emerging world of crypto and digital currencies. And they will examine the challenges to the dollar today, from China, from new forms of currency, from new kinds of protectionism, and from dysfunctional elements of our political system and institutions. Jeffrey Garten is the former dean of the Yale School of Management, undersecretary of commerce for international trade, and managing director of the Blackstone Group. He now teaches courses at Yale on the global economy, international crisis management, and US foreign economic policy. He is the author of several books on global political and economic subjects including FROM SILK TO SILICON: The Story of Globalization Through Ten Extraordinary Lives. Richard Fisher was president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 2005 to 2015. He began his career in private banking before becoming assistant to the secretary of the treasury during the Carter administration. He served as deputy U.S. trade representative in the Clinton administration. Ambassador Fisher's experience also includes working for Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's strategic advisory firm and founding his own firm, Fisher Capital Management. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

This breaking-news program provides context on the current state of affairs in Haiti in the wake of the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021, as well as insight on the broader U.S.-Haitian relationship, and the history of Haitian leadership. Paula Caldwell St-Onge (B.Sc.Queen's University, MBA (Leadership and Sustainability) University of Cumbria, recipient of the Head of the Public Service Award for Excellence in Policy and the Queen's Gold Jubilee medal, began her career in the Public Service in 1989. She worked in several government departments where she gained expertise in communications, environmental sustainability and political risk. She has been a Director General of Canada's Environmental Federal national programs on Enforcement, Environmental assessments and Emergency and Preparedness as well as Director General of the Pan African bureau at Global affairs Canada. She has lived and served abroad for 28 years having been brought up in Latin America and the Caribbean and served as Senior Trade Commissioner, Minister Counsellor of Trade, Consul General and Ambassador in Brazil, Mexico, Texas (and 5 surrounding States), and Haiti respectively. She speaks five languages fluently and is married to Daniel St-Onge and the couple has one daughter. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Awakening, a global look at the worldwide impact of the #MeToo movement, shines a light on the far-reaching effects of the rise in women's activism that sprang from a hashtag. Weaving together the personal stories of women from seven vastly different countries, and focusing on the international cultural reckoning the movement sparked, Awakening looks at #MeToo on the world stage through political analysis and anecdotal evidence, providing an in-depth look into how the campaign has reached across borders since its beginning in 2017. Rachel Vogelstein is the director of the Women and Foreign Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, where she is also the Douglas Dillon senior fellow. During the Obama administration, Vogelstein served as top counselor on women's issues to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and was a member of the White House Council on Women and Girls. She currently sits on the boards of Planned Parenthood Global and the National Women's History Museum. She is a contributing writer on global women's issues at the Washington Post and Foreign Affairs. Vogelstein holds degrees from Columbia University and Georgetown Law School. Meighan Stone is the senior fellow for Women and Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. She previously served as president of the Malala Fund from 2014-2017 and was an entrepreneurship fellow at Harvard's Shorenstein Center. Stone's work in women's advocacy, international development, and media projects has led her to partner with the ONE Campaign, the UN, the World Economic Forum, FIFA World Cup, and the G7 Summit. She has written about global women's issues for TIME and Foreign Affairs, among others. Stone holds a B.A. from George Mason University and a master's degree from Columbia University. Moderated by Michelle A. Thomas, Assistant Vice President, Chief Compliance Office, AT&T. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

China's restriction on the free flow of information is no secret in the western world. Many are aware of the “Great Firewall,” as well as the intense surveillance of visitors and Chinese citizens. But what is life really like under such invasive conditions? In The Perfect Police State, Asia-based reporter Geoffrey Cain shares intel from inside China's surveillance network in the country's westernmost province of Xinjiang. Informed by first-hand testimony and Cain's own investigations into China's “effective and enduring technological dystopia,” Cain argues that China has indeed created a perfect police state. Geoffrey Cain is an award-winning foreign correspondent and author. He was formerly a correspondent at The Economist and is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Time, The New Republic, CNN, MSNBC, BBC, and Bloomberg. He is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a security fellow at the Truman National Security Project. Cain is a Fulbright scholar who earned a master's degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, as well as a bachelor's degree from George Washington University. Moderated by Lee Bratcher Lee Bratcher is the Executive Director for the Institute of Global Engagement at Dallas Baptist University as well as a faculty member teaching international relations and blockchain courses. Lee received a blockchain instructors' certification from IBM and researches blockchain solutions in land administration. He is a Captain in the US Army reserves working as an instructor for ROTC cadets at DBU and UT Dallas. Lee was awarded a master's in International Relations from St. Mary's University and is in his sixth year as a Ph.D. candidate at UT Dallas. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Yemen is a nation on the brink of collapse. Devastated by more than 5 years of civil war, the humanitarian situation in Yemen is dire. Economic volatility and conflict have stretched Yemenis' ability to cope to the breaking point, leaving millions deeply vulnerable and famine a real threat. In the first half of 2021, about 16 million people face acute levels of food insecurity, with a return of famine-like conditions for the first time in two years. Over 24 million people rely on humanitarian assistance to get by. According to the 2021 Global Report on Food Crises—an analysis of global food insecurity by 16 partners including the United Nations World Food Programme—conflict remains the leading driver of hunger globally, with about 99 million severely hungry people living across 23 conflict-affected countries. If adequately funded this year, the United Nations World Food Programme aims to provide emergency food assistance to about 13 million people as well as malnutrition treatment and prevention to 3.3 million children and mothers. Join our panelists for an inside view into Yemen's hunger crisis and how the U.N. World Food Programme is feeding and assisting Yemenis and working to build resilience. About the speakers Oscar-Winning Film Maker Skye Fitzgerald Skye Fitzgerald: Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Documentary Branch). Oscar/Emmy/IDA-Nominated Director Skye Fitzgerald is directing The Humanitarian Trilogy: HUNGER WARD (2020) documents the impact of the war and famine in Yemen on children, families, and health care workers. LIFEBOAT (2018) highlights search and rescue operations off the coast of Libya and was nominated for an Academy Award® and national Emmy® award. 50 FEET FROM SYRIA (2015) focuses on doctors working on the Syrian border and was voted onto the Oscar® shortlist. Annabel Symington – WFP Yemen, Communications Officer  Annabel Symington is a Communications & Media Officer for the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Yemen, where she acts as spokesperson for the operation, the agency's largest in the world, and heads up the communications team. She joined WFP in January 2019, flying straight to Yemen to support the operation on site. Previously, Annabel was a foreign correspondent working for leading media organizations including The Times (UK), The Wall Street Journal, BBC, and The Economist, reporting from Pakistan, India, China, Brazil, and across West Africa. She worked for Agence France-Presse for five years, first as a News Editor from Hong Kong and then moving to Kathmandu as Nepal Bureau Chief. Annabel is a British citizen and her home is London, though she is usually on the road. Chase Sova - World Food Program USA, Senior Director, Public Policy and Tought Leadership Chase Sova has professional experience in the areas of climate change and agricultural development with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, International Center for Tropical Agriculture and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security. Focused on agriculture policy, Chase has worked in 15 developing countries across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. He holds a Ph.D. in political ecology on climate change and agriculture from Oxford University. Moderated by President Emeritus Jim Falk . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

When Jean Becker closed up President Bush's Houston office in 2019 after his death, she told the Houston Chronicle, “What a pleasure. What a journey.” In The Man I Knew, the former chief of staff to President George H. W. Bush shares an intimate look into the post-presidency of one of America's most influential one-term presidents. Becker served as Bush 41's chief of staff for nearly 25 years, handling monumental tasks like the opening of the George Bush Presidential Library in 1997 and overseeing the former president's state funeral in 2018. From the perspective of one of the president's closest confidantes, who was at his side when he died, The Man I Knew offers a behind-the-scenes look into how President Bush continued to lead a life of service after losing the 1992 election – going on to see his own son become president after him and serving as a mentor to Presidents Clinton and Obama. Jean Becker was chief of staff for President George H. W. Bush from 1994 until his death in 2018. In 1999, Becker took a leave of absence to focus on editing and research for the memoir, All the Best, George Bush. Becker also served as deputy press secretary to First Lady Barbara Bush (1989-1992), with whom she worked on Barbara Bush, A Memoir. Becker is a former journalist and a member of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. She holds bachelor's degrees in political science and journalism from the University of Missouri. Jon Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and presidential historian. In 2015, Meacham published his biography of President George H. W. Bush, Destiny and Power, which became a New York Times bestseller. A former executive editor at Random House, Meacham is a contributing writer to the New York Times Book Review and a contributing editor for TIME. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as the Society of American Historians, and holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from The University of the South. Chris Buckley is an author and political satirist who served as chief speechwriter to President George H. W. Bush during his vice presidency. Buckley's experience in Washington inspired his novels, The White House Mess and Thank You for Smoking. He has served as editor of Esquire and Forbes and has written for the New York Times and The New Yorker, among others. He is a graduate of Yale University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Jason L. Riley's biography of Sowell, Maverick, tells the story of the successful and provocative career of one of America's foremost intellectuals and the experiences that shaped his insights and ideas. In Riley's recently released companion documentary Thomas Sowell: Common Sense in a Senseless World, Larry Elder said of Sowell, “He is America's greatest contemporary living philosopher.” Jason Riley is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank focused on domestic policy and urban affairs. He is the author of several books, as well as a columnist and editorial board member for the Wall Street Journal, which he joined in 1994. Riley is a commentator on Fox News and frequently appears on ABC, NBC, CNN, PBS, and NPR. He holds a B.A. in English from The State University of New York at Buffalo. Moderated by Talmage Boston Talmage is a partner in Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP's Dallas office who specializes in commercial litigation. He's a past board member of the WAC of D/FW and recipient of the Mallon Circle Award. In addition to lawyering, he's the author of four critically acclaimed history books, and is regarded as one of the country's leading onstage interviewers. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

In the early 1960s, President Kennedy said the United States was in an "hour of maximum danger," as the Soviet Union was winning the space race. Then, on February 20, 1962, Friendship 7 began its orbit of Earth. With astronaut John Glenn on board, Friendship 7 got America back into the space race at one of the tensest moments of the Cold War. Jeff Shesol draws on historical archives, interviews, and Glenn’s personal notes to tell the story of the mission that changed the dynamics of the space race and restored American confidence during the Cold War. Jeff Shesol’s two previous books, Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. The Supreme Court and Mutual Contempt: Lyndon Johnson, Robert Kennedy, and the Feud That Defined a Decade, have won numerous awards. He also spent three years in the White House as one of President Clinton’s speechwriters. Shesol is a founding partner of West Wing Writers and formerly taught presidential history at Princeton University. He is a Rhodes Scholar who holds a master’s degree in history from Oxford University and a B.A. from Brown University. Peter Baker is the New York Times’ chief White House correspondent. Baker spent 20 years at the Washington Post, including four years as Moscow bureau chief in collaboration with his wife, journalist Susan Glasser. He has authored six award-winning books. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Throughout her nine terms in Congress, Jane Harman served on all major security committees, including as a ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee in the years following the September 11 attacks. As a recognized expert on national security and public policy – with the resume to back it up – Harman has won numerous awards for her distinguished service. Now, in Insanity Defense, Harman recounts her decades on the national security front, arguing that no less than four presidential administrations have failed to address the most pressing threats to the nation. In a push to shift away from Cold War strategies, Harman lay outs her solutions for meeting the challenges of our times, in which rapidly advancing technology and multi-faceted global power structures may eventually redefine American dominance. Jane Harman served nine terms as a U.S. Representative in Congress. She resigned in 2011 to become the first female president and CEO at the Woodrow Wilson Center, where she spent the past decade. Harman currently serves as a member of the Aspen Strategy Group and sits on the advisory board of the Munich Security Conference, as well as the board of Iridium Communication Inc. She is a member of the Presidential Debates Commission and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Harman holds a B.A. from Smith College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Moderated by Lee Cullum, journalist at Public Media of North Texas (KERA/PBS) and Senior Fellow at the John Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs at SMU. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Number one bestselling author of ​The Boys in the Boat,Daniel James Brown has collaborated with a nonprofit that preserves the oral histories of formerly-interned Japanese Americans to produce Facing the Mountain, a heartbreaking and eye-opening account of four Japanese American families whose sons volunteered for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, deploying to the frontlines of Europe while their families were imprisoned at home. A tale of Americans “striving, resisting,” “laying down their lives, and enduring,” Facing the Mountain shines a light on the bravery and patriotism of a few young men during one of the darkest moments in American history. Daniel James Brown is a narrative nonfiction author who has published three previous books that strive to bring historical events to life. He taught writing at San José State University. As a California native, he received a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.A. from University of California, Los Angeles. Moderated by Tom Ikeda, executive director of Denshō. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

About the author: https://www.workman.com/authors/daniel-levin-1 Daniel Levin was at his office when he got a call from an acquaintance with an urgent, cryptic request to meet in Paris. A young man had gone missing in Syria. No government, embassy, or intelligence agency would help. Could he? Would he? So begins a suspenseful, shocking, and at times brutal true story of one man’s search to find a missing person in Syria over twenty tense days. Levin, a lawyer turned armed-conflict negotiator, uses his extensive contacts to chase leads throughout the Middle East, meeting with powerful sheikhs, drug lords, and sex traffickers in his pursuit of the truth. He also discovers remarkable people who retain their essential goodness and spirit in the face of adversity. 

In Proof of Life, Levin dives deep into a shadowy world where few have access—an underground industry of war where everything is for sale, including arms, drugs, and even people. He offers a fascinating study of how people use leverage to get what they want from one another and where no one does a favor without wanting something in return, whether it’s immediately or years down the road. 

Proof of Life is a fast-paced thriller wrapped in a memoir, a must-read for anyone interested in power dynamics, international affairs, the Middle East, or our growing number of forever wars. 
 Moderated by Michael Judge Judge, a writer, freelance journalist, and contributing editor at The Dallas Morning News, is a former deputy editorial features editor at The Wall Street Journal and former deputy editorial page editor at The Asian Wall Street Journal. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, his career spans more than two decades on three continents. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Japan Times, NPR, The Columbia Journalism Review, Politico, and Smithsonian magazine, among other publications. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

When Americans think of a global menace, one of two countries often comes to mind: China or Russia. These global powerhouses are two of the United States’ greatest adversaries on the world stage. But what are the risks they actually pose? In Spymaster’s Prism, 32-year CIA veteran Jack Devine details how Russia’s intelligence apparatus has continuously worked against American national security from the Cold War to the present. He uses the history of U.S. intelligence achievements and failures to help Americans understand what this adversary may be planning in the future. In a similar vein, geostrategic expert John Ward’s China’s Vision of Victory outlines the ways in which “the Chinese Communist Party is guiding a country of 1.4 billion people towards” the “great rejuvenation” of China and the downfall of American dominance. Combining their joint knowledge, Devine and Ward lay out the threats America currently faces, as well as what can be done to neutralize those threats. Jack Devine is a 32-year veteran of the CIA and the founding partner and president of The Arkin Group, an international consulting firm. At the CIA, Devine served as acting director and associate director, chief of Latin America, head of the Counter-Narcotics Center, and head of the Afghan Task Force. He was awarded the CIA’s Meritorious Officer Award and the Distinguished Intelligence Medal. Devine is a published author and op-ed writer. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Jonathan Ward is the founder of the Atlas Organization, a consultancy firm focused on Chinese and Indian national strategy. Before Atlas, Ward was a geostrategic consultant for Oxford Analytica and for the U.S. Department of Defense. He is currently a research associate at Oxford’s Changing Character of War Programme and a visiting academic at the university’s China Centre. Ward holds a Ph.D. from Oxford University in China-India relations, as well as an M.St. in Global and Imperial History, also from Oxford. Mike Capps is the Director of Strategic Development, Intelligence, Information & Services at Raytheon. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

As one of the country’s leading authorities on American foreign policy and what goes on behind the scenes, James M. Lindsay has a wealth of knowledge about where the U.S. stands on the global stage, how it’s affected by shifting power dynamics, and how all these elements come together to shape our understanding of current issues. Lindsay is the co-author of The Empty Throne: America’s Abdication of Global Leadership and America Unbound: The Bush Revolution in Foreign Policy, for which he has won multiple awards. On his blog, The Water’s Edge, Lindsay writes about the ways in which politics influence U.S. foreign policy decisions and how those decisions affect global power structures and domestic politics – topics that are frequently discussed on Lindsay’s podcasts, The President’s Inbox and The World Next Week. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Lindsay is a recipient of the Pew Faculty Fellowship in International Affairs, as well as the CFR International Affairs Fellowship. James M. Lindsay is senior vice president, director of studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg chair at the Council on Foreign Relations. He has held leadership positions across many prestigious organizations, including the Brookings Institution, the National Security Council, the United States Institute of Peace, and the Center for International Affairs. He holds an A.B. in economics and political science from the University of Michigan, as well as an M.A., M.Phil., and a Ph.D. from Yale University. Moderator Ryan Sanders started his career in journalism at the Corsicana Daily Sun before moving to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram where he covered education and city government. Later, working in public relations, he wrote speeches for CEOs, politicians, and the owner of the Dallas Stars hockey team. He has written scripts for television and radio ads, contributed to a book of local history for the Dallas mayor’s office, and placed op-eds and feature articles in multiple news outlets. His writing has won awards in community journalism, public relations, and fiction. He currently serves as editorial writer at The Dallas Morning News. Ryan is an ordained minister. He lives in Irving, Texas with his wife, two teenaged children, and a Beagle named after Scout Finch. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

When a new president is elected, administration officials change but the White House staff often does not. Many of these “White House lifers” maintain their roles for decades – like Dale Haney, the chief groundskeeper since 1972. In The Secret Life of the White House, Susannah Jacob paints a vivid picture of the daily life of the residence staff behind the scenes – illuminated with interviews from dozens of former and current longtime professionals. Jacob argues these individuals are symbols of the independence of the White House, conserving the legacies of past presidents and “continuing to do their jobs and serve whoever moves in.” Susannah Jacob is a writer and former speechwriter for President Barack Obama. As a Ph.D. student in Yale University’s Department of History, Jacob's interests focus on twentieth century America, labor, and political history. Her work has been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and the New York Times. She holds a B.A. in history from the University of Texas at Austin. Jeremi Suri is the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is a professor of history and public affairs. He has authored nine books about contemporary politics and foreign policy. Suri is also a contributor for the New York Times, Washington Post, Dallas Morning News, and Foreign Affairs. He holds an A.B. from Stanford University, an M.A. from Ohio University, and a Ph.D. from Yale University, all in history. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Fifty-three years after the phrase “Space! The final frontier…” entered U.S. pop culture via the television series “Star Trek,” the United States Space Force became the newest branch of the American Armed Forces. Operating within the Department of the Air Force, the USSF began developing military doctrine for space power and military space systems to protect the U.S. and its allies in space in December 2019. In an exclusive, members-only event, Lt. Gen. William J. Liquori will pull back the curtains for an inside view of how the need for a military presence in space came to be – followed by a look ahead to what’s in store for this exciting new endeavor. Lt. Gen. William J. Liquori is the deputy chief of space operations, strategy, plans, programs, requirements, and analysis for the U.S. Space Force. Lt. Gen. Liquori’s service includes commanding a space operations squadron and the 50th Space Wing, as well as positions within the USAF Space Command, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the White House. He holds an M.A. in computer resources and information management from Webster University, as well as a B.A. in computer science from Boston University. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that companies and labor unions enjoy the same right to political speech as individuals, many restrictions on money in American politics were lifted. Super PACs now rule our political landscape and can pour hundreds of millions of dollars into campaigns, as long as their efforts remain independent of candidates. The influx of large sums of money into politics can damage trust in government, suppress turnout, and put corporate interests before the interests of constituents. To what extent is this a uniquely American issue? How much influence is for sale and what can be done about it? Meridian Young Professionals are invited to join our virtual conversation with Ann Drumm of American Promise on the impact money has in our local and federal system and whether a new constitutional amendment is appropriate to combat this phenomenon. About Ann Drumm and American Promise: Ann Drumm is regional organizer for American Promise, a national nonpartisan organization advocating for a constitutional amendment to address big money in politics. https://americanpromise.net/blog/2019/05/29/citizen-leader-spotlight-ann-drumm/ “American Promise exists to empower, inspire, and organize Americans to win the 28th Amendment to the Constitution. This lasting reform will re-balance our politics and government by putting the rights of individual citizens before the privileges of concentrated money, corporations, unions, political parties, and superPACs.” https://americanpromise.net/who-we-are/about-american-promise/ . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Fiona Hill, one of the nation’s foremost experts on Russia, is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. She previously served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs on the National Security Council from 2017 through 2019. In November 2019, Hill testified before the House Intelligence Committee during the committee’s impeachment hearing. Dr. Hill has researched and published extensively on Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, specifically on issues related to regional conflicts and energy. She is the author of “The Siberian Curse: How Communist Planners Left Russia Out in the Cold” and “Energy Empire: Oil, Gas and Russia’s Revival.” Hill also co-authored “Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin” with Clifford Gaddy. Dr. Fiona Hill holds a master’s degree in Soviet studies and a doctorate in history from Harvard University. She also holds a master’s degree in Russian and modern history from St. Andrews University and has studied at the Maurice Thorez Institute of Foreign Languages in Moscow. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Moderated by Liz Brailsford. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

John Boehner was a small business owner when he first decided to run for elected office after witnessing what he considered the negative effects of “high taxes and red tape” on American entrepreneurs. After two decades in office, Boehner became Speaker of the House in 2011 and immediately found himself in opposition to President Obama’s vision for America. In On the House, Boehner reflects on his time in Congress, recounting the lessons of success and failure he has learned from leaders – from Gerald Ford to Joe Biden – he has encountered. John Boehner is the former Speaker of the House of Representatives (2011-2015). From 1991 until his resignation in October 2015, Boehner represented the Eighth Congressional District of Ohio as a Republican. In Congress, Boehner’s stated goals were a “smaller, less costly, and more accountable federal government.” Since 2016, he has been a senior strategic advisor at Squire Patton Boggs LLP. Moderated by Liz Brailsford, WACDFW President & CEO. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

It’s no secret that China is in the midst of dynamic change. Through an incisive look at President Xi Jinping’s political and economic reforms, Elizabeth Economy analyzes that transformation as it’s occurring today. One of the nation’s foremost experts on Chinese domestic and foreign policy, Economy writes with authority in her latest book, “The Third Revolution,” about the widespread implications of China’s actions on the rest of the world. In an attempt to regain its past glory, Economy argues that China has embarked on a mission to reimagine global norms to better fit the vast nation’s “ambitious geostrategic objectives.” Elizabeth Economy was called by Politico Magazine one of the “10 Names That Matter on China Policy” in 2018. She is a senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. Her work is widely published and she is the author of several books on China. Economy holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, an M.A. from Stanford University, and a B.A. from Swarthmore College. Moderator Stephen Gardner is the Herman Brown professor of economics and director of the McBride Center for International Business at Baylor University who has been named “Outstanding Tenured Professor” and “Outstanding Professor for University Service.” He has authored three books. Gardner holds a B.A. in economics and Russian studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

A decade after the Arab Spring began in 2011, where does the Middle East stand today? At the time, the uprisings stunned the world and appeared to ignite a flame of freedom across the Arab world. But what came of the movements? From an ongoing civil war in Syria to the burgeoning democracy of Tunisia and reemerging protests in the region, the lasting effects of the Arab Spring span a wide range. In the western world, a debate continues as to whether the Arab Spring was a failure, a success, or if perhaps we are still in its midst. Scholar Steven Cook will delve into these questions and more, illuminating the reasons why this debate is important and what it means for U.S. policy. Steven Cook is the Enri Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he is also director of the International Affairs Fellowship for Tenured International Relations Scholars. His work focuses on Arab and Turkish politics in addition to U.S.-Middle East policy, subjects about which he has written multiple books. Cook is also a columnist at Foreign Policy. He holds a B.A. from Vassar College and an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University, as well as an M.A. and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Moderated by Joanne Held Cummings Joanne Held Cummings is an adjunct professor at Baylor University, educating upper-level undergraduates about Middle East dynamics. Ms. Cummings was deputy chief of mission in the Federated States of Micronesia, pol/econ section chief, refugee coordinator, economic section chief, political officer, and consular officer. In the Department of State and in the private sector, she has worked in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jerusalem, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Ethiopia, and Micronesia as well as nine years in the private sector working regionally from Morocco through Pakistan. She was was recently the foreign policy advisor to the counter-ISIS coalition based in Baghdad. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

When so many of our home goods and clothing items are made in China, it may be a good idea to step back and understand how those goods actually get to us. In 2012, an Oregon mother, Julie Keith, came face to face with the reality of cheap American consumerism when an SOS letter from China fell out of a box of $5 Halloween decorations. The writer’s name was Sun Yi, an engineer imprisoned in a Chinese labor camp, where he was forced to carve foam headstones and stitch clothing for more than 15 hours a day as part of his “reeducation” by the Chinese government. In Made in China, Amelia Pang follows Sun Yi’s story, as well as those of others like him, tracking down China’s “falsified supply chains,” that start with gulag-like labor camps and end in American homes. Amelia Pang is an award-winning investigative journalist of Uyghur descent. She is an editor at EdTech Magazine. Her book, Made in China, to be released in February 2021, was shortlisted for the 2019 J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award by the Columbia Journalism School and the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. Pang holds a BA in Literary Studies from the New School. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Our virtual conversation with former Secretary of Defense General Jim Mattis will be moderated by Council President Emeritus Jim Falk. General Mattis served as the 26th secretary of defense from January 2017 through December 2018 after retiring from his 43-year career as an infantry marine in 2013. Through his decades of experience, General Mattis has developed an acute understanding of American foreign policy and the United States’ role on the global stage and is a fierce advocate for education. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Paul Haenle will discuss the factors driving the downturn in the U.S.-China relations in recent years and the outlook for the relationship under the Biden administration. He will share his perspective on how Washington and Beijing can chart a more constructive path forward for the relationship, analyzing areas of confrontation, competition, problem-solving, and cooperation. About Haenle: Taken from https://carnegietsinghua.org/experts/490 Paul Haenle holds the Maurice R. Greenberg Director’s Chair at the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center based at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. In addition to running the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center, Haenle is also an adjunct professor at Tsinghua, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate-level courses to Chinese and international students on international relations and global governance. Haenle also sits on the board of directors of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. Prior to joining Carnegie, he served from June 2007 to June 2009 as the director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia Affairs on the National Security Council staffs of former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. From June 2007 to January 2009, Haenle also played a key role as the White House representative to the U.S. negotiating team at the six-party-talks nuclear negotiations. From May 2004 to June 2007, he served as the executive assistant to the U.S. national security adviser. Trained as a China foreign area officer in the U.S. Army, Haenle has been assigned twice to the U.S. embassy in Beijing, served as a U.S. Army company commander during a two-year tour to the Republic of Korea, and worked in the Pentagon as an adviser on China, Taiwan, and Mongolia Affairs on the staff of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Early assignments in the U.S. Army included postings in Germany, Desert Storm, Korea, and Kuwait. He retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel in October 2009. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Former military officers and award-winning authors Admiral James Stavridis and Elliot Ackerman have written a geopolitical thriller about an imagined naval clash between the U.S. and China in the South China Sea in 2034. Based upon “actual decisions already made,” the novel imagines how “a single technological leap forward” enables China to blind and bind our military. Jim Mattis’ review of the novel said, “…Jim Stavridis and Elliot Ackerman’s chilling novel presents a realistic series of miscalculations leading to the worst consequences. A sobering, cautionary tale for our time.” Jay Young is moderating this conversation. Contributors' Circle members will be able to spend an extra 15 minutes of Q&A time with Admiral Stavridis. James Stavridis is a four-star admiral whose 30 years in the U.S. Navy included postings as Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and Commander of U.S. Southern Command, where he led all U.S. military operations in Latin America. Admiral Stavridis is the author of nine books on the military and leadership. This is his first novel. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. from Tufts University, where he served as the dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy for five years. Elliot Ackerman is an award-winning author and former marine who served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. He is former White House fellow and has written fiction and non-fiction books. His writing often appears in Esquire, The New Yorker and the New York Times, where he is a contributing opinion writer. Jay T. Young began his career in the U.S. Government as a military analyst, serving on task forces for major military operations and authoring assessments on key issues in Latin America and the Persian Gulf. His long business career includes senior leadership positions in the management consulting, information technology services, and diversified manufacturing industries. He is currently the principal of Obsydian Consulting, LLC. Jay also served for 25 years in the U.S. Naval Reserve retiring as a Captain in 2018. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Ayman Safadi has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs & Expatriates for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan since 2017 and has also served Deputy Prime Minister since October 2020. As you can see in his Twitter posts, he meets on a daily basis with foreign ministers and heads of state of countries in all regions of the world. In previous public appointments, he served as adviser to King Abdullah, Minister of State, spokesperson for the Jordanian government, and spokesperson for the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq. Safadi began his professional career in journalism and communications. He has served as CEO of Abu Dhabi Media Company, Director General of Jordan Radio and Television Corporation, editor-in-chief and columnist for the Al-Ghad daily newspaper, and editor-in-chief of The Jordan Times. Mr. Safadi holds a B.A. in English Language and Literature from Yarmouk University and a Masters of International Journalism from Baylor University. Taken from https://www.baylor.edu/business/globalbusinessforum/index.php?id=976054 . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate

Diplomacy’s equivalent of the military’s special forces is the “expeditionary diplomat,” a resourceful professional with specialized training from the Department of Defense and CIA who can take on the toughest diplomatic assignments in high threat, unstable or failed states. Join diplomatic correspondent Paul Richter, author of the “The Ambassadors,” for a virtual conversation with three of America’s preeminent diplomats – Ryan Crocker, Robert Ford and Anne Patterson – whom he profiled in his book along with Christopher Stevens, who was killed in Libya in 2012. Paul Richter covered the State Department and foreign policy as a Washington-based correspondent for the Los Angeles Times before leaving the publication in 2015. Throughout his three-decades-long career, Richter reported from 60 countries. He is a graduate of Clark University in Massachusetts. Ambassador Ryan Crocker was a career Foreign Service Officer, who served as Ambassador to Afghanistan (2011-2012), Iraq (2007-2009), Pakistan (2004-2007), Syria (1998-2001), Kuwait (1994-1997), and Lebanon (1990-1993). He is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009) and currently serves as diplomat in residence at Princeton University. He holds a B.A. in English and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Whitman College. Ambassador Robert S. Ford served as U.S. Ambassador to Syria (2011-2014) and Algeria (2006-2008) before retiring from the Foreign Service in 2014. He is a recipient of the U.S. Department of State’s Secretary’s Service Award (2014) and the John F. Kennedy Library’s Profile in Courage Award (2012), which he received for his work defending human rights in Syria. He is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. Ambassador Anne Patterson spent more than four decades in the Foreign Service, serving as Ambassador to Egypt (2011-2013), Pakistan (2007-2010), Colombia (2000-2003), and El Salvador (1997-2000). She was appointed to the National Defense Strategy Commission by Congress in 2017, where she contributed to an independent review of U.S. national security needs. From 2017 to 2018, Patterson served as a senior fellow at the Yale Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. . . Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers. Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate